Jomar Pichardo, a New York City Fire Department mechanic who helped save about $750,000 by rebuilding and restoring costly ambulance components, was among the honorees at the annual FDNY Administrative Medals and Awards Ceremony. He received the Jack Lerch Medal, which is presented to a uniformed or civilian member of the Bureau of Fleet Services for outstanding service.

“I took on rebuilding a lot of the circuit boards for the department vehicles because they are very expensive. I realized that a lot of parts were getting sent back and due to the turn-around time, we were constantly purchasing more. This was a big expense that didn’t have to go on, and with the blessing of my managers, we started charging, cleaning, and wiring all our electronics and auto parts in-house, which resulted in lots of time and money saved,” he said.

Pichardo also earned certification for TELMA, the system used in the city's ambulances, and created a restoration room that helps Fleet Services refurbish and reuse a variety of vehicle intake parts from numerous vehicle manufacturers.

The Bureau of Fleet Services estimates that Pichardo single-handedly saved the department approximately $750,000 per year.