The Brookhaven Fire Department celebrated its 101st Anniversary last week during a special dinner at Majestic Gardens in Rocky Point. Led by Chief Anthony Verni, the department is made up of men and women volunteers who answer the emergency calls of their neighbors at all hours, day and night.
The department covers a large area, including all of Brookhaven Hamlet and parts of Shirley, Bellport, and Yaphank. The idea for a fire service first occurred to a group of residents gathered at Bartman's Garage at the corner of Beaver Brook Drive and Chick's Inn (Mastic Hotel) in 1923. Soon after, a meeting of citizens was held at John Morton's house on Bay Road, and he was selected temporary chairman, along with C.F. MacNeill serving as temporary secretary.
Once the organization was perfected, the following were elected as the first officers of the company: George Waldron, Chief; William Horn, Foreman; C.F. MacNeill, Assistant Foreman; and J.H. Morton, Secretary-Treasurer. It was then decided that the name of the newly formed fire department would be "Brookhaven Hose Company Number One."
“The dedicated volunteers of the Brookhaven Fire Department provide a tremendous service to their community,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, who represents the area. “Fire and ambulance service would be much different—and much more expensive—without them,” according to the assemblyman, a Commissioner with the Medford Fire Department. Also attending the anniversary event were Senator Dean Murray and Legislator Jim Mazzarella.
The newly formed fire company went right to work, meeting with a representative of the American LaFrance Company to arrange the purchase of firematic equipment. Two years later, they received their first fire truck, a 1918 Buick, for $100. The Bellport Fire Department loaned an alarm bell, and since they didn’t have a firehouse, the new truck was housed at the Waldron's Garage. To remedy the situation, a three-man committee was appointed to secure plans and estimates for their first firehouse.
In 1925, Morton reported that the Oakwood Realty Company would donate a lot, and he was instructed to procure the deed. The Commissioners submitted a $5,700 building proposition to the taxpayers, the district’s first budget vote. Due to a printing error in the ballots, the referendum was defeated. It was not until the following year that the building was approved, in addition to $2,000 for purchasing a chemical truck.
The need for a fire department was vividly demonstrated in May of 1926 when a sudden rush of brush fires began with a meadow fire near Bay Road. The blaze was finally put out at Newey's (Tooker's) Boat Yard at 10:00 pm that night, and just as they were wrapping up, another alarm was sounded for a huge blaze rushing down from the north. This fire was eventually extinguished at 2:00 am. That same morning, around 9:30 am, another large brush fire was reported burning in the Southhaven area. Quick action by the Brookhaven volunteers saved the Southhaven School from being consumed by flames. The final embers from this fire were not extinguished until late afternoon.
When the infamous Hurricane of 1938 roared across Long Island, the department volunteers aided those in need of rescue, utilizing both trucks and boats in their efforts. During this year, nine fire wells were purchased from Bellport; four were installed at various places in the village, two were installed on private property, and the remaining three were sold to the Yaphank Fire District.
The Brookhaven volunteers were called into action again during Superstorm Sandy as flooding and power outages lasted for weeks. The members coordinated food and clothing drives to help assist the community.
Other notable department milestones include the installation of its first hydrant near the Kastar Plant on Station Road in North Bellport in 1962, the acquisition of a Maritime Skiff Rescue Boat in 2021, and the purchase of a drone the following year. In 1972, the Ladies Auxiliary was organized with Mrs. Flo Fink as its first president.
March of 1963 saw the Bellport High School Fire. There was no help for the building, but the fact that no lives were lost was a tremendous credit to the Mutual Aid Plans of Suffolk County’s Fire Departments, Ambulances and Rescue Units.
In December 1960, the department purchased a heavy-duty snow plow. Some six weeks later, the area suffered the heaviest snowfall of the decade, and the new plow paid off. Fire wells were kept operational and many snow bound people were rescued by volunteers serving 52 hours of standby duty.
Information courtesy of the Brookhaven Fire Department at www.BrookhavenFD.com