VOLUME 9, NO. 2
Serving Fire, Rescue & EMS Heroes In NY State
W W W .FIRENE WS .COM
DECEMBER 2015
See page 7 for full story. - Fire News photo by John Hopper
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In this issue... .
Newburgh 3-Alarmer
The City of Newburgh firefighters were called out to a warehouse fire on Washington Street. See story on page 6
Mount Vernon 3-Alarmer
The Mount Vernon Fire Department battled a three-alarm fire in a row of taxpayers. See story on page 9
Good Stop in Schenectady
Schenectady firefighters geared up to battle a bedroom fire on Elm Street. See story on page 13
Rough One in Albany
Albany City Dispatch was notified of a fire in an old industrial structure downtown. Arriving companies found heavy fire on the upper floor. See story on page 15
A Service for New York State Firefighters and EMS Heroes 146 South Country Road, Bellport, NY 11713
FRANK C. TROTTA, Publisher TIM EDWARDS, Executive Editor DENNIS WHITTAM, Editor GARY P. JOYCE, Asst. Editor MARIE TROTTA, Vice President, Production/Sales LYNN SEDLER, Art Director CLIFF CHIESA, Production Manager Advertising Sales: BARBARA CONNOLLY, EVELYN ALOISIO Graphic Artist: GREGORY JONES CONTRIBUTORS: Andrew Aguilar, Chris Aldous, Jeff Ambroz, Peter Barber, Kevin Barry, John Bashaw, Bill Bennett, Tom Bierds, Jeff Couch, Chris Creighton, David Denniston, Rick Douglas, Brian Duddy, Stan Dybus, John Falcone, Ken Flynn, Joe Fortunato, Eli Gill, Mark Gillen, Tom Heffernan Sr., Greg Herman, Matt Hodge, Steve Hodgekiss, Robert Holley, Daniel Imfield, Andy Jarchin, Bill Johnson, Mark Johnson, Chris Kalisak, Charlie Keller, Jon Kemp, Gordon Kotars, David R. LaRocco, Stephen Lenz, Joshua Long, Mike Messar, Ralph Miele, Albert Mignone, John Miller, Lloyd Mitchell, Brian Natoli, Carleton Raab, Robert Reynolds, Lauren Rivera, Stephen Schaefer, Deborah Schweikert, Tom Shand, John Shaw, Sharon Siegel, Robert Simpson, Joe Sperber, Bryan Sypniewski, Karen Todd, Kyle Townsend, Joe Turner, Michael VanDerLieth, Lori Washburn, D.B. Weimer, Stephen White.
Columnists: Bruce Johnson, John Salka COPYRIGHT 2015, THE FIRE NEWS LLC., LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
23rd Street Fire Remembered
The FDNY remembered the firefighters who died in the line of duty at the 23rd Street Fire of October 17, 1966. See story on page 19
When the Summer’s Through...
The New Baltimore Fire Department along with Coeymans and Medway brought the summer to a close with a live fire drill.
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Letters to the Editor, byline articles, and columns represent the opinions of the writers and photographers and are not necessarily the views of the Fire News. We reserve the right to edit all of the above. We are not responsible for errors in advertisements beyond the cost of advertising space. Copy submitted is subject to editing for space requirements. The placing of an advertisement in this publication does not constitute endorsement. Contents are copyrighted. Editorial and advertising copy cannot be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Fire News is published monthly by Fire News LLC, with corporate offices at 146 South Country Road, Bellport, NY 11713.
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From the Editor’s Desk Dennis Whittam, Editor
Reflections December has arrived and 2015 has gone by in the blink of an eye. As I sit back and reflect on the year I leave 2015 with mixed emotions. As Fire News moves into its 43rd year of publication, we continue to grow, playing an integral part of the entire fire service. Hopefully you have grown as a responder in your department. You, the responder, continue to do a job that at times appears thankless and has become more difficult than in the past. You train to be the best that you can at your profession. Whether you are a paid responder or a volunteer, training has increased to a point that it reiterates the saying, “being a first responder is not a job, but a lifestyle.” As the year comes to an end, I thank all of you for your dedication and commitment to your community. As we enter the holiday season, I ask you to give thought and remember the families of the fallen. Sadly, but proudly, Fire News honored as many responders as we could.
