NH Heroes honored: Manchester fire chief 'couldn't be prouder'
Ask him to stand on stage and be honored for his actions, that's when the nerves kick in.
'It seems like these things are more uncomfortable for us than actually doing the work, you know?' Fosher said. 'I mean, that's where we're most comfortable, doing the job, but we understand and appreciate the acknowledgement.'
Fosher was among 11 people honored with New Hampshire Hero Awards during a morning ceremony Wednesday at the Rex Theatre in Manchester. The program is sponsored by Citizens and presented by the New Hampshire Union Leader.
The awards honor New Hampshire residents who have risked their lives to save or attempt to save the life of another person.
On Wednesday, Fosher, Safety Officer Kevin Grebinar and Swiftwater Rescue Team members Capt. Adam Iverson, Lt. Tom Defina and Rescue 1 firefighters James Langley, Adam Langlois, Tyler Gaudette, Craig Robichaud, Bob McKechnie and Jason Coulter were honored as New Hampshire Heroes of 2024, along with Navy Seaman Recruit Brady Procon.
Fosher and his fellow Manchester firefighters are members of a Swiftwater Rescue Team dispatched to Boone, North Carolina, during Hurricane Helene last September. Procon jumped from a jet ski onto a rogue boat to stop it from spinning in circles and endangering those nearby in Smith's Cove on Lake Winnipesaukee last July 4 weekend, after the boat's captain fell into the water during a sailing lesson.
Procon was 17 at the time.
'New Hampshire is always there to help, and you all have exemplified that through your actions and your deeds,' said Joyce Levesque, executive vice president of the New Hampshire Union Leader. 'I thank you personally for what you've done for the state. To get an award, you have to be a New Hampshire individual who has risked their life to save someone else, or put someone else's life ahead of your own. It's a very selfless act that you all do for us, and we're so thrilled to have you here.'
Marc Lubelczyk, the new president of Citizens in New Hampshire and Vermont, said he's read "Hero" stories in the Union Leader for years.
'I'm always inspired by the stories, the bravery and the acts of kindness exhibited by the honorees,' Lubelczyk said. 'They really do embody what's great about New Hampshire. The courage that today's awardees exemplify serves as a powerful reminder to all of us of the goodness, the hopefulness and the sense of community that remains strong here in New Hampshire. We salute each of you for your selflessness, your courage and your dedication to helping others.'
When members of the Swiftwater Rescue Team arrived in North Carolina, they were met with hurricane conditions, landslides and mudslides, trapping residents in homes and vehicles.
Two Manchester rescue team members swam through 6 feet of water in the halls of an evacuated National Guard Armory to locate a woman trapped inside, unsure if she was still alive.
Manchester Fire Chief Ryan Cashin said he 'couldn't be prouder' of the team for the work that they did.
'The training that they put in on a yearly basis is amazing,' Cashin said. 'And the work, the dedication to the craft, to be deployed down there. They weren't just doing swiftwater rescues at this point. They had to do high-angle rescues, rope rescues. They were doing search and rescues of entire houses, because they were basically the first rescue team that was on site in that area.
'So to be able to adapt, overcome, lead, and manage through several days of very rigorous rescues and long hours, I couldn't be prouder.'
Fosher said of the 10 members of the team, eight have small children at home.
'Everybody's doing their part, the spouses step up and everyone shares the workload, but it's a lot,' Fosher said. 'The award, it's not just the acknowledgement to us, it's to the families that support us.'
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