The Burn Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (CBMC) presented 17 New Jersey firefighters with the prestigious Valor Award for their courage and bravery at the 38th Annual Valor Awards on October 22, 2025. During the event, additional firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians were honored for their work in the community.
The Valor Awards salute an elite group of firefighters and first responders for their bravery, courage and dedication to the citizens of New Jersey. Honorees are nominated by respective departments and selected by a committee of peers.
Below are this year’s Valor Award honorees and the speeches that were read at the ceremony:
East Orange Fire Department
Probationary Firefighter Asterson Latherion
Earlier this evening a Team Effort-Fire Award was presented to members of the East Orange Fire Department for their combined actions at this Prospect Street fire.
The Burn Team would now like to recognize Probationary Firefighter Latherion for his actions at this same incident
Working with Firefighter Watkins, together the two made their way up a fire escape. Moving past the fire, which was now blowing out of a window where a resident was frantically waving for help, they were able to guide a resident down to safety.
Probationary Firefighter Latherion then made his way up a 35-foot ground ladder to get to another trapped resident.
Despite difficult terrain, which made positioning the ladder extremely unstable, Probationary Latherion still managed to ascend and assist the man out of a window and down to waiting EMS.
Already showing remarkable courage at the start of his career, tonight the Burn Team is honored to present him with our Valor Award. Congratulations!
Jersey City Fire Department
Captain Adam Dalton and Firefighter Devin Geoghegan
In response to a fire last December, Captain Dalton and Firefighter Geoghegan were conducting a search under heavy fire and zero visibility.
With their low-air alarms activating, the firefighters were forced to exit the building. Once outside they learned there was a report of a child still missing.
Quickly donning a new air supply, they re-entered the building.
Hearing faint cries they were able to locate and rescue the child, bringing him safely outside and handed over to waiting EMS.
With little regard for their personal safety, tonight The Burn Center proudly presents Captain Adam Dalton and Firefighter Devin Geoghegan with the Valor Award. Congratulations!
Jersey City Fire Department
Captain Todd Tarrant, Firefighter Andrew Casella, Firefighter Joseph Curran, Firefighter John Dunford, Firefighter Christopher Kintscher, Firefighter Christopher Mohin, Firefighter (Now Captain) Frank Petrangeli and Firefighter Michael Woods
Last September units responded to a working fire on Wade Street.
With fire already showing on the first floor, and rapidly advancing up to the second story, Firefighters Woods, Dunford and Curran entered the building, where, under high heat and zero visibility, where they located an unconscious victim. Despite a weak pulse and severe lacerations, firefighters were able to safely extricate her, and get her out to waiting EMS.
At the same time, the other firefighters, under the direction of Captain Tarrant, were also conducting a search, without protection of a hose line.
Firefighters Mohin and Petrangeli located a second victim. Due to now rapidly deteriorating conditions, they were forced to dragged the individual to a nearby window and extricate him out and down a ladder, with assist from the other firefighters.
For their combined heroic efforts, this evening the Burn Team proudly presents these men with our Valor Award. Congratulations!
Newark Fire Department
Captain Ashton Robinson and Firefighter Justin Acabou
Earlier this evening Firefighter Winbush was presented with a Special Recognition Award for administering CPR to a young child rescued from the Aster Street fire.
It was at this same fire that Captain Ashton Robinson made entry into the 3-story residence and, after locating a young girl, turned her over to Firefighter Winbush.
At the same time, Firefighter Acabou, together with another Captain, located a second child, also in cardiac arrest.
Once outside, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was begun by the firefighters until child was able to be turned over to waiting EMS.
For their efforts The Burn Center proudly presents Captain Ashton Robinson and Firefighter Justin Acabou with the Valor Award.
It should be noted; tonight is not the first time both Captain Ashton and Firefighter Winbush are being recognized by the Burn Team. In 2023 they also received the Brotherhood Award for their actions in rescuing Battalion Chief Dayonn Cobbs, who is here this evening. Job well done!
Jersey City Fire Department
Due to extenuating circumstances related to this fire, the following individuals are being recognized for TEAM EFFORT- FIRE: Battalion Chief Miguel Rios, Captain David Budinick, Firefighter William Bowman, Firefighter Andrew Cavallere, Firefighter Taylor Donnelly, Firefighter Kevin Ebert, Firefighter Dana Granteed, Firefighter John Kruse and Firefighter Edmund O’Brien
And the following individuals are being recognized for VALOR: Captain Osmell Estrada, Captain Anthony Sharperson, Probationary Firefighter Robert Ellerson and Probationary Firefighter Jonathan Veintimilla
On the morning of May 1, Battalion 4, Engine 9, Ladder 3, Engine 7 and Squad 4 all responded to a 3-story mixed occupancy residence, for heavy smoke and fire emanating from a 2nd floor apartment.
In the course of overall operations, firefighters had to make a forced entry, deal with a loss of water pressure and, due to a faulty fire escape, rescue three victims from a 3rd floor window over a ground ladder. Four other occupants were able to be removed by interior stairs.
While conducting an interior search, two adults and two children were located. A female a was found in a hallway, unconscious, in cardiac arrest, and had to be dragged out. The children, ages 6 and 8 years were also unconscious, and in full cardiac arrest. An unconscious male was located and removed from a bedroom. All four required prolonged cardio-pulmonary resuscitation by on-scene firefighters, until EMS arrived.
The male did succumb to his injures however, the mother and her children were transported to The Burn Center at Cooperman Barnabas, where they recovered from extensive burns and smoke inhalation. Additionally, three of the firefighters responding to this incident also received treatment for burns.
Overall, more than 22 firefighters responded to this incident, and, despite the extreme hazards, all acted with discipline and professionalism, and tonight the Burn Team is honored to applaud all their efforts.
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