North Bellmore Fire Department

North Bellmore Fire Department
Established	1908
Staffing	Approx. 106 Members
Annual Calls	1300 alarms per year
Stations	2 (plus Chiefs Office, Dispatch Office, and Maintenance Shop)
Engines	3
Trucks	2
Rescues	2
EMS Units	3 (2 Ambulance, 1 First Responder car)
EMS Level	ALS
Fire chief	Edward J. Kraus
Commissioner	Richard Wallis
District Supervisor	John Calouri
Website	North Bellmore FD Official Website

North Bellmore Fire Department (NBFD) is a volunteer fire department headquartered in North Bellmore, NY. Covering 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) the department is responsible for parts of neighboring hamlets of Bellmore, North Merrick and East Meadow.The North Bellmore Fire Department has approximately 106 members using 29 pieces of apparatus located throughout 2 Stations.^[1]

The current Chief of Department is Edward J. Kraus. The Assistant Chiefs are Douglas Sherwood, Mark Collins and David B. Marschall.

History

Established in 1908, 13 men organized the Smithville South Hook, Ladder, and Engine Company. At the turn of the century, the town of North Bellmore did not exist, the area was then known as Smithville. When the area of Smithville asked to be recognized by the establishment of a post office they were informed that there already was a Smithville located upstate. In order to create their own identity they changed the name to Smithville South. The name was later changed again when the LIRR created a station named Bellmore but the name stuck for the company located at the old Frederick Farms property at the intersection of Broad Street and Newbridge Road.

In 1923, a handful of homeowners in the north end of the fire district decided to organize, because they felt they needed more fire protection nearer to them. At this time, the men requested a charter from the State of New York. This was granted and the organization was now known as Engine Company No. 2, which was part of the North Bellmore Fire District. Property was now purchased on Newbridge Road which is still to this day the present location of the firehouse. Money was needed to build a garage. In 1956, the company’s charter was changed to North Bellmore Engine and Rescue Company No. 2 as the men in the company became trained in first aid procedures.

In 1969, a monument was constructed next to the firehouse in memory of all firemen past and present. The bell used on the monument is the original bell used in 1923 to alert residents and call to duty. The monument was replaced with a new one which was dedicated in 2008. The North Bellmore Fire Department "Rinky Dinks" Drill Team have won three New York State Championship titles (1956, 1960, 1968).^[2]

Since 2001 the Insurance Services Office (ISO) has rated the North Bellmore Fire Department under class 2 designation. The department has the highest rating on Long Island as well as among the top one percent in New York and throughout the United States.

During the September 11, 2001 Attacks on the World Trade Center the department sent one ambulance, an engine and their heavy rescue squad to assist the FDNY.^[3]

Specialized units

• Emergency Medical Services: EMS constitutes the largest load of NBFD’s work which amounts to almost 700 alarms a year.
• Hazardous Material Operations: NBFD have members whom are qualified to respond to numerous Hazardous Material situations including Carbon Monoxide Alarms, Propane Leaks and/or Fires, Hazmat Spills, and Natural Gas Leaks among others.
• Technical Rescue Team: TRT are experts in the fields of building collapse, trench rescue, high-angle rescue, and rope rescue.
• Dispatching: NBFD is also one of the few departments in Nassau County that has its own dispatching facilities which handles calls 24/7 365 days a year. They dispatch for themselves as well as the Merrick Fire Department, Bellmore Fire Department, Lakeview Fire Department of West Hempstead, and the Baldwin Fire Department part time only (midnights and holidays)

Board of Fire Commissioners

The Board of Fire Commissioners consists of five unpaid elected officials, who serve a five year term. The board meets on a monthly basis to make procedures, policies and oversee the fire district.

• Chairman- Richard J. Wallis
• Vice Chairman- Stephen Sharkey
• Commissioner- Peter J. Gibbons
• Commissioner- Denis M. Murphy
• Commissioner- Nicholas J. White
• Treasurer- Angelo Catalano
• District Supervisor- John Colouri

Stations

• Station 1- Dispatch Center and Administration Building and Company #1 are located on 1550 Newbridge Road, North Bellmore, NY.
• Station 2- Chiefs Office, Maintenance Facility and Company #2 are located on 829 Newbridge Road, North Bellmore, NY.

References

1. ^ http://www.newsday.com/extras/firefighters/firealarm.pdf
2. ^ Engine & Rescue Co. #2 | North Bellmore FD
3. ^ http://www.nvfc.org/pdf/rolevolfiresvc911.pdf

External links

• North Bellmore Fire Department Website