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AMITYvIlle _____________
HERALD ReCORD
Also serving Amityville, North Amityville, Amity Harbor, Copiague, and East Massapequa
This Week’s Pet Column
Campaign Roundtable
Local veterans on Honor Flight
Page 16
Pages 6
Page 14
VOL. 129 NO. 40
OCTOBER 2-8, 2024
$1.00
Hometown pride at annual FD Parade By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com
Pride filled the air as Town of Babylon residents lined the streets in Amityville to cheer on the members of their volunteer fire departments during the annual Fire Department Parade on Sat., Sept. 21. “This parade is a fantastic way to showcase the great volunteers who protect our community, and a way for the community to say thank you for all that they do,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer, noting that the parade has been an annual event for 50 CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Photo Credit/Herald
Copiague Fire Department Volunteers march in annual Babylon Town parade on Sept. 21.
Public hearing set for firefighter support measures in Babylon By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Two proposed measures aimed at assisting firefighters, providing greater security to residents and promoting volunteerism in fire departments throughout Babylon Town will be discussed at a public hearing on October 9. The proposals stem from concerns raised by firefighters during discussions with town officials, according to Babylon Town Councilman Terence McSweeney. The first proposal would require property owners with two or more dwelling units to post a four-inch by four-inch diamond-shaped reflective sign
on their front doors, indicating the number of residential units in the home or building. “Fire chiefs have advised us that volunteer fire and emergency personnel can waste critical time locating a fire or a victim if they are unaware of accessory apartments,” said McSweeney, a volunteer with the North Babylon Fire Department and the town council’s liaison to fire departments. “When responding to multifamily homes, not knowing how many units are present can lead to delays.” Deer Park Fire Commissioner Anthony Macaluso Sr., who raised the issue, emphasized that the program would not
only aid volunteers responding to medical emergencies but also enhance safety for those tackling fires. “Homeowners are creative, and apartments can be hidden behind false walls, in basements, or on the sides or backs of houses,” Macaluso said. “Some homes are cavernous, putting our firefighters at risk. Knowing how many living units are in the home can improve our firefighting efforts and protect our volunteers.” Both officials clarified that the measure does not expand enforcement of multi-family home regulations; instead, it aims to improve safety for residents, firefighters, and first
responders. If approved, residents will be able to obtain the stickers when applying for or renewing their multi-family permits. The hearing will take place at 3 p.m. on October 9 at Babylon Town Hall, 200 E. Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst. In addition, the town is considering a change to its code that would give preference to
firefighters and ambulance workers with three or more years of service in Nassau or Suffolk County for affordable housing opportunities. Currently, town regulations require projects with five or more residential units to designate at least 20 percent as affordable housing. Volunteers would be required to meet CONTINUED ON PAGE 16