http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/rss News articles published on sayvillefd.org using RSS 2.0 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:26:06 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=105 The Sayville Fire Department went out on their annual Santa Ride this past Saturday Dec 17th. The Department visited two schools with Santa. The first was Lincoln Ave Elementary and the second Sunrise Drive Elementary. At the stops the children were able to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas, take some pictures, explore the Fire Trucks and have some refreshments. After the school visits Santa and the FD continued on throughout Sayville trying to visit as many streets as possible. Many residents came out to see Santa riding in his sleigh and all were greeted with candy canes and Christmas candies. Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:32:30 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=105 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=104 Sayville firefighters responded to a reported overturn with entrapment in the early morning hours of October 18th. Sayville Firefighters, Suffolk County PD ESU and Sayville Community Ambulance members worked tirelessly to stabilize the vehicle, extricate the driver of the overturned Dodge Viper convertible, which had gone off the road and careened through heavy cement work and a tree before coming to rest on the front lawn of a second home. Sayville Community Ambulance transported the driver down the block to Browns River Road, where he was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:02:16 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=104 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=103 Sayville Fire Department received an alarm for a working structure fire at the Fire Island Pines community at just before 9:30pm on November 14th. Chief Mike Butler and two crews arrived on scene via ferry service. The first crew was immediately put to work protecting twenty 100-lb propane tanks with hand lines while fire was whipping overhead. The second crew responded to a residential structure fire on the opposite side of the harbor. Firefighter Steve Vanderborgh took command of his crew at that structure fire as Sayville firefighters were tasked with outside ventilation and overhaul. Several other fire departments also worked the scene of that fire. Volunteer firefighters returned back to Sayville at approximately 1:30am and were dismissed an hour later once all equipment was put back into service. On Tuesday, another crew of five firefighters took the 3PM ferry back to the Pines to lend additional support and returned back to Headquarters later that evening. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:05:08 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=103 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=102 The Sayville Fire Department has recently acquired 140 photoelectric smoke detectors with ten-year lithium batteries as part of the Smoke Alarm Project sponsored by the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs. Any resident in the Sayville Fire District who resides in an owner occupied or rental property is eligible to participate. Residents should call 589-0189 as soon as possible too arrange for installation by a Sayville Fire Department Volunteer Firefighter. THIS IS NOT A FUNDRAISER! These detectors are part of a fire safety initiative and must be installed no later than October 15th. Installation will be done on a first come/first serve basis and while supplies last. As a participant in this program, volunteer firefighters with photo identification and uniform shirts will test all of your existing smoke detectors and place additional or replacement detectors throughout your home free of charge. During their visit, they will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have regarding fire safety and will give you a few tips you may not already know. The goal is to get more working smoke detectors into our residents' homes. After all, only working and correctly placed smoke detectors can save lives and the Sayville Fire Department wants you and your loved ones to be safe. Sayville Fire Department Chief Pantano says, "I am looking forward to the opportunity to help make more residences safer in our Fire District and am thankful to our volunteer firefighters for taking the time to support this initiative." Chief Pantano would also like to remind everyone that at a minimum each residence should have working smoke detectors placed on every floor of the home and outside each sleeping area. Detectors should be tested monthly and batteries should be changed twice a year when you change your clocks for daylight savings time. Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:59:03 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=102 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=101 It has been almost a decade since the horrific attack on our Country on September 11, 2001, where thousands of innocent lives were lost. Locally, West Sayville, Sayville and Bayport Fire Departments lost three of their members who responded to the scene of the attacks with the intention of helping people. Those members were Lincoln Quappe-Sayville FD-FDNY, Glen Pettit-West Savyille FD/NYPD, Glenn Wilkinson-Bayport FD/FDNY. On the 10th anniversary of this tragedy, Sayville, West Sayville, Bayport and Great River Fire Departments will remember their lost members by participating in a Firematic Memorial Service at St. Lawrence The Martyr R.C. Church in Sayville at 1:30PM on Sunday, September 11th. All members of the community are welcome to attend. Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:00:27 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=101 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=100 The Sayville Fire Department will be hosting a blood drive on Thursday, September 8th, from 2:00PM to 8:00PM in memory of Honorary Captain Wilbur Ritter, who perished in the line of duty after responding to an alarm on Main Street on August 28, 2006. He was the Chairman of Sayville's Blood Drive for about 20 years. Wilbur had planned Sayville's first 9/11 blood drive for the five-year anniversary of the events of 9/11/01 in honor of those lost. Unfortunately, he passed away shortly before that blood drive. The Sayville Fire Department continues to host a blood drive on or around 9/11 each year. This year, WBAB and WBLI are sponsoring all fire department blood drives around 9/11. Donors will be given special commemorative 9/11 anniversary t-shirts and pins. Please give life for lives lost by donating blood. Call (631) 589-0189 for more info. Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:42:07 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=100 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=99 A week before Hurricane Irene hit Sayville, preparations were being made for the massive storm. Emergency vehicles, equipment and generators were tested and readied ensuring that firefighters had whatever tools and equipment they would need to respond to calls during and after the storm. Readiness meetings were attended with various agencies and town officials as well as local nursing homes and Sayville Ferry Service. Sayville's boat was taken to secure mooring further inland, and buildings and equipment were secured in preparation of the high winds and flooding. The pantry was stocked in anticipation of volunteer firefighters and some of their families spending many hours at the firehouse for the duration of the storm. As the storm neared on Friday, Sayville Fire Department sent members and their bus to Good Samaritan Nursing Home to assist with patient evacuation. A few hours later, Fire Police were called in to assist Good Samaritan Hospital with their patient evacuation. On Saturday morning, members attended a storm briefing given by Chief Thomas Pantano. Sayville Fire Department was as ready as they could be for whatever blow Hurricane Irene was going to give Sayville. Later that evening, dozens of volunteer firefighters said goodbye to their families and headed to their respective stations for the storm standby that lasted 21 hours. Some came with their own sleeping bags and inflatable mattresses, some were prepared to catch a few winks in a chair in between alarms. Several members' families also took shelter at Sayville Fire Department Headquarters. There wasn't much time to sleep after midnight for anyone. Calls for hazards caused by downed power lines, transformer fires, downed trees as well as flooding started coming in steadily about every hour and then increased to several an hour by about 9AM. In between alarms Sayville Chiefs drove around assessing water conditions and other hazards. Overall, volunteer firefighters answered about 30 calls on Sunday alone. Firefighters continued to be called out for alarms related to the storm several days after Irene passed through Sayville. Chief Pantano says, "I am thankful to my members, who worked tirelessly to keep our residents safe. I am especially thankful to those family members who were willing to weather the storm alone while their spouse was helping our community." Sat, 03 Sep 2011 23:18:12 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=99 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=98 Although the weather conditions may not look ominous and a storm like Hurricane Irene piques curiosity, residents are advised to stay inside. There are many downed power lines and tree limbs as well as flooding around town. The current wind conditions and the sustained winds overnight make additional falling debris and power lines a serious threat to those venturing out of their homes. Do not walk through the water in flooded areas, as there may be hidden power lines hiding underneath which could cause electrocution. Chief Pantano asks people to stay away from the Bay. That area is extremely dangerous at this time. Stay clear of downed power lines and never assume they are not energized. If you know of any downed power lines in Sayville, please contact the Sayville Fire Department at 589-0189, so that the area can be secured. Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:27:38 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=98 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=96 Over 40 members attended a storm briefing this morning at Sayville Fire Department Headquarters. Chief Pantano went over response plans for the department during and after the storm as well as anticipated emergencies and how to handle them. The worst part of the storm will be in our area between 3AM and 2PM. This is a slow moving storm and a significant amount of downed trees and wires are expected in addition to major flooding. Once the storm hit our area, please do not leave the safety of your home. There are many hazards outside including flying debris, falling trees and limbs, downed power lines, and possibly fast moving water, etc. Many homes near the water have been ordered to evacuate. Call the Town of Islip at 224-5730 or visit them at http://www.townofislip-ny.gov to see if your address is part of the mandatory evacuation and to see what shelters are open. Sayville's Chief wants to once again, remind those residents involved in the evacuation to leave. If those residents choose to stay during the storm, emergency help is not likely to get to them. Although there may be a few exceptions, emergency responders will not go out once the winds hit 50mph because of the many hazards present with those wind speeds. In addition, most fire trucks cannot get through deep water without getting stuck or sustaining significant damage. Emergency vehicle damage during the storm would impact Sayville's ability to respond to emergencies after the storm. Chief Pantano says, "If you are in an area that has been listed as a Hurricane Category 1 Flood Zone, leave ahead of the storm and be safe." In addition, firefighters will not be able to pump out homes during or after the storm. Tree cutting will only be done to clear access and egress for responders unless, of course, someone is trapped. Chief Pantano said, "Our volunteer firefighters will be standing by at their stations before, during and after the storm. Many of them will be leaving their families at home during the storm. I appreciate their dedication to serving the community and thank their family members for lending us their loved ones." Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:51:05 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=96 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=95 According to Sayville Fire Department Chief Tom Pantano, the Sayville Fire Department is paying close attention to Hurricane Irene. Equipment is being readied and plans are being developed should Hurricane Irene become a threat to Sayville residents this weekend. Chief Pantano says "Because much of our town borders water, it is important that everyone, especially those living south of Montauk Highway, be mindful of the times of high tide, which present the most vulnerable times for flooding during a storm surge." High tide times expected in our area during the next few days are as follows: Saturday: 10:36AM and 10:49PM Sunday: 11:24AM and 11:36PM Monday: 12:09PM Residents are asked to take evacuation orders seriously for their safety and for the safety of emergency responders, who will be put in harms way responding to emergencies in areas that have been evacuated. Evacuation routes for residents of Sayville are northbound on Broadway, Lincoln, Johnson and Lakeland Avenues. Should sheltering become necessary, Sayville High School and Sayville Middle School are the designated shelters for Sayville residents. Chief Pantano also says "Please begin preparing for the storm now. While it's tempting to put off storm preparations, you probably won't have enough time to properly prepare yourself once the bad weather begins closing in." The Sayville Fire Department encourages you to learn more about hurricane preparedness by visiting http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html. Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:30:26 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=95 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=94 In the middle of a wicked storm that most people took cover for on August 18th, Sayville volunteer firefighters responded to an alarm for a reported structure fire caused by a lightning strike on Hampton Street at 9:40pm. Firefighters were already at the scene of another alarm just a few blocks away when the alarm came in. 1st Asst. Chief Michael Butler responded to the second alarm and could see the flames coming from the roof as he rounded the corner. All manpower was immediately directed to respond to the scene of the house fire as Sayville's Chief Tom Pantano confirmed that the first alarm was under control. The homeowner was at home at the time of the lightning strike and immediately knew her house was on fire. Fortunately, she was able to exit the home on her own. She stood across the street and watched approximately 75 firefighters from Sayville, Bayport Holbrook and West Sayville working together to save her house. While firefighters' first priority was to safely and efficiently contain and extinguish the fire in the attic and second floor bedroom, they were also mindful of the extensive damage that the fire itself and firefighting efforts causes (water, debris, soot, etc.). Once the fire was under control, firefighters were assigned to cover furniture on the first floor to minimize damage. Sayville's Chief Thomas Pantano said, "I am very proud of all of the volunteer firefighters that responded to the scene. We may be four separate fire departments, but we all work together seamlessly when we need to". He also praised Bohemia Fire Department members for standing by at Sayville's headquarters to handle any additional alarms. With the exception of one Sayville firefighter sustaining an ankle injury, everyone went home safe and firefighters were back home by around 1AM. