Haverhill Exchange Club Honors Six First Responders

Recognized as Officers of the Year for their service to the community by the Exchange Club of Haverhill are Lt. Tanya Cubelli, left, Capts. Caitlin Noonan and Benjamin Roberge of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, Haverhill Fire Department Pvt. Melanie Figueroa, PrideStar Trinity EMT Brian Luttrell and Haverhill Police Detective Sean Scharneck standing in for Police Capt. Andrea Fogarty at the club’s recent First Responders Lunch at Maria’s Restaurant. In addition to a citation, each honoree was presented with a 250th Anniversary banner which will be displayed on light poles in downtown Haverhill as part of the city’s celebration of America’s first birthday. (WHAV News photograph.)

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Six first responders were honored recently as Officers of the Year by the Exchange Club of Haverhill at its annual First Responders Luncheon.

Winning the honors were PrideStar Trinity Emergency Medical Technician Brian Luttrell, Haverhill Firefighter Melanie Figueroa, Haverhill Police Capt. Andrea Fogarty and Capts. Caitlin Noonan and Benjamin Roberge and Lt. Tanya Cubelli of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department.

Luttrell was nominated by officials at PrideStar Trinity for his more than five decades of service. “Throughout his career Brian has consistently gone above and beyond for both his patients and his fellow providers,” wrote Christopher Dick, communications director for the company, in his nomination.

Haverhill Fire Chief Christopher Cesati praised Figueroa for her leadership role in organizing community initiatives, most recently the department’s first Easter egg drop event at Riverside Park. She was also instrumental in bringing cancer education to the department and serves on the department’s cancer committee and charity committee.

Fogarty has “demonstrated the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, leadership and an unwavering commitment to the community,” wrote Acting Deputy Police Chief Meaghan Paré in her nomination. Pare noted Fogarty is among the first women in the department to achieve the rank of captain.

Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger chose Noonan, Roberge and Cubelli for their valor and leadership in responding to the electrical transformer explosion and subsequent fire at the Essex County House of Correction on Jan. 6, 2026. Noonan, he said, immediately assumed the role of incident commander and deftly directed the emergency response. Roberge assisted her by coordinating personnel and maintaining continuity through the evaluation of staff and inmates. Cubelli was among the first supervisors to recognize the severity of the situation, Coppinger said.

In addition to citations, each honoree was presented with a 250th Anniversary banner with their name on it. Banners will join others hung by the Exchange Club on light poles throughout Haverhill’s downtown to honor America’s 250th anniversary.

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