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New Paltz Volunteers Move Into New, Energy Efficient Firehouse

By Lisa Ramirez, Director of Communications and Membership

New Paltz firefighters were set to move into their new fire station in September, a 16,000 square foot model project, designed and built in line with New York’s climate goals and boasting state-of-the-art energy efficiencies.

The firestation, designed by Rick Alfandre of Alfandre Architecture, will use far less energy than comparable structures and will accommodate the needs of the fire department for generations to come. It boasts five double-bays for fire apparatus, meeting rooms, offices, a turnout gear changing room, emergency command areas, and space for training, he said.

“It’s built with insulated concrete from footing to roofs,” Alfandre said. “What that means is … there’s almost no thermal bridging or conductivity of energy through the walls.” The all-volunteer New Paltz Fire Department had been operating out of cramped quarters off Plattekill Avenue for more than 50 years. Built in 1950, the department had long outgrown the building. Space was tight, and members did not have enough room to get their trucks in and out safely, to properly store equipment or change into firefighting gear.

The project, on North Putt Corner Road and Henry W. DuBois Drive, broke ground in 2021.

New York’s long-term climate goals include phasing out fossil heat over the next few decades, starting with new construction and then moving to retrofits of existing buildings. Buildings, at 32 percent, are the largest source of climate-damaging emissions in the state, primarily from combustion of fossil fuels for heating and hot water.

“The Fire Department is committed to providing exemplary emergency service to the New Paltz community,” New Paltz Fire Chief Cory Wirthmann said. “Choosing to construct an energy efficient building is furthering our commitment to the environment within our district that will ultimately affect the residents and businesses we serve.”

ADDITIONAL ENERGY HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Insulated concrete form (ICF) walls from footings to the roof. The station is a reinforced concrete building, with insulation inside and outside and almost no thermal bridging or conductivity of energy through the walls.

• Air source heat pumps cool by running refrigerant into the building through air handlers or is converted to hot water to heat the apparatus bay floor through radiant heat, which prevents tankers full of water from freezing. The rest of the building has multiple zones of space conditioning.

• An energy recovery ventilation (ERV) system circulates fresh air, creating a healthy indoor space for firefighters.

• The south-facing roof is future-proofed for Solar PV, which is in the planning stages.

• Adjacent to the apparatus bay and compartmentalized from the rest of the building, with a direct outdoor exit, is a decontamination room where firefighters can clean themselves and their equipment without bringing pollutants into the rest of the building.

• The electrically-driven overhead doors for the five bays are smooth and fast operating to assure quick truck exit.

A gas generator, there to provide power during outages, is the only fossil fuel element in the building.

The fire station was designed to meet the goals of New York’s 2019 Climate Act,which requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The law also requires that New York generate 100 percent of its electricity from clean and renewable resources by 2040. It’s estimated that meeting those emissions goals will add 189,000 jobs across the state by 2030, with over half of those new jobs in the buildings sector.

Service Scoffold’s Place in Music History IUOE Local 137 Awards Scholarships to College Bound Students

This summer marked the anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held Aug. 15-18, 1969 in Sullivan County, and it wouldn’t have been the same without CCA member Service Scaffold Company.

The South Fallsburg company - now in its third generation - supplied the scaffolding at the famed concert. Service Scaffold has since grown to become one of the premier and most trusted scaffold companies in the tri-state area.

Chief Executive Officer Joshua Ingber says music concerts are not a typical gig for the company - these days they serve major residential, commercial, civil and industrial customers - but they did provide scaffolding for Mysteryland USA in 2014, when the multi-day electronic dance festival came to the original Woodstock site. Twenty children and grandchildren of Local 137 members were this year’s recipients of the IUOE Local 137 Nicholas Signorelli Scholarship.

Mr. Signorelli’s career spanned five decades as a union worker, business agent and business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 137. The scholarship was renamed in his honor when he passed away in 2018.

The 2022 high school graduates who received this year’s scholarships entered college this school year, and their study plans include medicine, finance, marketing, dance, computer sciences and more.

The awards were presented to the students at the Scholarship Fund Picnic, which was held Aug. 13.

Boards Team Up for Baseball Outing

August 20, 2022 Declared Michael Gaydos Day

Members of the CCA and SMACNA boards of directors enjoyed some quality networking time at Yankee Stadium this summer, spending a Sunday at the park to watch the game and catch up.

It was New York vs. the Kansas City Royals, and let’s just say that it wasn’t a particularly good day for the home team. But everyone who joined us to cheer on the boys of summer had a terrific time, and we thank them for all they do on behalf of our members.

Hundreds of friends, colleagues and family members gathered Aug. 20 at Falkirk Estate & Country Club to wish Mike Gaydos, Business Manager for Local 17 Ironworkers, a long and wonderful retirement.

In honor of Gaydos’ commendable service, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 was declared Michael Gaydos Day in the Town of Newburgh, and Deputy Supervisor Scott Manley presented the proclamation on behalf of the town.

Gaydos is a lifelong Town of Newburgh resident. He and his organization generously donated their time and talent to the town by constructing bridges at Chadwick Lake Park and creating stairs for the Justice Court, Manley said. He also served as a Little League Coach.

NY Air Guard Colonel Gary R. Charlton, II, Promoted to One-Star General

NEWBURGH - Gary R. Charlton II, commander of the NY Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing, has been promoted to brigadier general.

Charlton’s wife Susan and daughters Megan and Ginger pinned the one star rank on his uniform during the ceremony, held June 4 at Stewart Air National Guard Base in a massive hangar with 1,000 Airmen in formation.

“I’m honored, humbled, and thrilled to further serve and represent the Airmen of the 105th,” Charlton said.

Prior to his current assignment, he was commander of the 107th Attack Wing, Niagara Falls. In April 2022, Charlton was a special guest at the CCA Annual Dinner, where he and Susan Charlton led the Pledge of Allegiance.

A command pilot with over 3,200 hours flying - including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the MQ-1 Predator, and the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft - Charlton is a combat veteran who served seven combat deployments including three while enlisted: Operations Desert Shield and Storm, and Northern Watch. Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Shields Jr., the adjutant general, New York National Guard, said Charlton was promoted to the general officers rank because of his character, experience and leadership skills.

“You are clearly a multi star officer even though you are getting your first one today,” Shields said. “You have a bright future ahead of you.”

Charlton’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Air Force Overseas Ribbon, and the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon.

“We are proud to congratulate Brig. Gen. Charlton on his well-deserved promotion and to welcome his family to the Hudson Valley,” CCA Executive Director Alan Seidman said.

- By Lisa Ramirez

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