By Andrew Hackmack and Dana Williams
The vehicle was headed down Ocean Avenue in Malverne when the driver lost control, and the minivan slammed into a tree and burst into flames.
Kutcher saw the accident, which occurred near his Malverne home, and immediately doused the fire with a small extinguisher he grabbed inside his house. Rescuing the driver took a team effort, with Malverne police officers Jason Moss, Robert Lang and Matthew Hill helping Kutcher extract the man from the damaged vehicle. While Lang worked to cut his seat belt, Kutcher, whose father and grandfather served as Malverne fire chiefs, worked with the other two police officers to free him. Fortunately, the driver suffered only minor injuries.
Kutcher was honored for his heroic efforts at the Town of Hempstead's Firematic Awards on Oct. 18. Town officials recognized 17 volunteer firefighters at the ceremony, which acknowledged those who have made extraordinary commitments to the fire service. Supervisor Kate Murray presided over the ceremony, and praised all of the honorees for their efforts. "These people are phenomenal," Murray said. "I will forever be indebted to our volunteers."
Many of the honorees were recognized for specific heroic acts, while others were cited for their years of volunteerism. Town Hall's Nathan Bennett Pavilion was filled to capacity with family members, fellow volunteers, fire chiefs, commissioners and village officials. Kutcher was presented with the town's 2007 Fire Service Award, along with his neighbor Cathy Aresta, an AMT for the Lynbrook Fire Department. Aresta provided medical attention to the driver after Kutcher and the three police officers pulled him out of the minivan.
Murray said that firefighters and emergency medical volunteers provide an invaluable service to the Town of Hempstead and local municipalities. "They're available to protect us at a moment's notice," she added. "These individuals are truly worthy of our admiration and gratitude."
Kutcher, Aresta and the three officers also received citations for their heroism from Malverne Mayor Patricia McDonald on Oct. 3, at a presentation before the village's monthly Board of Trustees meeting. "It's always wonderful to see our volunteers get recognized for what they do in our communities," McDonald said. "They play an important role in our village, and they really deserve to be honored."
Comments about this story? DWilliams@ liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
