Easton Firefighter Tim Vamosi serving his country in Kuwait
Easton resident and
firefighter/paramedic Timothy Vamosi, serving with his Coast Guard Reserve unit
in Kuwait, is asking for help getting for respirators for this unit.
Vamosi’s unit was activated in
April 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; he is currently based in
Vamosi, 27, said via email that
his unit’s mission is “to provide port security and anti-terrorism force
protection in support of military and humanitarian operations worldwide.”
While some may think being on
the ocean would seem an ideal location if one were to be deployed, Vamosi said
temperatures on the water and the desert still reach 110-125 degrees Fahrenheit
on an average day.
“I can say that I am looking
forward to seeing the green grass and beautiful
Vamosi, a Petty Officer Third
Class Boatswains Mate, said he works as a tactical coxswain (captain) on a small
highly maneuverable port security boat where his current duties include
“patrolling critical ports in the area and providing waterborne security for
highly valued assets.”
He is appealing for help in
sending masks to his unit called N-95 respirators, the kind used by fire
departments across the country.
“The area we patrol is pretty
bad and we spend most of our time in respirators or gas masks,” Vamosi said.
“The sand storms and pollution in the area that we operate make the air
quality very poor. The N-95 is more comfortable than the gas masks, especially
for the amount of time we have to spend in them.”
Unfortunately for Vamosi the
masks seem to be in high demand given the threat of terrorism or an impending
H1N1 flu outbreak.
“The
masks are back ordered from the vendor we use,” Brendan McCarthy of the Easton
Firefighters Union said. “I have attempted to get them from other vendors to
no avail. I was told by most of the sales departments that the government has
ordered these companies to stockpile the masks for them. With the swine flu and
the potential use of chemicals in the ongoing terrorism prevention (fight) the
government has the first dibs on all of these masks.”
Vamosi graduated from
“I was working in the city of
Vamosi attended and completed
paramedic school, attended
In November 2004 Vamosi was
hired by the
Vamosi’s wife, Michele, and
his children Katherine, 10, and Zackary, 3, are waiting for his return to
“Regardless of the conditions
wherever we serve, just knowing that we have the support of family, friends and
community takes a large load off of our shoulders,” Vamosi said.
McCarthy said he
will continue to try to find the masks but if anyone else can find any of the
masks they can be sent to: Timothy J. Vamosi; CTG 56.5,
Paula Vogler can be reached at 508-967-3510 or by email at writedesk84@comcast.net