VIGILANT
FIRE COMPANY INFORMATION SYSTEM
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***Vigilant Fire Company
Begins Largest Volunteer CPR Training In The
Country***
Thirty Minutes to Save A Life
Great Neck Students To Be Trained In CPR
|
From left to right:
Josh Kerben, Joshua Feintuch, Michael
Diehl, Nina Noy, EMS Sergeant Steven
Blocker, EMS Corporal Joe Oginski,
Rachel Namdar, Drew Dumaine, Doris
Groene, Joshua Rakhman and Frank Groene.
|
Students with their new Course
Completion Certificates! |
Long
Island, May 10, 2012 – On May 10, the American
Heart Association and members of the Great Neck
Vigilant Engine & Hook & Ladder Company kicked
off their endeavor to train more than 5,000
students in eight of Great Neck’s public
schools.
“Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is one of
the most fundamental and essential skills that
one can know. CPR is only rendered effective
when it is initiated within six minutes of the
onset of cardiac arrest” said George Murphy,
EMT-P, I/C – American Heart Association.
According to the American Heart Association,
survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest
occurring outside the hospital are alarmingly
low, with only 11% surviving with fewer than 1
in 3 of those victims receiving CPR from
a bystander. This results in 383,000 victims of
out-of-hospital
cardiac arrest each year in the U.S. In order to
provide patients with the highest chance of
survival,
Vigilant decided to institute an aggressive
multi-phased plan to provide early CPR to the
residents of the Great Neck community.
The
American Heart Association’s 2010 revised CPR
guidelines make it easier for more people to
perform CPR. The greater emphasis is now placed
on the simplest step – chest compressions, or
“hands-only CPR.”
On a
Thursday morning, the kickoff for the “hand-only
CPR” program began with students and
administration from Great Neck South Middle
School. They gathered in the gymnasium to hear
about the program and begin their CPR training
during the American Heart Association’s “Family
& Friends CPR Anytime” class.
“The
overall goal is to educate faculty and students
in grades three through twelve with CPR
training,” said Steven Blocker, Sergeant - Great
Neck Vigilant Fire Company. “We want to properly
educate over 5,000 students, faculty and staff
of the Great Neck Public Schools using the
American Heart Association’s “Family & Friends
CPR Anytime” program,” said Blocker.
“Training students in CPR, even in this more
simple version, means that students become
eligible for one of the most exclusive clubs in
the world — the “I Saved a Life Club.” I am
excited about making Great Neck students
eligible. I thank Dave Zawatson, district
athletic director, and the Great Neck Vigilant
Engine & Hook & Ladder Company for developing
this training opportunity. What a great
community partnership!” said Dr. Thomas Dolan
Superintendent, Great Neck Public Schools.
After
the training in the schools is complete, the
Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company will begin to
provide CPR training to the community monthly at
the fire house. In addition, any individual will
be able to sign up and attend the American Heart
Association’s Heartsaver AED (automated external
defibrillator) training.
For
more information about the Vigilant CPR
initiative visit
www.vigilantfd.com or email info@gnfd.org
Written by Jessica DiMeo, American Heart
Association
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Vigilant Fire Company Teams
up with Other 8th Battalion Fire Departments in
Port Washington for Numerous Alarms Over 7 Days
On Sunday, August 28, in the
wake of Hurricane Irene the Vigilant Fire
Company was requested to respond to a reported
building collapse in Port Washington along with
members from the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire
Department and the Port Washington Fire
Department. Rescue 834 with 5 technical rescue
certified firefighters responded to the collapse
under the leadership of Assistant Chief Joshua
Forst. Thankfully, the damage to the house was
not significant and no one was injured when an
exterior wall collapsed under the weight of a
fallen tree.
On Wednesday, August 31, as the clean up from
Hurricane Irene was in full swing the Vigilant
Fire Company was requested to respond again to
Port Washington. Great Neck Vigilant Ladder 8312
and Assistant Chief Joshua Forst responded to
standby at the Port Washington Fire Department’s
headquarters on Carlton Avenue along with Engine
842 from the Plandome Fire Department and Chief
of the Plandome Fire Department Roger Goodwin.
On Friday evening, September 2, the Vigilant
Fire Company was alerted again to respond to
Port Washington, as the PWFD battled another
house fire. This time the fire was reported by a
civilian on the Long Island sound. Ambulance
8311 was sent to the scene of the fire to
standby. Engine 8314 driven by Assistant Chief
Forst stood by at the PWFD headquarters on
Carlton Avenue along with Plandome’s Chief
Goodwin and Engine 842, Albertson’s
Engine 804 and Williston
Park’s Assistant Chief John Perro and their
Tower Ladder 862.