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:14:36 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=94 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=93 Very shortly, many college students will be on their way to college. Some will be living on campus or in off-campus housing. So, here are some safety tips that students should be aware of. If you are a student, please review them. If you are the parent of a college-bound student, please share these tips with your child before he or she heads off to college this year. HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN. Learn where all the exits are to make escape faster in a fire emergency. On campus, there should be a plan in place already. If you don't know what it is, the Public Safety Office should be able to tell you. If this information is not readily available or you are living off campus, take a few minutes to walk around and do your own pre-plan. KNOW HOW TO MAKE A NOTIFICATION OF A FIRE EMERGENCY. Find out where alarm pull boxes are and what number to call to report a fire. IF THE ALARM SOUNDS, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AND CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND YOU. Remember to take your keys should you have to re-enter the room if your escape route is blocked with fire or smoke. KNOW HOW TO ESCAPE. -If you have to escape through smoke, get low and get to the nearest exit. The cleanest air is close to the ground. -Before opening a door, feel the door with the back of your hand. If it's hot, don't open it. Find a second way out. -If you are trapped in your room, seal your door with towels, rags, or clothing so that smoke cannot enter from the hall. Stay low and be positioned under a window and keep yelling for help and banging on the wall. GET OUT AND STAY OUT. No textbook, homework assignment, laptop, cell phone, IPod or wallet is worth going back for. You were lucky to get out safely once. You might not be as lucky a second time! DO NOT HANG ANYTHING FROM SPRINKLER HEADS. This could disable or block the flow of water, which is necessary to help contain or extinguish flames. MAKE SURE THERE ARE WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS OUTSIDE AND INSIDE YOUR SLEEPING QUARTERS. Test monthly. Never disable a smoke detector or the fire alarm. These are installed to give warning to you and your neighbors so you can quickly exit should smoke or fire be detected. ONLY USE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR EMERGENCIES. They are there for you to use should you have to put out a small, contained fire. Don't waste this equipment on a midnight water fight! For an extra level of safety, keep an ABC extinguisher in your room and learn how to use it. They are labeled with simple instructions. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:41:05 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=93 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=92 On April 15th firefighters from Sayville, Bohemia, Holbrook, Holtsville and North Patchogue as well as several Town and County agencies converged on Sans Souci County Park in Sayville in response to multiple brush fires. Nearly a dozen vehicles responded, including brush trucks from each department, while West Sayville Fire Department stood by at Sayville's Headquarters to cover other alarms. Sayville's Ex-Chief Larry Sesso established Incident Command in the parking lot of Sayville's Station 2 on Broadway, which borders the park property. Brush truck crews made entry into the park where they located and extinguished three separate fires that burned several acres. Without the quick actions and cooperation of the responding firefighters, the fire would have surely burned more acres on this very windy day. Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:03:53 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=92 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=91 On April 13th Sayville Firefighters responded to a call for a motor vehicle accident requiring heavy rescue. A box truck and a car violently crashed and came to rest about ten feet into the woods. The occupants of the box truck were not injured. The driver of the vehicle exited on her own and received medical attention before being transported to the hospital. Sayville Firefighters worked tirelessly with Suffolk County PD Emergency Services and Sayville Community Ambulance to gain access to the patient, remove the roof and extricate the trapped passenger, who was transported to Southside Hospital by Sayville Community Ambulance and later succumbed to his injuries. Sun, 17 Apr 2011 15:26:31 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=91 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=90 Five Sayville and one Central Islip volunteer firemen participated in a fundraiser at the Long Island Women's Expo on April 9th to benefit the Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center Fund. Because there weren't enough models to put on the planned fashion show fundraiser, the promoter changed the fundraiser into a "Hot Fireman Show". All of the guys were good sports and agreed to "shake their boots" for a good cause despite the change in plans. On Saturday, April 9th, the guys rehearsed for a little while. Two of the firefighters were treated to a spray tan by Suvara, while the other volunteers were promised spray tans after their performance. 