Busy Week For Garden City's Bravest

Firefighter Billy Meringolo overhauls fire

During the week of July 27th through August 4th, Garden City firefighters handled several serious incidents. On July 27th, Garden City's bravest were called for mutual aid as-sistance to the Stewart Manor Fire Department. The Stewart Manor Fire Department was battling a garage fire attached to a home on Cambridge Avenue. Under the direction of Assistant Chiefs James Meehan and Charles Cavarra, Gar-den City volunteer firefighters responded to the scene with a ladder truck and assisted in the fire operations.

In the early afternoon of July 29th, a severe lightning storm hit the Garden City area. As a result of the violent storm, firefighters responded to more than a dozen alarms throughout the village in a one hour period. Incidents included automatic fire alarms, burning utility wires and other storm related calls. It was during this storm, that a lightning strike caused a serious residential fire in nearby Franklin Square. As a result of this fire, the Franklin Square Fire Department requested Garden City Fire Department for mutual aid assistance. Garden City volunteer firefighters responded with a full crew of manpower and a ladder truck to render assistance to Franklin Square.

Fire Damage at Heath Place home

As reported last week, on August 1st around 8:00 p.m., firefighters responded to a serious house fire on Wyatt Road. With heavy fire on arrival out the first floor rear windows, firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze and prevented significant fire extension in the home. The next day, on August 2nd, Garden City firefighters extinguished a working truck fire at the intersection of Washington Ave and Osbourne Road.

In the early morning hours of August 3rd, around 2:15 a.m., Garden City volunteer firefighters were summoned to the scene of a large working house fire on Hilton Avenue in Hempstead. Initially requested as the mutual aid Firefighter Assistance Team, which is responsible for the rescue of down or trapped firefighters, Garden City volunteer firefighters were quickly redeployed as an interior attack ladder company. Responding with a full complement of firefighters and a ladder truck, Garden City volunteer firefighters helped tackle the blaze and remained at the scene for several hours.

Assistant Chief James Meehan & Chief John Casey command Heath Place fire

On August 4th, around 7:30 a.m., the Garden City Fire Department was alerted for a house fire on Heath Place. Headquarters Lt. Louis Mira was the initial officer on scene and transmitted a working fire, having flames showing from the front of the residence. Chief John P. Casey and Assistant Chief James Meehan coordinated fire suppression and the fire was brought quickly under con-trol. 40 Garden City volunteer and 6 headquarters firefighters responded to the fire and helped minimize property damage. No injuries were reported at the blaze. Mutual aid from the Westbury, Hempstead and Mineola Fire Departments was also summoned to the scene.

While firefighters were cleaning and packing up their equipment at the Heath Place fire, they were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident with a person trapped at the intersection of Hilton Ave and Fifth Street. Chief John Casey sent Garden City's Heavy Rescue Truck 146 from the scene of the house fire, along with Lt. Matthew Tittler and a crew of volunteer firefighters, to the accident. Utilizing the various jaws of life hydraulic tools out-fitted on the truck, a team of Garden City volunteer firefighters extricated the patient from the vehicle.

GC Ladder 147 operates at Hempstead fire

Chief John P. Casey noted, "our firefighters constantly train for these situations and are always ready to respond. We have a great team of volun-teer and headquarters firefighters that do an outstanding job. When weeks like this occur, it's a risky job, and I truly must thank the families of our volunteer firefighters that let their family members unselfishly give countless hours of their time away from them."

Wyatt Rd house fire damage GC Ladder 147 and firefighters at scene of Stewart Manor fire. Ex-Capt. Brian Gallo secures equipment after Stewart Manor fire GC firefighters assist in overhaul at Stewart Manor fire