During the standby, at approximately 1:15 AM on
Saturday September 3, the Port Washington
incident commander Chief of Department Geoffrey
Cole was notified of a reported house fire at 3
Oak Tree Lane in Sands Point. Chief Cole
requested that the standby units respond to this
alarm. Engines 8314, 842 and 804 responded with
Tower Ladder 862 and Assistant Chief Perro in
command. Upon arrival a working fire was
confirmed in the basement. A hose line was
stretched off of the Great Neck Vigilant Fire
Company’s Engine 8314 and operated by
probationary firefighter Brandon Kahen and 2nd
Lieutenant Matthew Farahnik, under the command
of 1st Lieutenant Justin Sachmechi. While
firefighters from Williston Park’s Tower Ladder
exposed the burning area other firefighters from
Albertson and Plandome started a second hose
line as a safety precaution and searched the
house for any victims.
The fire was reported under
control within 1 hour of the alarm.
On Sunday morning, at approximately 9:15 AM the
Vigilant Fire Company was requested to standby
again at the PWFD headquarters. Vigilant Engine
8314, Plandome Engine 842 and Chief Goodwin,
Roslyn “Quint” 594, Engine 566 and Chief Adam
Boll, Williston Park Ambulance 867 and Chief
Perro responded to standby for Port Washington
while they were fighting a fire in a “Collier’s
Mansion” home in Sands Point. While standing by,
the companies responded to an automatic alarm in
the Beacon Hill neighborhood. The alarm was
caused by cooking.
Later the same day, as many were preparing their
Labor Day celebrations Port Washington again
requested assistance from the neighboring
departments. A pool house in Sands Point was
ablaze and required the full attention of Port
Washington’s bravest. Back at Port Washington’s
headquarters, Great Neck Vigilant Ladder 8312,
Great Neck Alert Engine 821, Plandome Engine 842
and an Ambulance from Roslyn stood by while the
fire was extinguished.
As manpower in the volunteer fire services
diminishes and call volume increases multi
agency standbys like those described above will
become more and more common. As evidenced in the
past week, the different departments worked well
together, got their jobs done and were able to
overcome obstacles in their paths.
Given the number of potential issues, there were
none to report. The members of the agencies
involved proudly represented their organizations
in a neighbor’s greatest time of need.
Write up by Asst. Chief
Laurence Jacobs. Photo taken by Asst. Chief Josh
Forst.
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Great Neck’s Bravest Tackle
Hurricane Irene
On Tuesday, August 23 the Vigilant Fire Company
received notice to being to prepare for a
potential
category 1 hurricane over the coming weekend.
Hurricane Irene was building in the Atlantic
Ocean and
all predictions were that it would affect the
New York Metro area. This would be the first
predicted
summer weather event of this size to affect our
area since Hurricane Gloria in 1985.
Members of the Vigilant Fire Company were
notified immediately and preparations began on
Wednesday morning. Foreman Robert DeVito with 4
engineers worked Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday to ensure that apparatus, equipment,
tools and building were prepared for the
potential worst
case scenario – a direct hit of the hurricane on
Long Island. Apparatus was serviced and fueled,
tools
were cleaned, checked and fueled, equipment was
checked and fueled, and the building grounds
were
checked for loose debris which was secured.
By Saturday morning the final preparations were
made by Captain Micah Tucker and the membership.
Food was purchased, aeorbeds inflated and
members began arriving at the firehouse at 6 PM
on
Saturday prepared to stay overnight to Sunday or
possibly even Monday if needed. The 2nd floor of
the
firehouse served as the dormitory to more than
40 people. At 7 PM Chief Scott MacDonald briefed
the
assembled membership on what to expect from a
storm like Irene, how the fire company would
respond
to alarms and gave a special safety reminder
about power lines, power poles, wind, driving
rain and
vehicular traffic.
In times of regional emergencies like this one,
the Vigilant Fire Company not only serves the
immediate
community, but also is the headquarters for the
8th Battalion Emergency Operations Center that
serves
all of Great Neck, Manhasset, Plandome, Port
Washington, Albertson, East Williston and
Williston Park.
The EOC as it is called serves as the nexus for
all requests for assistance between the 7
communities.
Between 6 PM on Saturday and 11 PM on Sunday the
Vigilant Fire Company handled 24 alarms. Some
were requests for Emergency Medical Assistance,
some reported fires and of course there were a
handful of calls about down power lines in our
area.
