Hazleton honors outgoing deputy chief after 44 years of service

HAZLETON – A longtime fixture of the fire service in lower Luzerne County received a standing ovation Tuesday night as he prepares for retirement.

Deputy Chief Brian Mandak of the Hazleton Fire Department was lauded at the Hazleton City Council meeting.

He’s been a firefighter for more than four decades and has served the Power City for over 23 years.

City council presented Mandak with a proclamation in his honor.

“We thought you’d be here forever,” City Council President Jim Perry joked.

According to the proclamation read aloud by Vice President John Nilles, Mandak served as a teen with the Hazleton Rescue Squad and Diamond Fire Co., later serving with Hazle Township before joining the city fire department.

He is also an adjunct instructor for the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.

Mandak was also a key part of an effort to donate and deliver eight fire engines and firefighting equipment to the Dominican Republic along with hands-on training there.

As the proclamation was presented, he received a standing ovation from all in attendance, including his fellow firefighters.

“Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to serve the city,” Mandak said. “The future is what we have to look towards.”

Mandak urged council to continue to support and fund the fire service.

“As council, as mayor, I challenge you to meet those obligations in the future,” Mandak said. “There’s a great volunteer staff here and they’re raising money and buying equipment but it’s going to also require the support of the other side of the staff and to make sure the buildings aren’t falling down.”

Mayor Jeff Cusat said he’s known Mandak for more than 40 years and reminisced on that relationship as well as Mandak’s support for Cusat’s first mayoral run in 2011 and the trip to the Dominican Republic.

Mandak said he’ll still be around and still in the fire service, though he is retiring from the city post.

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The article Hazleton honors outgoing deputy chief after 44 years of service first appeared on The Shenandoah Sentinel.