By Kevin Zawacki

One of Rockland's volunteer firefighters has been named the state's best on the heels of a stunning rescue in 2011.

West Haverstraw's Andrew Kolesar, a former chief, snagged the Firefighter of the Year honor passed down by the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY).

Kolesar earned the accolades when he rescued his chief, Kenneth Patterson, who ran out of air and collpased while searching an illegally-converted building in Haverstraw.

"I was at the right place at the right moment," Kolesar said. "I knew he was nearby me, but I couldn't see him."

Kolesar found Patterson using a thermal imaging camera, hauled him down to the first floor and brought him to safety.

Patterson was treated for extremely high carbon monoxide levels in a hospital, but was released to recover at home, officials said.

In the past, Kolesar was awarded the DeFumere Medal of Valor and a congressional medal from congresswoman Nan Hayworth, and was named Firefighter of the Year by the New Jersey and New York Volunteer Firemen’s Association.

Kolesar received the same honor from the Rockland County Volunteer Firemen’s Association at its September 2011 convention. This April, Firehouse magazine cited Kolesar’s rescue as number 21 of the top 25 in the United States for 2011.

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The details

Kolesar will receive his award at the FASNY annual convention, 11 a.m.,  August 15 at the Holiday Inn/Staybridge Suites in Liverpool,  N.Y., accompanied by his wife, son, daughter and a color guard of firefighters from his company, Volunteer Hose Co. 2, West Haverstraw.

This article was originally published by New City Patch on August 8, 2012 and can be found here.