Gratefully, all the calls were handled by
Vigilant members without incident.
Write up by Asst. Chief
Laurence Jacobs.
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Great Neck’s Bravest Handle Two Fires
Simultaneously
Occasionally Great Neck’s firefighters
are called to respond to two fires at
the same time, as it happened about ten
years ago in May 2001, when the Alert
Fire Company battled a fire at Temple
Beth-El on Old Mill Road and the
Vigilant Fire Company extinguished a
blaze on North Circle Drive in Great
Neck Estates and again on August 10,
2011.
Late in the afternoon on Wednesday,
August 10th the Alert Fire
Company was notified of a possible house
fire in Kings Point. Upon arrival Chief
Plakstis of the Alert Fire Company
confirmed a working fire and requested
the Vigilant Fire Company to send and
ambulance and a Firefighter Assistance
Team (FAST). Chief MacDonald from the
Vigilant Fire Company responded along
with the firefighters on Vigilant Ladder
8312 and Ambulance 832 and provided a
FAST truck for the house fire alongside
the EMS standby.
While Chief Plakstis was conducting his
primary search of the residence he was
notified by his dispatch center of a
reported vehicle fire on Oxford
Boulevard in Great Neck. Chief Plakstis
immediately requested that the Vigilant
Fire Company respond mutual aid to the
vehicle fire. Chief Jacobs of the
Vigilant Fire Company responded and
confirmed a working vehicle fire.
Engine 8314 from the Vigilant Fire
Company responded and extinguished the
fire on Oxford Boulevard. EMS standby
was provided by Vigilant Ambulance 831.
Although the vehicle was occupied when
the fire started there were no injuries
reported.
All Vigilant units were back in service
by 6:30 PM to protect the Great Neck
Peninsula again.
Write up by Asst. Chief Laurence Jacobs
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Great Neck’s Bravest Make a Quick Stop
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
On Wednesday, June 8th at
7:44PM, the Vigilant Fire Company was
called to respond to 7 Ridge Drive East
in the Village of Great Neck Estates,
for a report of a burning odor in the
residence. The homeowner stated that her
circuit breaker had tripped and that
there was a burning odor in the house.
Captain Tucker and Lieutenant Sachmechi
began to investigate the problem.
Firefighters used thermal imaging
technology to scan the occupancy for any
“hot spots” in the house. Upon scanning
the second floor bathroom, a hot spot
was found above the door. Vigilant
Firefighters went above the bathroom
into the attic to search for the fire.
Quickly the fire was found to be burning
in the rafters above the bathroom.
Firefighters cleared the attic and
bathroom of its contents and debris,
used water cans and an inch and
three-quarter hoseline to contain and
extinguish all fire. Firefighters opened
up the surrounding ceiling and walls to
ensure there was no further extension of
fire, and that it was completely
extinguished.
The Vigilant Fire Company summoned
mutual aid (assistance) from its
neighbor the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire
Department for one of its engines. Great
Neck Estates Police also assisted in
controlling traffic around the scene and
coordinated efforts with Vigilant
Incident Command. Multiple fire units
were on scene, including Engine 8314,
Ladder 8312, and Rescue 834. All units
were back in service at 10:51PM and
ready to respond to additional alarms.
Write up by Firefighter Joe Oginski &
Captain Micah Tucker. Photos taken by US
Merchant Marines Gillis & Hand
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Great
Neck’s Bravest Show Off Their Immaculate
Contraption & Respond to MVC
Thursday, May 19th, 2011
On Thursday, May 19, 2011,
members of the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company
were invited to display one of their prized
vehicles at the Beth Hagan nursery school at
Temple Israel on Old Mill Road. Temple Israel
is noteworthy in the fire service for a large
fire that occurred there on February 12, 2009.
Vigilant Firefighter Joe
Oginski who grew up at Temple Israel drove
Rescue 834 a 2006 American LaFrance Eagle Custom
Rescue to the synagogue and shared his knowledge
and skill with the students at the nursery
school and their caring teachers.
Shortly after the rescue
truck returned to headquarters the Vigilant
Firefighters and EMTs responded to a motor
vehicle collision near the Firefighter’s
Memorial Park “Jon’s Park” at Grace Avenue and
Park Place in Great Neck Plaza.
Write up by
Asst. Chief Laurence Jacobs. Photos by
Firefighter Joe Oginski and LT Matthew Farahnik.
