LUMBERLAND – The Lumberland Fire Department has received the American Red Cross Real Heroes – Lifeline Award, which recognizes extraordinary life-saving actions by first responders.
Lumberland, located in Sullivan County, was honored for its response to a serious motor vehicle accident that occurred in April 2025 along Route 97, where a single vehicle rolled and came to rest suspended upside down approximately 15 feet above a ravine. The hazardous and unstable conditions required a highly technical rescue operation.
Working alongside mutual aid fire and EMS agencies, members of the Lumberland Fire Department carefully stabilized the vehicle and safely extricated the trapped driver, who was rescued and expected to recover. Family members later expressed deep gratitude for the responders’ swift and compassionate actions.
“This recognition is incredibly well deserved,” said Suzanne Edzenga, Town Supervisor, who nominated the department for the award. “The men and women of the Lumberland Fire Department demonstrated exceptional professionalism, training, and courage in a situation that could have easily had a tragic outcome. As a volunteer, taxpayer-funded department, they consistently go above and beyond to protect our community.”
The American Red Cross Real Heroes Lifeline Award is one of the organization’s highest honors, presented to first responders whose actions directly result in saving a life. The award reflects the Red Cross’s mission of preventing and alleviating human suffering in emergencies.
The Town of Lumberland congratulates 2025 Fire Chief Eric Robles, the firefighters and EMS members involved in the rescue, and all those who support the department’s mission. This honor highlights not only a single heroic event but the ongoing dedication of the Lumberland Fire Department to public safety.
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