By Anne Levin
When new members of the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad (PFARS) join the organization, one of the first things they learn about is the legacy of Michael Kenwood.
“There’s a giant picture of him when you walk in the front door,” said PFARS President Ari Meisel. “You can’t help but think about him.”
Kenwood died in the midst of a swift-water rescue attempt during the height of Hurricane Irene on August 28, 2011. PFARS will dedicate a new truck designed to battle the kind of conditions Kenwood encountered during the incident on Sunday, August 9 at 12 p.m. The truck, which is officially going into service that day, bears Kenwood’s name.
“He was so dedicated, willing to jump in for anything and anyone,” said Meisel. “With that storm, he secured his family and came in to help, even though he was not on shift. He served on the board. He was our IT person. He was very fully dedicated to this squad. And he was a joy to be around.”
Mayor Mark Freda, who was PFARS president at the time of the incident, described it in a 2018 article in this newspaper as “the saddest day of our lives.”
“When the crews arrived on scene, they found a sedan partially submerged in two feet of floodwater about 70 yards from the water’s edge,” Freda said. “Emergency personnel were unable to see whether the vehicle was occupied, and after repeated attempts to signal to the vehicle, the vehicle’s rear tail lights began to flash. Believing that people might be trapped inside, Michael and another swift-water rescue technician entered the water at 5:05 a.m. and proceeded halfway to the vehicle before they both were swept from their feet by a rush of water.
“A haul team was unable to pull them back to shore and Michael was caught underwater in a stand of trees. The haul line was cut to free him from the trees and he was carried approximately 100 yards downstream with the current. When rescuers arrived, they found Michael in cardiac arrest. Emergency personnel on scene performed CPR and rushed him to the University Medical Center of Princeton. Michael’s heart was restarted, but he remained unresponsive. Late in the evening, he succumbed to his injuries. He was 39 years old.”
It was later determined that the car was empty; its flashing lights likely caused by a malfunction of its electrical system, “a fact that does not detract from Michael’s intention when he entered the water to aid someone whose life may have been in danger,” Freda said. “Michael’s resolution in the face of the great risk was a testament to his courage.”
According to Meisel, “one of the positives is that it actually resulted in changes to rope and rescue, nationally. It was learning opportunity for others.”
The new truck is owned by the Municipality’s Office of Emergency Management. Members of PFARS and the Princeton Fire Department are being trained to use it, Meisel said.
The public is invited to the ceremony, which is being held at Greenway Meadows Park on Rosedale Road. Visit pfars.org for more information.