image description — Lt. Michael D'Avella and firefighter Jarrett Robitaille were given awards for meritorious conduct on Tuesday by Gov. Charlie Baker, Public Safety Sec. Daniel Bennett, and Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey.

Two Pittsfield Firefighters Honored By Governor For Meritorious Conduct

Staff Reports12:10PM / Tuesday, November 21, 2017Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two city firefighters were honored by the governor for meritorious conduct.

Lt. Michael D'Avella and Firefighter Jarrett Robitaille were given awards on Tuesday morning by Gov. Charlie Baker, Public Safety Sec. Daniel Bennett, and State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey.

D'Avella and Robitaille were recognized for bravery for pulling 72-year-old Herdy Iroth from a burning building. The pair had rushed into Tahiti Takeout and found Iroth in an apartment on the second floor in the early hours of Dec. 8, 2016. The building had smoke showing on two sides and there was zero visibility inside. The two used thermal imaging to search and find Iroth and Robitaille carried the man down the stairs.

Iroth was transported to Berkshire Medical Center and then airlifted to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester. Iroth died 10 days later because of the injuries related to the severe burns he received during the blaze.

D'Avella and Robitaille were just two of five firefighters across the state to receive awards for meritorious conduct at the Firefighter of the Year Awards Ceremony held at Worcester Mechanics Hall.

"The commonwealth's firefighters make tremendous sacrifices and risk their lives on a regular basis to protect the members of their communities," said Baker. "We are proud to salute this year's award recipients, who drew upon their training and experience to perform remarkable acts that saved lives."

Baker presented 33 awards. Three Norman Knight Awards for Excellence in Community Service were presented to a Wellesley fire and life safety education, a Lowell firefighter for work relating to the prevention of opioid deaths, and an Uxbridge deputy chief whose work led to a recall of a faulty combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarm.

Eight group awards for meritorious conduct were given to teams from Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Hyannis, Holyoke, Lowell, Turners Falls, and Gill, Westwood, Canton, Dedham, Norwood, and Walpole.

Fifteen medals of valor were given to firefighters from Boston, Braintree, Brockton, Brookline, Holyoke, Mansfield, and Norwood.

And a medal of honor award was presented posthumously to Watertown firefighter Joseph Toscano.

"Our firefighters deserve our thanks and praise every day of the year, and it is important to recognize the incredible acts of bravery performed by these public servants in cities and towns across Massachusetts," said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

"Whether battling house fires or educating children and seniors on fire prevention and safety, we are grateful for their selfless acts."

Tags: awards, firefighters, PFD, recognition event, state officials,

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Pittsfield Seeks CPA Funds for Bike Racks, AED

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
07:17PM / Sunday, October 25, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city plans to apply for Community Preservation Act funds for park bike racks and an AED machine at the pickleball fields.

On Tuesday, the Parks Commission endorsed Pittsfield’s applications for CPA funds.

"Both of those projects are certainly, relative to CPA funds, low cost but high benefit," Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said.

Through CPA, bike racks are proposed for a few city parks, and the Berkshire Mountain Pickleball league is looking to place an automatic external defibrillator at the Benedict Avenue pickleball fields.

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath and Recreation & Special Events Coordinator Jennifer VanBramer presented the two small project applications, which will go through an eligibility period before full consideration in the spring of 2027.

During the city’s free, six-week, summer playground program, it was observed that many kids access parks by bicycle. The plan is to buy between six and eight racks to be placed at Durant Park, the Common, and Clapp Park; other parks are being considered as well.

McGrath explained that the three parks hosting the playground program don’t have bike racks, and they wind up on the ground and sometimes become a distraction.

"The ancillary benefit to having bike racks is that it encourages that mode of transportation for folks that want to come to the park on their bike," he said.

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