Margaretville fire chief earns state award

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·1 min read

Oct. 4—The Firefighters Association of the State of New York announced that Margaretville Fire Department Fire Chief Nelson Delameter received the 2022 Fire Service Community Achievement Award.

According to a media release, the award recognizes an outstanding community member and volunteer firefighter across the state of New York who is also active with one or more community service organizations.

Delameter has served the residents of Delaware County not only as a local fire chief, but also as the Delaware County Emergency Management Coordinator and as a State of Emergency Services staff member, the release said.

The Delaware County Emergency Services Office was created in 1991 and Delameter was the only employee, the release said. He worked closely with all local fire departments, county fire commissioners, the county Board of Supervisors, and the state to create an EMS program that would quickly expand under his direction. He played a critical role in developing the first 911 call center in the county, establishing 911 addressing for every home and property in Delaware County.

Delameter led the county's disaster response through numerous events, including the devastating floods of January 1996 and June 2006, the release said. He also helped write the county's first All Hazards Mitigation Plan and the Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan that is still used today.