Yamali gets firefighters courage award

The Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center hosted its Annual Badge of Courage Gala on Oct. 9. Civic leader Butch Yamali, President of The Dover Group was presented the Firefighters Leadership Award. Yamali was born and raised in Island Park, and now resides in Merrick with his wife Linda.

Yamali has served on the board of the American Red Cross and Pronto (food pantry) of Long Island and has received many awards and honorary recognitions. Those include being named Man of the Year by The Center of Developmental Disabilities in Woodbury; Honorary Fire Chief by the Nassau County Fire Commission and Honorary Police Chief in 2014 from the NYS Police Benevolent Association. He was honored with the American Red Cross’ Humanitarian Award. In 2014, he began his first term as president of the Merrick Union Free School District Board. Yamali’s highest honor was being named as Honorary Chief by his hometown Island Park Fire Department in 2015.

The Dover Group includes the Coral House in Baldwin, The Sands on Lido Beach Catering Hall, Malibu Shore Club, Camp Malibu and Maliblue Oyster Bar in Lido, Hudson’s on the Mile in Freeport, Dover Caterers, Quick Snack Vending, Dream Event Planning, Carnival Ice Cream and the most recent acquisition, Peter’s Clam Bar in Island Park.

Chief John P. Brown, the Chief Instructor of the Nassau County Fire Service Academy (NCFSA) and Former Chief of Baldwin Fire Department was presented with the Francis X. Pendl Firefighter Award, and Joseph Sanford, Jr., Ex-Chief of the Inwood Fire Department was posthumously awarded the Firefighters Humanitarian Award.

In addition to honoring firefighters during the event they introduced new museum exhibits and a new building façade at the museum.