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Marty Sealey and Scott Peterson, Officers and Members of the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department, have been selected for the annual Heroism & Community Service Awards program by Firehouse Magazine, the largest of its kind in the fire-rescue service.

Last year on Valentines Day, the Dunkirk VFD was alerted for a subject that had fallen through the ice. Units responded from Dunkirk and arrived to find a subject fighting to hang on.

The female subject was trying to walk across a lake, due to her dogs taking off onto the ice. After making it a good distance out on the pond, the ice gave way and she fell into the freezing cold water.

Over 20 members from Dunkirk went to work, while Marty and Scott got their suits on and made their way across the ice and into the water after her.

She was barley hanging on when Scott got to her. With the assistance of Marty they rescued her and one of the dogs. Both subjects being properly tied off, they were then brought to shore.

rews packaged the subject for transport to Calvert Memorial Hospital. The next day, the female subject came to the Dunkirk Volunteer Firehouse to say thanks to everyone who saved her life.


America’s 1.5 million career and volunteer firefighters read Firehouse Magazine. From the fire chief on down, all echelons of firefighters read Firehouse Magazine for lessons learned while answering calls. Firehouse Magazine was founded in 1976 and is recognized as the publication of record in fire service for providing timely, in-depth coverage of major emergency incidents..