Whether or not it was a line of duty death or a death from natural causes, we made the effort to honor as many members as possible in our paper. We were proud to honor the individuals who gave their life to the firerescue and emergency services. To date, there have been 71 firefighter fatalities in the United States. If your department had the misfortune of losing a member, please reach out to the families during the holidays to let them know you are there for them. What should you do in 2016? You should attend the seminars that raise funds to help various causes. Attend events that are held by departments and organizations to raise funds for “the cause.” When you see an event that was covered in Fire News, ask yourself why you were not there. Training is what keeps you alive. Remember, life saving skills must become second nature and that only happens if you constantly train. As we end 2015, ask yourself why you are part of the fire-rescue and
emergency services. If you, “talk the talk, but do not walk the walk,” do something about it. Quitting is not an option. Make the people who we have lost this year proud of you. Train like you mean it, respond to calls with the passion that you may be saving a family member and remember the lessons learned from the heroes of the past. Wearing a uniform shows you are a member of an organization. When you wear your uniform, wear it with meaning. The next time you put on your uniform, wear it with dignity and ask yourself if you are really doing all you can to deserve the title of being a first responder. I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. On behalf of Fire News, I thank you for what you do. Reflect on 2015 and ask yourself how you can do more in 2016. Happy holidays! ...Dennis
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ANNOUNCEMENTS NEW ROCHELLE FFS BRING HALLOWEEN TO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL As costumed New Rochelle firefighters made their way through the hallways of the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, parents’ tense expressions gave way to smiles, as the young patients forgot their surroundings for a few hours and went trick or treating like any other kids. Before long, firefighters had a crew of little helpers in tow, transforming the place into a Halloween celebration. “As a parent, the worst thing in the world is seeing your kid hurt or sick. Being able to bring a smile to the parents, who are smiling because their kid gets a kick out of our costumes ... man that’s great,” said New Rochelle Fire Captain Andrew Sandor. For the 13th year, this annual tradition has brought families to their feet laughing, smiling and snapping photos that they can't wait to share. One grandfather explained, “I have a granddaughter in there with the biggest smile ear to ear and that means the world to us! So, thank you for all that you’re doing!” - Fire News story courtesy New Rochelle UFA
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
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Queens Village Garage Fire
At least five structures were damaged when a Queens Village garage went up in flames early on September 27, 2015. FDNY firefighters arrived to find a raging fire in the rear of a home on 209th Street. The garage was totally destroyed and the radiant heat caused extensive damage to all of the surrounding homes. The blaze was under control within 30 minutes. - Fire News photo by FirstOnScenePhotos.com
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Newburgh 3-Alarmer
Recently, the City of Newburgh firefighters were called out to a warehouse fire on Washington Street. Car 1 arrived and called a second alarm, bringing mutual aid from surrounding towns. The fire eventually went to three alarms and took two hours to bring under control. - Fire News photo by Vinnie Dominick
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Cover Story
Hard Work Saves Church
A late night fire ravaged the Getty Square area of Yonkers, centered by the valiant efforts of Yonkers firefighters. Units remained on the on South Broadway on October 22, 2015. The blaze engulfed a row scene well into the morning hours. - Fire News photos by FirstOnScenePhotos.com of stores and threatened the adjacent St. John’s Episcopal Church. The church was in serious jeopardy of catching fire but was saved
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Nice Knockdown in the Bronx
FDNY units battled a three-alarm blaze in the Longwood section of tional alarms were immediately transmitted. The incident was the Bronx on October 8, 2015. The fire was located on the top floor under control within 90 minutes. - Fire News photos by FirstOnScenePhotos.com of a five-story, occupied, multiple dwelling on East 163rd Street. Fire was in the cockloft and through the roof on arrival and addi-
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Mount Vernon 3-Alarmer
The Mount Vernon Fire Department battled a three-alarm fire in a row of taxpayers in the early morning hours of October 19, 2015. Mutual aid companies from the surrounding area were called to the scene as the fire spread from store to store and eventually burned through the roof. Several businesses were a total loss. - Fire News photos by FirstOnScenePhotos.com and Mike Messar
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5 Dogs Die in New Paltz Blaze
On October 6, 2015, a two-alarm fire in a hair salon and residence on Mulberry Street in New Paltz destroyed the the two-story structure and killed five dogs in the process. The house was fully engulfed on the arrival of firefighters. Three people escaped the blaze. The structure had been the scene of another fire in March 2014. - Fire News photos by Peter Sarnicola
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2 Killed in Brooklyn 5-Alarmer
Two people were killed after a suspected natural gas explosion rocked a Brooklyn neighborhood on October 3, 2015. The front facade of a three-story taxpayer with apartments above, on 13th Avenue in the Borough Park section, was blown into the street. The brick wall of the third floor in the rear was also blown onto adjoining buildings. The structural stability of the building made fire operations even more difficult and the blaze eventually went to four alarms with a fifth struck for relief purposes. City officials remained on the scene for several days to carefully sift through the debris for any possible evidence of the blast. - Fire News photos by FirstOnScenePhotos.com
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All Out at Brooklyn Blaze
Stanford Hts. Fire
On October 31, 2015, Ladder 174 responded to a blaze on E. 40th Street. Units went on location with people possibly trapped. No injuries were reported. -Fire News photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Stanford Heights firefighters battled a garage fire on Albany Street. The garage was fully involved when apparatus arrived. Mutual aid came from Colonie and Midway. - Fire News photo by Peter Barber
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Gas Main Break
On October 9, 2015, East Greenbush and Rensselaer were called out for a gas main rupture. Rensselaer is undergoing major infrastructure improvements in an area that goes back to the 1700s, and records aren’t very good. A backhoe working at a construction site ripped into gas main that was not on the service map. Firefighters backed up gas company crews and no injuries were reported. - Fire News photo by Martin E. Miller
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Good Stop in Schenectady
Schenectady firefighters gear up to battle a bedroom fire on Elm Street. Heavy smoke was found coming from the second floor of a two-family house. The flames were extinguished with out extension to the attic. One man was helped to safety by firefighters. - Fire News photo by Peter Barber
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Where There’s Smoke ...
