Lynbrook Fire Department History
The
history of the Lynbrook Fire Department begins in 1879.
Just 143 years after the American colonies witnessed the birth of the first officially recognized volunteer fire company, the Union Fire Fire Company in 1736 under Ben Franklin, Pearsall's Corners residents saw a need for a fire company to serve their expanding community. At that time, Rutherford B. Hayes was President, Theodore Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Thomas A. Edison had just invented the first practical incandescent light bulb. The trans-continental rail road had just been completed the year before. Henry Ford's Quadricycle, his first automobile prototype, was still a pipe dream, not to be realized for 17 more years. (President Hayes is at right, Edison at left.)
Rescue Hook,
Ladder and Bucket Company No. 1,
Lynbrook's first organized fire company, began
protecting life and property in 1879.
The company started with humble beginnings, with a hand drawn ladder wagon. In 1884 they built Lynbrook's first fire house at 189 Earle Avenue. The original firehouse stood strong until damaged beyond repair, ironically by fire, in 2005. You can read more about Truck Company's history by visiting their History page.
On
September 25, 1900, yet another group of concerned Lynbrook residents
met in the quarters of Rescue Hook, Ladder & Bucket Co. No.1 to organize
a "Fire Engine Company". The result of that meeting was the formation of
Engine Company No. 1.
Engine 1 shared the quarters of Hook & Ladder until 1907 when they moved
into their first company-owned fire house on Atlantic Avenue.
You can read
more about Engine Company No. 1 by visiting their
History page.
Recsue Hook, Ladder and Bucket Co. No. 1 and Engine Company No.1 joined together in 1901 to form the Lynbrook Fire Department. The Lynbrook Fire Department was incorporated two years later.
March 13, 1908, Lynbrook Hose Co. was formed. They were originally quartered in the Dobleer barn on Noble Street.The company purchased a hose wagon Their first engine with a pump was purchased in 1927. Later they moved to their own building on Blake Avenue.
On
September 10th, 1910 Vulcan Chemical & Hose Company was organized,
joining Hook & Ladder, Engine Company, and Hose Company as a company in
the Lynbrook Fire Department. Again, Hook & Ladder provided space for
the fledgling company until funds could be raised to build their own
quarters on Denton Avenue. You can read the whole story by visiting
Vulcan
Company's History page.
Tally
Ho's history begins in 1911. A fire at the Tally-Ho Inn which stood at
what would now be Merrick Rd. and Horton Ave. The area was not at time
part of Lynbrook. Community mem-bers formed Tally Ho Chemical & Engine
Co. No. 3 in response. In 1918 Tally Ho became part of the Lynbrook Fire
Department. Learn more about Tally Ho's colorful history by visiting
their
history page.
The Emergency
Medical Company
was formed in
1991 from the former Emergency Relief Squad of the Lynbrook Fire
Department. Medical Co. is the primary emergency medical services
provider for the Incorporated Village of Lynbrook. The Emergency Relief
Squad and later Medical Company has been providing very high level EMS
services to the residents of Lynbrook and continue to do so with
unmatched dedication and professionalism.
Visit Medical Company's history page for more information.
1958 Mack Fire Apparatus photo taken at 381 Sunrise Hwy. Photo is part of the permanent digital collection at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC
On April 9, 2017, the Lynbrook Fire Department re-named and dedicated the Headquarters building, located on Wright Ave. to Ex-Chief James McDermott.
On hand for the dedication and renaming were Lynbrook Village Officials, NY State and Town of Hempstead elected officials, member of the Lynbrook Fire Department, members of neighboring fire departments, as well as members of McDermott's family.
After a few words from Chief John Chavatte and Lynbrook Mayor Bill Hendrick, Chiefs Abrams and Pearsall unveiled the bronze plaque and members of Truck Co. unveiled the new sign adorning the front of Lynbrook FD Headquarters. The ceremony ended with a prayer from Department Chaplain Robert Walderman.
McDermott was a 36 year member of the Lynbrook Fire Department, and is the only member to hold the office of Chief of the Department twice in the LFD's 116 year history. He joined Rescue Hook, Ladder and Bucket Company #1 in 1980 and served as Chief from 2005 - 2006 and then again from 2015 - 2016. Ex-Chief McDermott passed away in August 2016 at the age of 55.
The Lynbrook Fire Department continues it's long tradition of service the residents of the Village of Lynbrook as an all volunteer department, dedicated to providing fire protection services through a range of programs designed to protect the lives and property of the inhabitants from the adverse effects of fires, sudden medical emergencies, or exposure to dangerous conditions created by man or nature.
Sources of the above information "Lynbrook Legacy, The Story of our Community" by Steven J. Willner, Engine Co. No. 1, Our First Hundred Years, compiled by William Cosenza
Additional Reading- Looking for more information about Lynbrook's history?
-
Visit the Lynbrook Historical Society homepage
-
Visit "Lynbrook 1609-1924" by Henry I. Hazelton, on the Linda Pearsall Harvey Website