EMFD Engine Co. 1 Celebrates 65 Years to Service to the Community

As the mid-1950s continued to see the unparalleled construction of new houses in East Meadow, so too did the East Meadow Fire Department recognize the need for an additional engine company to keep up with the community’s growth. Spearheaded by then-Chief Dominic Santoro, Engine Company One was created on May 21, 1956. Under the leadership of its first captain, Anthony Butera, 13 new applicants were sworn in, including nine members who transferred from other companies within the Department.

Engine Company One’s first apparatus was a 1937 Buffalo 500-gallon-per-minute pumper (GPM), which had seen action with other EMFD companies. It was housed at fire headquarters on what was then known as Newbridge Avenue (later changed to East Meadow Avenue to avoid confusion with Newbridge Road) and Front Street. By the end of 1956, the company’s roster increased to 28, which was important because, by some accounts, the old Buffalo needed a push-start to respond to fire calls. In December 1959, a new Approved 1,250 GPM pumper replaced the aging Buffalo. In time, the Approved was replaced by a bright lime-green 1978 Mack, capable of 1,500 GPM. And although the Mack was highly reliable, Engine Company One’s members were happy to return to a traditional red fire engine in 1996.

Today, the company operates a 2018 Pierce pumper, rated to supply 2,000 GPM, and can provide firefighting foam when needed. In 2002, Engine Company One relocated to a newly constructed firehouse on East Meadow Avenue, south of fire headquarters.

Engine Company One has implemented numerous innovations to improve firefighting operations and was the first engine company to be equipped with five-inch diameter hose. Nine of its members have served as Chief of Department, and two company members, James Surless and John Priest are currently elected fire commissioners for the East Meadow Fire District. The company typically responds to more than 300 alarms each year, ranging from automatic fire alarms, car fires, and motor vehicle accidents to residential and commercial building fires.

“On behalf of the Board of Fire Commissioners and a grateful community, we offer our congratulations and sincere thanks to the officers and members of Engine Company One as they celebrate their 65th anniversary,” said Commissioner Carey Welt. “Past and present members are to be commended for their dedication to the community and the EMFD, and we wish them continued success.”

The East Meadow Fire Department, which covers East Meadow and parts of Levittown and Westbury (Salisbury), is always looking for new members to join their ranks as firefighters or emergency medical personnel; no experience is necessary. The fire department provides the training required. There are numerous benefits associated with volunteering, including tax breaks, college scholarships, annual health checkups, life insurance, and a service award pension program, all at no cost. For more information on volunteering with the East Meadow Fire Department, visit www.eastmeadowfd.com, or call 516-542-4565.