Schenectady firefighters battled a bedroom fire on Elm Street. Heavy smoke was found coming from the second floor of a two-family house and the flames were discovered and extinguished without extension to the attic. One man was helped to safety by firefighters. - Fire News photo by Peter Barber
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Rough One in Albany On September 12, 2015, Albany City Dispatch was notified of a fire in an old industrial structure downtown. Arriving companies found heavy fire on the upper floor, of a hundred-year-old building of heavy timber-and-brick construction. There was a heavy fog over the city. A heavy fog was instrumental in hiding smoke from the fire and delayed the report of it. Albany was assisted by Waterveliet and Troy for a total of about 50 responders as the inferno was spreading into two other structures and threatening nearby businesses in other old industrial buildings. - Fire News photos by Martin E. Miller
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Whew! Only Water
On September 19, 2015, the Malta Ridge Fire Department responded to a call on Route 67 west in a roundabout for a semi-tanker rollover leaking its load. Upon arrival, fire officials were very relieved when told it was a load of water. Approximately 7,000 gallons were spilled. The driver was not injured. - Fire News photos by Tom Heffernan
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Cooking for Life As I was going through my mail, I came upon a letter from a teacher in Rocky Point on Long Island. It stated how her class was a big fan of the show, Firehouse Kitchen. Upon reading this I thought, “What would be better than for Firefighter Ray to give her class a visit?” I contacted the teacher and told her my idea. She was excited and we set the date! So began my trip to the northeast shore of Long Island. As one drives out this way, you cannot miss the feeling that you are in another place. The landscape goes from the suburbs to a more rural landscaping and it is breath taking. For a moment, I forgot I was only 30 minutes from home! The class I was visiting, was a life skills class. The main objective of the class is to get them ready for the real world. What is more necessary in the real world than to knowing how to cook? Therefore, I showed them how to cook a meal. When I got there, they made me feel like a movie star. They were beside themselves with the presence of Firefighter Ray — woo hoo! We went through a little Q&A and then got right to work. I thought chicken skewers would be perfect. I did most of the cutting and they did most of the skewering. When they skewers were cooking in the oven, they thought it would be fun to watch an episode of Firehouse Kitchen. They chose to watch the one when I cooked with my wife, Lori. They thought it was funny how she was ‘busting my chops.’ Lovely! When the episode was over and the berating stopped, we had a delicious meal which was accompanied by many smiles. This life skills class is an important class and brings so much joy to the students involved. A very special thanks to Kyle, Kathleen, Valerie, Joey and Nikki. They are going to do great in life. To find out more about Firehouse Kitchen, or how to become a sponsor, visit to firehousekitchenshow.com.
Ray’s Chicken Skewers 3 pounds of chicken Onions Green peppers Grape tomatoes
Skewer sticks Teriyaki sauce Greek yogurt
Directions Cube up the chicken and soak in teriyaki sauce. Cube up onions and green peppers, onions and tomatoes. Skewer a piece of chicken, a green pepper, an onion and a tomato and continue in that order until skewers are full. Put in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let slightly cool before eating. Dip in yogurt sauce and enjoy!