5PM it was show time! One by one, five firefighters wearing their turnout gear and no shirts strutted onto the stage to the funky 70s song "Fire" by Ohio Players. They did their own individual flirty moves before taking their spot on the stage. After the last firefighter was in place, they took off their jackets revealing their bare chests to the delight of the women in the audience. They continued with their routine and joined the audience for photos while donations were collected for the Burn Center. Once the last photo was taken and all donations were collected, the rest of the firefighters headed back over to Suvara to get their promised spray tans and headed home. All of these volunteer firefighters had a blast and were happy to collect money for the Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center Fund to help support special clinical and research initiatives. Sun, 17 Apr 2011 15:19:50 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=90 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=89 One out of every ten people who are hospitalized is in need of blood or a blood product. It cannot be manufactured so they depend on generous blood donors (it's really just a little pinch!). So, why not be a hero and take a few minutes to donate life-saving blood at Sayville Fire Department's Wilbur Ritter Blood Drive on Monday, April 11th, from 2:45-8:30PM. Donors will be entered to win home safety kit door prizes. The Sayville Fire Department hosts two blood drives each year in memory of Honorary Captain Wilbur Ritter, who perished in the line of duty after responding to an alarm on Main Street on August 28, 2006. He was also the Chairman of Sayville's Blood Drive for about 20 years and was planning their first September 11th blood drive in 2006 for the fifth anniversary of those who were lost on 9/11. Unfortunately, he passed away less than two weeks before that scheduled blood drive. The Sayville Fire Department honors Wilbur by continuing his tradition of running life-saving blood drives at the firehouse in his name. For more information, call the Sayville Fire Department at 589-0189. Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:19:25 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=89 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=88 Sayville volunteer Firefighter/EMT Eric Diaz, drummer for Miss Alibi, is donating his time along with his band mates at a fundraiser on March 19th to help a Lynbrook firefighter, who became handicapped in an accident and is in need of a handicapped accessible van. Miss Alibi's Bassist Stuart Levine was asked if the band would do a paid performance at a Lynbrook Truck Company fundraiser for Ex-Captain Lenny Llewellyn. He brought the proposal back to the band. Being a volunteer firefighter, Eric felt especially close to the cause and asked his band mates,Vocalist Heather Little and Guitarist Nero F. Roxxx, Bassist Stuart Levine, to consider donating their time and talent to benefit a brother firefighter. Members of Miss Alibi, a top 40/party rock cover band, quickly agreed to forego their fee and perform live music during this event. Eric, a drummer for most of his life, has been a volunteer firefighter in the Sayville FD since 2004. The volunteer spirit of Diaz and many other volunteer firefighters often extends beyond their commitment to serve in emergency situations. They are brave neighbors who stand ready to answer a variety of calls for help. As information, the Lynbrook Truck Fundraiser for Ex-Captain Lenny Llewellyn will be held at the Lynbrook Fire Department at 184 Earle Avenue. The cost is $40pp, which includes food, beer, wine, soda, corned beef and cabbage…and Live Music by Miss Alibi. Tickets are available in advance or at the door. For more information on the fundraiser, contact Rich Crowley at (516) 381-6125. Don't forget to check out Miss Alibi's website at www.missalibi.com. Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:26:56 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=88 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=86 Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer William J. Lindsay recently thanked Suffolk County Police Officer Matthew DeMatteo and members of the Sayville Fire Department for their heroic actions on January 17th, when they rescued 11-year old Sarah Thalhammer and her neighbor's dog from the Great South Bay. "I thank each of the emergency responders for their quick thinking and heroic action," said Presiding Officer Lindsay. "Saving one's life is a great accomplishment, and I am proud to honor these brave men for bringing Sarah home safely." Lindsay presented each rescuer with a Life-Saving Award. Sarah, along with her mom Michaela Thalhammer and brother Philip also thanked the rescuers for savings Sarah and the dog. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:22:22 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=86 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=85 Even before Sarah fell through the ice on the Great South Bay on January 17th, the Sayville Fire Department's January calendar listed an "Ice Rescue Refresher Class" for later that week. Because the Sayville Fire District includes many bodies of water such as the Great South Bay, ponds, streams and lakes, firefighters must be ready to handle water and ice emergencies. Each year, volunteers of the Sayville Fire Department attend this class to refresh their members on the procedures for handling an ice rescue, which is a very dangerous operation for firefighters and the victims. During the lecture part of the drill, Ex-Captain Robert Smith and Captain William Roderka went over each person's responsibility during an ice rescue, which is labor intensive. Topics included safety, how to properly wear a rescue suit, how to get out onto the ice and get the