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Two Cohoes Fire Department Captains Retire a Week Apart

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January 27, 2023 | NEW YORK JEFFREY BELSCHWINDER, Senior Correspondent
This article is a direct street report from our correspondent and has not been edited by the 1st Responder newsroom.

COHOES, NY - With a combination of close to 50 years of experience and on the job time, Captain Otto Madsen and Captain Jason Geary of the Cohoes Fire Department retired.

Captain Otto Madsen was hired by the Cohoes Fire Department in 1994 and remained a firefighter until 2011, when he was promoted to Lieutenant. In 2014, Lieutenant Madsen was promoted to his captain rank where he remained in service until January 27, 2023. Captain Madsen served approximately 20 years as the Cohoes Fire Department EMS Coordinator. He helped bring in AED (Automated External Defibrillator) to aid our firefighters with cardiac and respiratory arrests. Madsen also served the union as a member of the Executive Board in countless roles, most recently as treasurer, and also served on many committees.

Captain Jason Geary became a firefighter for the Cohoes Fire Department in 2001. Shortly after Jason’s arrival at the department, he was deployed down to the World Trade Center amid the 2001 terrorist attacks where he assisted with recovery efforts. Captain Geary remained a firefighter for over 14 years before taking his first promotion to lieutenant in 2014, followed by captain in 2020. Jason has served many roles in the Cohoes Fire Departments Local 2562, including Vice President, and has also served on many committees including the Health and Safety Committee which helped put together Cohoes Fire Department's Cancer Screenings in the spring of 2022.

Both captains experienced some of the largest fires in the history of the city of Cohoes, including the massive Remsen Street fire in 2019 that destroyed 28 buildings. Both captains plan to enjoy their retirements and take time with their families. Sidewinder Photography would like to wish both captains a happy, healthy and long retirement.

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JEFFREY BELSCHWINDERSenior Correspondent

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