Story & photos by  Ex Captain Steven Grogan

On Sunday, August 20, 2017, the Lynbrook Fire Department officially opened the new Training Center at the end of Wright Avenue next to Fire Headquarters with swing of an axe by Lynbrook mayor William Hendrick.  Instead of the usual ribbon cutting ceremony, the mayor swung the axe at a plywood door officially "opening the door" to the center.  He was assisted by Ex-Chief John Chavatte who proposed and worked for three years to get the center built.  The training center is dedicated to the memory of the six Lynbrook  volunteer firefighters who made the supreme sacrifice and died in the line of duty for this community.  The ceremony began with Chief of Department Carl Lengel, with the assistant chiefs behind him, welcoming the department as well as the mayor and village trustees, Town Councilman Anthony D'Esposito and County Legislator William Gaylor III, to the event.  Department chaplain Pastor Robert Walderman said an opening prayer as well as the benediction.  And, Ex-Chief Chavatte spoke about the building of the new training center and thanked the chiefs he served with for their support, as well as Ex-Chief Richard Neidecker, and the mayor and village board for finding the funding to build the center.  The officials also took a tour of the center.