Newark Fire Department

(pictured from left to right) 200 Club Executive Committee Member Ira Cohen, 2006 Valor Award Recipient Captain Michael Sorace, Acting Fire Chief Michael Lalor and 200 Club President Arthur S. Guida.

Captain Michael Sorace
Newark Fire Department

On March 1, 2006 at 8:53 hours, Captain Michael Sorace of Ladder #5 had just come off-duty and was traveling south bound on Interstate 287 in Bridgewater Twp. when he came upon an accident in which a mini van ran off the road, impacted with the guard rail and subsequently overturned trapping the driver.

After the impact, the vehicle caught fire and the operator, who had suffered from a diabetic emergency, was injured and unable to free himself from the van.

Captain Sorace stopped at the accident scene and, without any protective gear or a charged hose line and with no regard for his personal safety, entered the van. He had to crawl through the spilled contents to reach the victim. He removed the seriously injured driver before the fire entered the interior compartment and further endangered the operator.

As reported by the NJ State Trooper who investigated this accident, had it not been for the actions of Captain Michael Sorace, the driver of the mini van would have suffered serious if not fatal injuries.

Captain Michael Sorance is a rescue specialist and instructor for the New Jersey State Police Urban and Rescue Team and these skills helped him act instinctively and courageously in the highest tradition and standards of the fire service in saving a life.

The 200 Club of Essex County proudly presented its Valor Award to Captain Michael Sorace.

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