On Saturday, September 21st, the Connecticut State Firefighters Association (CSFA) honored North Haven state lawmakers Rep. Dave Yaccarino and Sen. Paul Cicarella as recipients of their highest legislative award for the 2024 legislative session.
The North Haven legislators were recognized in a ceremony at West Haven High School which commended their work to pass House Bill 5279, later signed into law as Public Act 24-16. The legislation importantly gives increased ability to a municipality to declare that a firefighter, police officer, or emergency medical technician died in the line of duty.
The legislation was crafted in memory of North Haven Fire Lt. Anthony DeSimone, who died in December 2022 upon returning home from working a 36-hour shift. The new law will give Lt. DeSimone the recognition he deserved and provide meaningful benefits to his family, and those of all fallen first responders.
State Rep. Dave Yaccarino said, “Following the passing of my friend Anthony DeSimone, I committed to passing this legislation to honor his memory and above all, send a clear message of support to our first responders and their families who make such incredible sacrifices. His commitment to serving North Haven was a lifelong one and our town will always feel the impact that he left. It was a privilege to charter this legislative effort and I am appreciative of the broad support that it received.”
“The entire town of North Haven was affected by Anthony’s passing. His dedication to our community was unwavering. It’s crucial that the families of hero first responders, like Anthony, don’t have to face financial uncertainties in the wake of line-of-duty tragedies. This law aims to eliminate such burdens, and I am proud to have offered this bill this year in his memory,” said Sen. Paul Cicarella.
“Thank you to the CT Firefighters Association for this recognition. It’s so important that we continue to acknowledge and support our firefighters and all first responders for the risks they face each day,” the North Haven lawmakers concluded.