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East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue's Carleen Meers, Barnaby Friedman and Jason Tuma. BARNABY FRIEDMAN
East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue, the year-round, on-call first responder organization, has announced its 2024 award recipients and the appointment of its new chief.
Carleen Meers was honored with the Eddie Would Go Award, recognizing her resilience in overcoming personal challenges to succeed in ocean rescue. It’s named after Eddie Aikau, a lifeguard and surfer in Hawaii whose eagerness to take on big waves led to the motto.
The Member of the Year Award was presented to Jason Tuma for his contributions and commitment.
Andrey Trigubovich, a member since 2009, is EHVOR’s new chief. His background as a professional swimmer in Belarus, a coach with the East Hampton Hurricanes swim team and his decadelong service with the East Hampton Fire Department reflect his dedication to water safety and emergency response, according to a statement from East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez’s office.
He will assume the role previously held by Barnaby Friedman, who served three terms as chief.
Friedman, during his tenure, standardized the organization’s practices, fostered stronger integration with other volunteer emergency services and helped members qualify for access to the town’s health insurance.
Since its inception in 2003, EHVOR has grown into a team of more than 80 volunteers, most of whom are ocean-certified lifeguards. The organization responds to water emergencies ranging from distressed swimmers to kiteboarders and kayakers, operating in coordination with East Hampton Emergency Services. Its roots trace to the Dory Rescue Squad, founded in 1978 by the East Hampton Baymen’s Association.