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Vigilant
Fire Company Hosts Extrication Drill
for USMMA EMTs
Saturday, May 7th, 2011
On Saturday, May 7th, the officers
of the Vigilant Fire Company hosted
a vehicle extrication drill for
their neighbors at the United States
Merchant Marine Academy. The
demonstration was held to help the
newest class of New York State
Emergency Medical Technicians get a
hands on experience in stabilizing a
patient that has been involved in a
serious motor vehicle accident and
the Jaws of Life are required to
extricate the entrapped patient.
The class was led by Vigilant's
Captain Tucker and Second Lieutenant
Farahnik along with the help of
Sergeant Blocker. All attending
members were instructed on basic
medical techniques including patient
stabilization, door removal,
dashboard displacement to remove a
pinned patient and roof removal if
the patient must be extricated
vertically.
The partnership between the Vigilant
Fire Company and the United States
Merchant Marine Academy at Kings
Point started in 2004. Since then,
scores of midshipmen have proudly
served the Great Neck community
alongside the dedicated members of
the Vigilant Fire Company. In the
future, the EMT class of Spring 2011
will join their schoolmates and ride
the Vigilant Ambulance as well.
Write up by
LT Matthew Farahnik. Photos by MM Dan
Gillis.
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Vigilant Firefighters Provided Special
Assistance to Southern Neighbors
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
On Wednesday May 4, 2011, at
approximately 11:30 PM the Vigilant Fire
Company was alerted to respond mutual
aid to a house fire in East Williston.
The fire located on Bengeyfield Drive in
East Williston was in a vacant house
under construction.
The
Vigilant Fire Company's Heavy Rescue was
requested to the scene by East Williston
Chief of Department Patrick
Theodore. Chief Theodore requested 834
for its Cascade Air System to refill air
cylinders used by firefighters at the
scene.
While this
is an unusual request for the Vigilant
members, the firefighters responded
quickly and handled their jobs with the
utmost professionalism. Chief
Theodore greatly appreciated the
response and help from his northern
neighbors.
By 1245 AM
on May 5th, the Vigilant firefighters
and Rescue 834 were back in service to
protect the Great Neck community.
Photos by
Aharon Benelyahoo and Michael Diehl.
Write up by Asst. Chief Laurence Jacobs.
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Community
Meeting to Save Great Neck’s Ambulance
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
On Tuesday April 5th
at 7:30 PM at the Great Neck North Middle School
the officers and members of the Vigilant Fire
Company hosted a community meeting to discuss
potential changes to the Ambulance Service
provided by the Vigilant Fire Company that are
proposed by some local elected officials in the
Great Neck Community.
The goal of the meeting was
to inform the community residents about more
than 100 year history of the Vigilant Fire
Company, the over 70 years of dedicated
ambulance service and the ongoing emergency
services provided for pennies a day to the
residents of Great Neck.
Mayor Leonard Samansky of
Saddle Rock said at the meeting ,“This
department has served the community for over 100
years. We [the Village of Saddle Rock]
made a decision to pay into an insurance policy
100 years ago in our volunteer emergency service
providers.” Mayor Samansky encouraged all
village residents to call their local elected
officials and express their opinions in this
important matter.
The Vigilant Fire Company
provides fire and emergency medical services to
the Great Neck community. Formed in 1904
the 100 volunteer members respond to over 2,000
calls for emergency assistance annually.
In the last 2 years some local villages have
refused to sign a contract for these services.
They do not dispute the overall budget for the
Vigilant Fire and Ambulance services, however
there is dispute between the villages about the
allocation amongst themselves of the fees.
The meeting
was recorded by Public Access Television and is
available to be seen on television. A
schedule of the airings of the meeting is
available at
http://www.vigilantfd.com/save/tv/.
Write up by Asst. Chief
Laurence
Jacobs.
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|
*SAVE
GREAT NECK’S AMBULANCE*
A community meeting
will be held at the
Great Neck North
Middle School, (77
Polo Road, Great
Neck, NY) on April 5th,
2011 at 7:30PM
discussing a
movement by elected
officials to charge
for ambulance
services in the
Great Neck
community. Please
attend this meeting
to obtain further
information on the
future of ambulance
services in Great
Neck. You may also
visit our Facebook
page by visiting:
http://www.vigilantfd.com/save.
VIEW OUR FACEBOOK
PLATFORM
TO THE RIGHT.
|
|
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2 Fires
in 24 hours in Great Neck
Monday, February 14th, 2011
On Monday, February 14,
2011 at approximately 9:15 AM the Vigilant Fire
Company was requested to respond to the Chinese
restaurant located at 178 Middle Neck Road for a
report of smoke from the building. Upon
arrival Chief of Department Scott MacDonald
advised that he had smoke showing from the roof
of the building.
