Through it all, the HFD was prepared, responded quickly and professionally and persevered. We are proud of our men and women whose brave and unselfish actions aided all the victims of Superstorm Sandy.

SAFE NOT SORRYMonday, October 22, 2012“The week began much the same as usual with no majorissues, but we recognized the potential for a big storm.Preparations for the storm started long before Sandyapproached the area,” District Manager, Bruce Smith stated.Parts of our district are very low and close to the water, soeven rainstorms or unusual moon tides can wreak havocwith residents and our emergency responders. That’s whythe HFD regularly monitors potential tropical storms as wellas all weather and tide conditions.

The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Huntington FireDistrict and the Chief, Assistant Chiefs and the membersof our fire companies are grateful to the Huntingtoncommunity voters for the passage of the 2012 bond.

Eleven presidents have sat in The White House since the Leverich PlaceFire Station was erected, and now the 55-year old structure will berebuilt and fast forwarded into the 21st century with new capabilitiesfor even greater community service. The $4.5 million bond issueapproved by voters will be achieved with a 15-year serial bond and theconstruction is scheduled to begin in June 2013.

No crystal ball could have foretold the devastatingimpact of Superstorm Sandy. It put our emergencypreparation to the test and turned out to be thelargest Atlantic hurricane ever measured at some1,100 miles in diameter. Damage estimates are over $50 billion and public suffering in our area was unprecedented.

Continued on page 2.

Continued on page 3.

1. Install smoke alarms. Your chances of dying in a fire will be reduced by 50%.

2. Never go back inside a burning building for any reason.3. Review escape plans with your family, especially with children.

2

Tuesday, October 23, 2012 The HFD began reviewing our emergency preparedness plan, making sure everything onour checklist was in perfect running order: • Portable pumps, chain saws and generators • Fuel supplies • Food and water supplies Our communications system was double- andtriple-checked. Further, our Evacuation Plansand Procedures were reviewed.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012 – Monday,October 29, 2012 As the storm’s projected track became morecertain, we met with officials from the Townof Huntington, Suffolk County and New YorkState to review emergency response plans.

Monday, October 29, 2012 – 09:15 a.m. A manpower standby at Leverich Place FireStation headquarters was instituted.

Monday, October 29, 2012 – 11:00 a.m.Weather related calls for help were pouring inand increased rapidly as the storm raged. TheHFD fielded over 100 calls for assistance,including 80 calls in just a 3-hour period.

Superstorm Sandy’s impact was surpassingevery prediction. The calls ranged from simplewires down to trees crashing into homes withresidents trapped inside. There were numerouselectrical fires and high-pressure gas leaks.

“Getting to the emergencies was anightmare,” Chief Cochrane stated. “Ouraccess was impeded by downed trees andwires, debris and in some places, water, butwe persevered.”

Monday, October 29, 2012 – 11:00 p.m. With floodwaters rising rapidly, the prevailingnortherly winds changed direction and startedblowing from the south. This saved us frommore devastation because the water beingpushed down the Sound and into HuntingtonHarbor began to subside just when themoored boats started to break free.

Lloyd Harbor and Lloyd NeckThe Lloyd Harbor causeway is low and floodsunder normal circumstances, let alone asuperstorm like Sandy. The HFD stationed acrew and apparatus on the Neck. They too

were cut off from the mainland by high watersand responded to numerous calls for help.

AftermathIn the days that followed Superstorm Sandy,standby crews remained on duty handlingemergencies of all types:• Running generators created a number of

Carbon Monoxide (CO) emergencies • Road clearing of downed trees and debris

removals • Downed wires• Gas leaks• House fires• Vehicle fires• General miscellaneous assists

The Leverich Place firehouse was put to greatuse as a storage depot for medicines, suppliesand dialysis machines. It also served astemporary shelter for displaced residents.Dozens of out-of-town utility workers called ithome for weeks.

Standing Up to Sandy - continued from front page. Damaged “roadside” boat. Part of the aftermath of Sandy.

Water encroaches at Mill Dam.