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150 Years of Service in NYC
(Above):Congratulations to the members of FDNY Ladder 4 and Engine 54, the Pride of Midtown, celebrating 150 years of service to New York City. - Fire News photos by Dennis Whittam
(Above): Congratulations to the members of FDNY Engine Company 8, Ladder Company 2, and the 8th Battalion, as they celebrate 150 years of service to New York City. - Fire News photos by Dennis Whittam
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23rd Street Fire Remembered
On October 17, 2015, the FDNY remembered the members of the department who died in the line of duty at the 23rd Street Fire of October 17, 1966. Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro and Chief of Department James E. Leonard joined chiefs, officers, firefighters and family members who lost loved ones at this fire. A wreath was laid in front of the plaque that remembers the 12 lives lost. The ceremony marked the 49th anniversary of the fire, which, prior to September 11, 2001, was the single worst loss of New York City firefighters in the line of duty. - Fire News photos by Dennis Whittam
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Not a Good Place to Lose Brakes
Well, the Hydrant Was Working
On October 5, 2015, a tanker carrying 4,000 gallons of heating oil lost its brakes while making a delivery on a steep hill, striking several vehicles and an apartment building. The driver suffered minor injuries and the truck spilled about 100 gallons of oil. After the truck was off-loaded, it took three heavy duty wreckers several hours to remove it. - Fire News photo by Mike Messar
Schenectady firefighters responded to a two-car MVA at the intersection of McClellan and Nott Streets. Upon arrival, they had to deal with a geyser of water shooting eight-feet into the air after one of the vehicles sheared off a hydrant. One driver was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment and the water was turned off without incident. - Fire News photo by Peter Barber
10-75 EMERGENCY LIGHTING GRAND OPENING 10-75 Emergency Lighting was pleased to announce the grand opening of its Buffalo, New York, location. 10-75 bought the old Spring Brooke Fire Station and repurposed it as an installation shop, emergency product showroom, retail center and waiting area. The Grand Opening was a huge success for the business with over 200 attendees from departments all over the State of New York and even some Canadian Fire Departments. The business had displays of their latest vehicles as well as product. 10-75 Emergency Lighting is New York State’s fastest growing Emergency Vehicle Upfitter with warranties that exceed industry standards. You can contact Gabe direct to schedule a consultation on your department’s next emergency vehicle. Gabe Casucci; New York Operations Manager, 10-75 Emergency Lighting, 6300 Seneca Street, Elma, New York 14059. Call toll free: 1-877-614-7187; Cell: 716-553-4431; Fax: 877-614-7187 or visit www.1075lighting.com.
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Winona Lake Halloween
When the Summer’s Through...
The Winona Lake Fire Department held their first Halloween car show at the Newburgh Mall. Over 50 cars turned out on a cold night, the Ladies Auxiliary sold candy apples, a 50/50 was held, and trophies were given out for the best dressed. - Fire News photo by Vinnie Dominick
The New Baltimore Fire Department along with Coeymans and Medway brought the summer to a close with a live fire drill. A number of new young members were able to participate. There were other very old structures near the house, which were protected and will remain part of the historic area. - Fire News photo by Martin E. Miller
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East Greenbush 9/11 Memorial
On September 11, 2015, the Melvin Roads Post 1231 of East speakers included military, the East Greenbush fire chief and police Greenbush held their annual Remember 911 ceremony to remem- chief, as well as local politicians. - Fire News photos by Tom Heffernan ber all the lives lost on that terrible day. The Clinton Heights Fire Department was invited to participate in the ceremony. Guest
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Hero NYC Cop Mourned
An NYPD officer slain in the line of duty last week is being remembered as, "A son, brother, a mentor and ultimately, a hero," by thousands of family, friends and law enforcement officers who gathered from across the country to mourn him at a funeral in Queens. Officer Randolph Holder was to be laid to rest in his native Guyana following the October 28, 2015, funeral at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York, where a sea of mourners streamed past his golden casket, topped with a bouquet of red. -Fire News photos by Lloyd Mitchell
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Westmere Open House Westmere Fire Department held its annual Fire Prevention and Open House on October 17, 2015. Senator George Amedore stopped by to show his support for the department and to see what their needs were for the future. - Fire News photo by Lori Washburn
The 2nd Battle of Yonkers (for ALS) On October 3, 2015, the Yonkers police and fire departments squared off in a flag football game to raise money for 'Quinn For The Win,' an ALS awareness and research charity with local ties. The Yonkers Police Department won the 2nd annual game 17-10. - Fire News photo by Mike Messar
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AFDSNY Convention - Fire News photos by Dennis Whittam
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