Upon further investigation,
members of the Vigilant Fire Company determined
the smoke was caused by grease burning in the
exhaust system of the Chinese restaurant.
The fire was extinguished quickly.
Firefighters exposed the damaged parts of the
building to ensure that the fire had not
extended past the area of origin. The fire
was deemed under control in less than 45
minutes. The Nassau County Fire Marshal and
Department of Health were requested to respond
because a food establishment was involved.
The Vigilant
Fire Company was back in service ready to
protect our community again by 10:30 AM.
Write up by
Asst. Chief Laurence Jacobs. Photo taken by
Chief Billy Goldfeder.
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Dumpster
Fire Outside of Great Neck’s Nursing Home
Some 14 hours before the
fire at 178 Middle Neck Road, around 7:45 PM
there was a dumpster fire in the rear of 15 St.
Paul’s Place adjacent to the Long Island Rail
Road tracks in Great Neck Plaza. The
dumpster on the property of the Grace Plaza
Nursing Home was fully involved upon the arrival
of Vigilant Firefighters.
Vigilant Firefighters were
able to extinguish the fire with the 500 gallons
of tank water of the 2010 Ferrara Class 1 fire
engine supplemented by the hydrant just across
the street. All units were back in service
in under 1 hour from the time of the initial
alarm.
Write up by
Asst. Chief Laurence Jacobs. Photo taken by
Asst. Chief Josh Forst.
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Vigilant EMS Treats and Transports Early
Morning House Fire Victims
On Thursday, January 20, 2011, at approximately
5:45 AM the Vigilant Fire Company received a
requested to send an ambulance to a reported
house fire with people trapped on Wooleys Lane
between Plymouth Road and Station Road in Great
Neck.
The Alert Fire Company received a notification
for an automatic fire alarm and then an
additional telephone call from a neighbor
reporting a person yelling fire and that there
were possibly people trapped. Both
residents were found by the Alert Fire Company
members on the flat garage roof of the
structure. They were assisted to the
ground using a fire department ladder. The
members of the Vigilant Fire Company treated
both civilians and transported one to North
Shore Hospital in Manhasset.
During the fire a firefighter was also slightly
injured. He was treated at the scene by Vigilant
EMTs.
The fire was extinguished by the Alert Fire
Company members. Both the Alert and Vigilant
units were all back in service to protect the
Great Neck community by 7 AM.
Write Up By Asst.
Chief Laurence
Jacobs. Photo by Asst. Chief
Joshua Forst.
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Great Neck’s
Bravest Join the Plaza’s Fall Classic Car Show
and Street Festival
Sunday, September
26th, 2010
On Sunday,
September 26, 2010, the members of the Great
Neck Vigilant Fire Company participated in Great
Neck Plaza’s annual Fall Classic Car Show and
Street Festival. Located in their
customary position at the intersection of Cutter
Mill and Middle Neck Roads, the members offered
free blood pressure screenings, home safety
literature, and some firefighter treats for the
kids.
The Vigilant Fire
Company still operates a 31 year old Class ‘A’
fire engine. The 1979 American LaFrance
1500 gallon per minute pumper was on display and
it was certainly a highlight for the kids and
adults. Vigilant members spent the day giving
tours of the fire engine and allowing children
the opportunity to explore the inside and
outside of this classic piece of apparatus.
The Vigilant Fire Company brought their newest
emergency vehicle, a
2010 Chevy MedTech
RediMedic PD-168 Advanced Life Support (ALS)
Ambulance. The new acquisition is a state of the
art emergency response vehicle outfitted with
the latest in emergency medical response
equipment, LED warning lights which use less
electricity and in turn less fuel to operate,
and the most up-to-date audible warning devices
to ensure a safe and expeditious treatment and
transport on all emergency calls.
At 2:30pm, the
firefighters performed a brief demonstration on
vehicle extrication. Members showed how,
in the event of a car accident, they are able to
remove the doors of a vehicle, create a “third
door” on a two-door vehicle to remove someone
from the rear seats, displace the dashboard in
the event it was impinging in the passenger
compartment, and “flap” the roof in the event an
accident victim needed to be removed vertically.
During their time
at the street fair, the members were called away
six times for emergency calls in their response
area. In true Vigilant style, they
were able to staff their area at the street fair
and respond to each call for help from their
neighbors.
