NEW OFFICERS The Mt. Lebanon Police Department welcomes three new officers. McKenzie Faure has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California University of Pennsylvania, and previously was a member of the Mt. Pleasant Township Police Department. Alexis Pihoker has experience as a firefighter and EMT. She has master’s degrees in exercise physiology from the University of North Carolina and organizational leadership from Waldorf University. She enjoys spending time with her German shepherd pup, Onyx, working out and going to the shooting range. Patrick McCarthy has a bachelor’s degree in forensic science and an MBA from Seton Hill University, where he also played baseball. He worked as a quality control chemist and lab technician, but his interest in crime scene investigation led him to law enforcement. He golfs and plays men’s league baseball in his spare time.

AFTER THE FIRE Mt. Lebanon firefighters responded to 23 building and chimney fires last year. Although fires that do severe structural damage are rare, in the aftermath of a serious incident, firefighters will make the rounds in the affected neighborhood to talk with residents about fire safety. “A fire attracts a lot of attention, a lot of people start thinking about fire safety,” said Lt. Steve Noorbakhsh. “So when that happens, we’ll go out with five or six of us and just go through the community and see who needs fire or smoke alarms to be checked or installed. We’ll check to make sure they’re in working order and give recommendations on which ones to get if they don’t have one.”

The department also has resources for homeowners whose houses have been damaged or destroyed, including a brochure with tips on how to recover from the loss, including where to go to replace lost documents, and information on securing emergency assistance.

ALARM PERMITS Mt. Lebanon requires all properties with monitored alarm systems to have a private alarm system operational permit. The fee for the permit is $35 per year, due in January.  The department will send letters to permit holders, asking for pertinent information, including the name of the property owner, contacts, keyholders, the name of the alarm monitoring company and  the type of alarm, (intrusion, fire and/or medical). If you have a new alarm system, you
can download a permit application.

PACE YOURSELF Drivers: Share the road with bicyclists and pedestrians and be especially vigilant at crosswalks and intersections. Never pass a stopped vehicle at a cross walk. Pedestrians: If a street does not have a sidewalk, walk facing oncoming traffic. If a street has a sidewalk, you are required to use it, even if it’s on the other side of the street from you.

BACK TO SCHOOL Each of Mt. Lebanon’s 10 schools have a “go zone,” marked with paint on the curb. Go zones are the spots for picking up and dropping off kids. Pull up as far as possible in the go zone, so other parents don’t have to pull around your vehicle. Don’t exit the vehicle, and make sure your child exits on the passenger side, away from traffic.

RICCIUTI RETIRES, REJOINS Rodger Ricciuti’s career as a firefighter got an early start. The seeds were planted from the cradle.

“I was born and raised on Cochran Road, and my bedroom window faced east towards Washington,” he said. “In the fall and winter, I could actually see the old fire whistle on the back of 710 [Washington Road]. When I was an infant, every time it went off, it  woke me up and my mother said, ‘I think you were probably destined to be a firefighter because you woke up every time that damn thing went off.’”

Ricciuti became a volunteer firefighter in 1982, right out of high school. He was inspired by a neighbor, Bob Warnes. “I always kind of admired what he did, and when I got old enough to get on my bike and go to places, I would try to catch him going on fire calls.”

Ricciuti loved firefighting so much that he joined the Bower Hill Volunteer Fire Department in 1983, while still volunteering for Mt. Lebanon, spending 12 years as a member, and in 1984 added Oak Ridge to the list for a year.

So it didn’t come as much of a surprise this summer when, after retiring from 35 years as a paid firefighter for the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department, Riccuiti rejoined the volunteer company.

Although Ricciuti’s next act is working at Asbury Heights, managing security and life safety, he still finds the time to show up for most Monday night volunteer drills.

“I’ve had several people who are retired say you’ll know when it’s time and I don’t think I’m done being a firefighter.”

Without the day-to-day administrative tasks that were part of his job as a deputy fire chief, Ricciuti can focus on the elements of firefighting that he finds most rewarding.

“I love what I do. I can go back to doing some of the things that I miss, being a career officer that I don’t get to do as often, like apparatus operation and things like that, and I can help with drill instruction.”

“I’m returning to my roots, so to speak. I still love it. I think I have the best job in the world.”