SUMMIT, NJ — The Summit Fire Department has announced that firefighter Joe Moschello has received the Frank Smith Award for Public Safety. The award is given annually by the New Jersey Electronic Security Association to an active-duty firefighter or police officer who exemplifies commitment, loyalty and consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty for the municipality they serve.
“We are extremely proud of firefighter Moschello,” said Summit Fire Chief Eric Evers. “Joe sets an excellent example of how everyone should approach work with security companies to help them interpret fire codes and pass inspections. His professional manner and expertise are truly an asset for the city of Summit.”
Moschello received the award at the NJESA symposium at Harrah’s Convention Center on March 2 in Atlantic City. According to the association’s website, the NJESA represents more than 300 security and fire-alarm companies, manufacturers and distributors that do business in the state of New Jersey.
“This is an award that recognizes someone that works in the industry in a fluid manner,” Moschello told LocalSource over the phone on March 21. “A subcode official works on the administrative and planning side of things. A fire subcode official works on the maintenance side. There are different fire-alarm license programs. One is geared toward maintaining existing buildings and the other is geared toward new buildings or buildings being renovated or reconstructed. There are licenses for residential buildings as well as high industrial, commercial buildings.”
Moschello works to ensure that building plans are in compliance with all codes.
“Plans are reviewed for code compliance and are inspected during construction,” he said. “We have a good partnership with the fire-alarm industry,”
Fire-code inspections include looking at active and passive fire-protection aspects.
“An active fire-protection system is active, such as a sprinkler, mechanical exhaust system and adequate combustion air gases being safely released,” he said.
“Passive fire protection systems are compartmentalized fire-spread walls, and preventing gas from moving throughout the structure. It also means having safe passages, emergency lighting and stairways.”
Moschello has been working in his field for more than 20 years and has been in Summit for about half of his career.
“I’ve been doing this about 21 years now,” he said. “This is my 11th year in Summit.”
He received an award previously for his work as fire inspector of the year.
“In 2009, I received another award called the Frances Donovan Award,” he said. “It’s also a statewide recognition but instead of an industry award it was a peer award from the state department of community affairs for fire inspector of the year.”