With the south shore of Long Island devastated after the impact of Hurricane Sandy, numerous volunteer firefighters had lost their homes or been displaced, causing places like Long Beach and Island Park to have limited protection due to the lack of available volunteers.
In an effort to provide assistance, various volunteer fire departments – including Mineola – sent crews in to provide fire protection.
“They’ve been working 12-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and then 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.,” trustee Paul Cusato said during the December 5 meeting of the village board at the village hall.
On their first call, the Mineola Fire Department volunteers went to Long Beach with an engine company from Levittown, a ladder company from Center Moriches and a rescue company from Flanders joining them.
The Mineola volunteers were then sent out as a rescue company again with East Meadow and Jamesport as the engine companies and Manhasset-Lakeville supplied the ladder. The Mineola engine company also travelled to Island Park to join the Manorville engine company and the East Moriches ladder company.
“So you can see the widespread cooperation in the volunteer fire service throughout,” Cusato said. “And again my thanks to all the members of the Mineola Fire Department and just stepping up and they just do what needs to be done.”
