08/05/2026
Congratulations to David Mortensen of the Branchport Keuka Park Fire Department for being named Fire Prevention Educator of the Year in 2026 by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY).
"I was extremely surprised," says Mortensen. "I had no clue at all."
Every year, FASNY receives numerous applications for the award. But this year, the department's nomination of Mortensen stood out.
"When I saw this application come in, I knew that it was going to be the winner," says John Kolb, chairman of FASNY's Fire Prevention and Life Safety Committee.
"Dave is a prime example of what the volunteer fire service is about," says Andy Pilecki, a member of FASNY’s Board of Directors.
For more than three decades, Mortensen has been the driving force for fire prevention education within the Branchport Keuka Park Fire Department and throughout the Finger Lakes region. A past chief and current chairman of the board of commissioners for the Branchport Keuka Park Fire District, he has dedicated his service to promoting fire safety as a shared community responsibility.
Mortensen began organizing and leading fire safety programs in the early 1990s at Branchport Elementary School, where he first became known as "Fireman Dave". His curriculum focused on home escape planning, smoke alarm awareness, stay-low-and-go techniques and emergency response. He continues to deliver these programs several times each year.
After the elementary school closed due to consolidation, Mortensen expanded the program into the Penn Yan Central School District, continuing instruction across district lines. With the ongoing support of
the department in the form of educational materials, fire trucks, and additional members volunteering to help, he reinforces the lessons through hands-on engagement.
Over time, Mortensen has expanded outreach to homeschool groups, summer camps around Keuka Lake and schools within the local Mennonite community. He has also introduced ice safety education focused on ice thickness awareness, self-rescue skills and cold-water survival skills tailored to region-specific hazards.
"I'm very honored," says Mortensen of the award. "But I never did it alone. There were always many other members with me through all the years."
Thank you, Fireman Dave, for your more than thirty years of service and ensuring that fire prevention education remains active, evolving and accessible across generations in Yates County.
