Briarcliff Fire Chief Honored in Albany Ceremony

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http://www.lohud.com/article/20081007/NEWS02/810070432

ALBANY - Former Briarcliff Manor Fire Chief Joseph Piazzi, who died of a heart attack last year after responding to a number of calls related to a violent storm that roared through the area, was one of 10 deceased firefighters honored at a ceremony here today.

The name of Piazzi, who was 76 when he died last May 16, was added to the state's Fallen Firefighters Memorial on the Empire State Plaza near the state Capitol.

His sister, JoAnn Piazzi of Briarcliff Manor, attended the ceremony and accepted a flag from state officials, which was distributed after remarks from Sen. Hillary Clinton, Gov. David Paterson and other officials.

"I thought it was a moving ceremony,'' she said. "It was very impressive.''

Piazzi was stricken after returning home following his responses to nine storm-related calls that day.

He was chief of the Briarcliff manor department from 1983 to 1985, and was a captain in the Mount Vernon Fire Department prior to that. He was deputy chief and fire police captain in Briarcliff Manor the time of his death.

There are 2,336 names on the memorial, which was established in 1998.

"Firefighters offer to risk their lives every day to keep others safe,'' Paterson said. "They're great people.''

Firefighters "represent the best that New York has to offer,'' Clinton said. "Thank you for the noble calling you have been willing to embrace,'' she said to the hundreds of firefighters in the audience.

Also honored was a contingent of firefighters from the Orangetown Fire Department of South Nyack, who bicycled to the Capitol as part of an effort to raise $3,000 to help the families of firefighters attend Tuesday's ceremony.

[ex-commish 490]

Joe was a highly respected firefighter and also a gentleman.

[xchief2x 79]

Joe truly was a gentlemen nad he is greatly missed by all of us that had the pleasure of knowing him. He was also one of the fallen brothers honored this past weekend at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial service at the National Fire Academy. I must say there was a very nice turnout by the BMFD.