200 Club of Sussex County honors first responders

ANDOVER — The 200 Club of Sussex County was organized after a national model over 25 years ago. That model has the mission to financially assist surviving families of first responders who die in the line of duty.

Members pay $200 per year to join, which provides for up to $10,000 within 48 hours to survivors of firefighters, police, EMS and emergency management first responders who gave their lives to service to their communities.

The 200 Club of Sussex County provides scholarships to first responder’s families and valor awards for exceptional service to their communities. Such was the case recently for first responders from the Andover Borough and Township Fire Departments, the Lakeland Emergency Squad and an Andover Township 9-1-1 Telecommunicator.

The incident that brought about the valor awards occurred on Rt. 206 in Andover Borough on Oct. 17, 2013 when a tractor-trailer loaded with 8,500 gallons of gasoline crossed the lane of travel and struck a Honda driven by a 27-year-old EMT and mother of one head-on.

First responding personnel were confronted with a heavily entrapped victim and the 8,500 gallons of gasoline leaking. Members of the Andover Borough and Township Fire Departments had to use ladders to access the victim while operating under a water spray to suppress the explosive-level of gasoline fumes, according to a news release from the 200 Club.

The extrication was completed under life-threatening conditions and the victim was turned over to the Lakeland Emergency Squad while still in the ’hot zone’.

On June 10, both the Andover Borough and Andover Township Fire Departments received Team Valor Award plaques for their actions and members of the Lakeland Emergency Squad received a Team Meritorious Award for their efforts. The 9-1-1 telecommunicator received an Exceptional Performance Recognition Award for his effective work in following the incident commander’s directions and for anticipating the needs at the scene.