02/17/2007

Firefighters pitch in for comrade

Maria Garriga , Register Staff

NEW HAVEN — Firefighters Friday night showed they have a heart for a firefighter with cardiac problems. About 400 people gathered for a buffet dinner at the Annex YMA on Woodward Avenue for a "Signal 4" fund-raiser to help Firefighter Kenneth Oliver as he recovers from cardiac problems. The event included raffles and tickets sold for $20. The dinner featured Puerto Rican cuisine, including favorites such as pernil, a pork dish. Firefighters and police officers use "Signal 4" to mean "needs assistance" on emergency radio communications. Many have already helped Oliver by volunteering to fill his work shifts in January and this month. "In a time of need everybody comes together and helps out. We know he would do it for any of us," said firefighter John Delfino. "That really touched my heart," said Oliver’s wife, Renee. Oliver, 48, has been with the Fire Department since 1995 serving as both paramedic and firefighter. He also works part-time for AMR. He has seven children ages 13 to 26. The day after last Christmas, Oliver went to the emergency room after experiencing some pain. He learned his heart was functioning at only 20 percent capacity. "My doctor said he didn’t know how I walked in. I said, ‘It was God,’" Oliver said. Franklin Quicksey, the fund-raiser’s lead organizer, said it was Oliver who taught him about the importance of kindness when working on emergency calls. "He’s a very spiritual man and a very kind man. Kindness goes a long way," Quicksey said. Oliver is very active with Ebenezer Chapel on Dwight Street in New Haven, where he plays the organ and piano, and has been a choir director and Sunday school teacher. Oliver said that in boyhood he hoped to be a doctor to help save people, but in his work with the Fire Departmen he has managed to save many people. For information about making a donation to the cause, call Quicksey at 234-9690. "We are first responders for life support and we touch a lot of people’s lives."

©New Haven Register 2007