patient back to shore while other members of the team are assigned to monitor the condition of the ice, progress of the rescue, tendering ropes, and whether or not there is a need to commit additional rescuers to the ice. In addition, they spoke about the tools available to help them while they are on the ice including ice picks, poles, ropes, harnesses, buoyancy sling, ice sled and floating rescue basket Mother Nature doesn't always provide the frigid temperatures needed for an ideal hands-on training scenario, but this year temperatures were well below freezing. Earlier in the morning several members scouted for a spot to hold the hands on portion of the ice rescue drill and a decision was made to have the drill on The Great South Bay. To make the drill as realistic as possible, a firefighter wearing a dry suit entered the ice and made a hole big enough for them to enter the water (he was tethered to a rope manned by fellow firefighters for safety). Firefighters practiced rescuing the victim by entering the ice with their dry suits using their ice picks, ropes, life rings and the ice sled while members of their team on shore were at work manning the ropes and monitoring the situation. Some of the ice held up and some of it broke through during the rescue scenario…a near perfect situation for training purposes. The Sayville Fire Department would like to remind everyone that "NO ICE IS SAFE ICE" in this region partly due to changing temperatures and water currents. Please keep off the ice. We may be prepared to make a rescue, but it is very dangerous for the rescuers as well as the person who falls through. Remember Sarah, who fell through the ice in January? She was very lucky. The next person who falls through the ice may not be. Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:41:43 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=85 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=84 On January 17th, a resident of the South Bay Apartments heard the screams of Sarah, an 11-year old girl who had fallen through the ice on the Great South Bay. She immediately saw that someone had fallen through the ice and called 911. Sayville firefighters received the alarm for an ice rescue at the end of Candee Avenue. While en-route to the alarm, firefighters stepped into their Ice Commander suits and grabbed their ropes and floatation devices in preparation of an ice rescue. Upon Sayville firefighters' arrival, the girl was just feet from the shore after being rescued by a Suffolk County Police Officer. Sarah and her rescuer were transported to the hospital by Sayville Community Ambulance. Sarah ventured out onto the ice because she was chasing after the dog she was walking, Ace Ventura, who had run onto the ice. She is one lucky girl to have survived being in the water for about ten minutes in these frigid temperatures and for the swift response of emergency personnel. Ace still needed to be rescued so a team of firefighters under the direction of Chief Thomas Pantano continued towards the edge of the Bay and swiftly set up their safety lines tethering Firefighter Chuck Hartman so he could crawl over the thin ice to grab the dog and be pulled back to safety. As Hartman moved closer to Ace, the dog moved further away from him. He was finally able to grab the dog about 35' from shore. Several hours after being rescued, Ace was reunited with his rescuer and Chief Thomas Pantano, who praises his volunteer firefighters for flawlessly putting into action their response to this call for help. The Sayville Fire Department would like to remind residents that NO ICE IS SAFE ICE! Because of changing currents, precipitation and temperatures, no ice in this area should be considered safe! Whether you are ice skating, playing hockey or just walking on ice over any body of water, you risk falling through, drowning or suffering from hypothermia. Although Sayville Fire Department volunteers are trained in ice rescue and will attempt a risky rescue if someone does fall in, don't take a chance out there on the ice. It's just not worth the risk to yourself and your volunteer rescuers! Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:38:10 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=84 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=83 By now most of Sayville's residents have cleared their walkways and driveways and dug their cars out of the snow. Unfortunately, there are a lot of fire hydrants around town still buried under several feet of snow. Of course, responding firefighters have shovels on hand to dig out hydrants during fire emergencies and dispatchers have information on hydrant location. But where minutes count during a fire, precious time will be lost finding the precise location of the hydrant and digging it out. Sayville Fire Department Chief Thomas Pantano asks residents to bundle up and grab those shovels one more time and dig out fire hydrants in front of or near your home or business. A two feet clearing around the hydrant will give firefighters enough room to quickly hook up their hoses and get water on the fire quickly should they be called to a fire under these conditions. Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:19:26 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=83 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=82 Volunteer members of the Sayville Fire Department were very busy teaching fire prevention and household safety during October, which is Fire Prevention Month. Several volunteers cleared their schedules for the month so that they could meet requests to do dozens of safety presentations for preschool and elementary school students, Scouts and community groups. Volunteers not only hosted groups at the firehouse, but they also took their show on the road to elementary schools and community groups. Some of the safety issues taught included smoke detectors, plan of escape, not being fearful of firefighters, dialing 911 for help, "stop, drop and roll", "stay low and go", "get out and stay out" and "don't hide-go outside". Some groups had a special opportunity to go through a "Safety House" made just for them for the purpose of fire and home safety training. Children were given safety talks specific to each of the three rooms in the trailer…the kitchen, family room and bedroom. This "Safety House" also has the ability to simulate a smoke condition in two rooms, where children are taught to feel the door before they open it and to "stay low and go". Firefighters also spent several hours at the Fall Festival, where families were taught home and fire safety, given safety literature and participated in other fun activities like squirting water from a real fire house and sitting in the fire truck Sayville Fire Department members believe that their aggressive community outreach efforts have had a positive impact on fire safety in Sayville. Visit www.sayvillefd.org fore more fire safety information. Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:59:12 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=82 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=81 Sayville Fire Department volunteers participated in a Long Island Rail Road mass casualty incident drill that included multi-agency response by Community Ambulance and several other ambulance companies, Sayville and West Sayville Fire Departments, Suffolk County Fire Rescue & Emergency Services, MTA Police and LIRR. The scenario set was a passenger train just west of Sayville Station with its rear car on fire and dozens of victims inside and outside of the train. Sayville firefighters teamed up with West Sayville firefighters to search the smoke-filled railroad car for victims and bring them to the triage area. Just like at real alarms, Sayville firefighters worked seamlessly with their neighbors to get the job done. Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:22:22 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=81 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=80 Once again, the Sayville Fire Department hosted their September Blood Drive honoring Ex-Captain Wilbur Ritter, who perished in the line of duty in 2006. He was the Chairperson of the Sayville Fire Department Blood Drives for years and was a dedicated blood donor himself. Most people donated a pint of life-saving whole blood, which can be broken into Red Cells, Plasma and Platelets, which can be used by different patients. Some people made a double red cell donation with the ALYX Machine. The ALYX machine separates the blood into two components. The red cells are collected and plasma is returned to the donor. Not all whole blood donors meet the requirements to be eligible to make an ALYX donation. Ex Chief Roy Verspoor is a regular ALYX donor at the Department Blood Drives. If the machines are being used by other donors, he patiently waits until one becomes available so he can make this type of donation. In all, over 60 units of blood were collected. Wilbur's blood drive was chosen to be one of the sites where people could do a quick cheek swab to collect cheek cells and join the National Bone Marrow Registry. Almost 20 caring people just made the National Bone Marrow registry list just got a little longer. Several donors won door prizes and all donors were given special coupons from Oysterman's Restaurant and Pub. Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:16:56 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=80 http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=79 On Saturday, September 5th, Sayville Fire Department volunteers answered an alarm for a structure fire at an upstairs unit at Lakeland Gardens Apartments. Upon Chief Sesso's arrival, he notified the Dispatcher that heavy smoke was showing and to re-activate the alarm for a working structure fire. Dispatch immediately re-activated the alarm and put their mutual aid plan into action by calling Bohemia and West Sayville Fire Departments to the scene and Bayport to standby at Sayville's Headquarters. In addition, Sayville Community Ambulance was requested to respond to the scene. Nearly ten pieces of apparatus quickly responded to what could have easily become a big fire incident due to the high occupancy and construction of the apartment building. Thanks to volunteer firefighters' quick actions, entry was made into the department, the kitchen fire was quickly extinguished, and the fire did not spread to other apartments. Fortunately, nobody was home at the time of the fire. Unfortunately, eleven lifeless cats were found by firefighters performing a primary search of the apartment. Animal Control, Islip Town Fire Marshall and Suffolk County PD Arson all responded to the scene. Sayville Community Ambulance transported one person at the scene, and no emergency personnel were hurt at this alarm. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:36:46 GMT http://www.sayvillefd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=79