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arty Sendlewski of Martin F. SendlewskiA.I.A., project Architect, specializes infirehouse design. Marty can call morethan 80 fire districts his clients

throughout Long Island, Westchester andRockland Counties and will personally head theproject. “The redesign will bring upgrades, expandand modernize the Leverich Place firehouse,” hestated. “We will bring it into compliance with ISOand OSHA, repurpose wasted space within theexisting footprint and add new space that willmake it a much more efficient facility.”

One of the many important upgrades is in theDispatch Office. “Just upgrading the communications system alone is a huge plus,”District Manager, Bruce Smith said. “Keep in mindthat when this building was built (1958), therewere no cell phones, no iPads, no iPods, virtually no cable TV and noInternet. Communications were slow and cumbersome. The HFDcurrently responds to over 750 emergencies annually, and an upgraded

communications center willpotentially save lives, property andbetter protect our firefighters.”

Superstorm Sandy and the Blizzardof 2013 are recent events that showthe importance of the firehouse asan emergency response center andas a mission control node.Improvements will include theaddition of added space through alterations and modernization,including new HVAC air handling

systems as well as a new generator and handicaprestrooms. Electrical, plumbing, heating andsecurity upgrades throughout the facility areincluded as is the replacement of the frontoverhead doors, something long overdue.

“The training facility will also be replaced andsleeping quarters will be added,” statedCommissioner Collins. “There were nonepreviously and firefighters slept on couches oron the floor when necessary.”

It’s also important to note that there will befemale bathroom facilities on the first floorwhere there were none before. There was adifferent mindset in 1958. This is a testimony to how times have changed.

The funding also allows the HFD to move a generator to higher ground.“There’s a shallow water table here,” District Manager, Bruce Smith said,“and problems arising from storm waters will be eliminated or greatlyreduced.”

“Additional space also makes it easier for us to help with special eventslike blood drives, scout fundraisers, food pantry, Toys For Tots, educational seminars and boater safety classes.”

Another positive is that the cost of the refurbishment amounts topennies a day. Most important of all, the Huntington community willbe safer and better protected than ever before.

If you would like to review the plans for the new facility, simply stopby the firehouse.

Dawn of a New Era: New FIrehouSe a realIty

M Thank you…for your support

and concern for the needs of our community.

Thank you…for enabling the modernization

of our firehouse.Thank you…

for showing your faith in theHuntington Fire Department.

Current Leverich Place Dispatch Office.

Dawn of a New Era - continued from front page.

From The ChiefChief Kenneth Cochrane

Sandy was a formidablestorm that the Town ofHuntington and Long Islandhasn’t seen in years. UnlikeHurricane Irene (2011), thewind was our foremostenemy, creating a multitudeof calls for help from theHuntington Fire Department.

During the storm ourmembership remained in aconstant state of readiness.We had a standby crew inthe firehouse from thebeginning of the storm untilapproximately 4:00 p.m. thenext day. We also dispatcheda crew to Lloyd Neck beforethe causeway flooded toprotect that area.

The Huntington FireDepartment responded toover one hundred storm-related calls before, duringand after the event, includingtrees falling on roads andhouses, flooding conditions,electrical emergencies andrubbish fires. There werenumerous carbon monoxideemergencies, minor andmajor gas leaks and a housefire caused by a portablegenerator being operatedinappropriately.

The Chiefs cannot expresshow truly proud we are ofour members. They operatedprofessionally in extremelyhazardous conditionsincluding 90+ mph winds andfalling trees. Some membersspent over 24 hoursresponding to calls for help,leaving their families athome. Many helped evenafter sustaining damage totheir own homes andproperty.

After the storm manyelectrical linemen crewsfrom out-of-state weresleeping in their trucksbecause there was nolodging available. Weopened our doors to aMichigan crew so they couldhave a hot shower and a fewhours rest before going backout to help restore power tothe storm-ravaged town.

The town of Huntington wasvery fortunate compared tosome south shore neighborhoods.

Sincerely,

The Huntington FireDepartment Chief’s OfficeChief Kenneth Cochrane

Each year, during the budget process, theBoard of Fire Commissioners is confrontedwith planning capital expenditures and howto pay for them. For example, expenditurescan be the purchase of fire apparatus ormajor repairs to a facility for the present orthe near future.

General Municipal Law 6-g, Item 4 stipulatesthat Fire Districts can establish CapitalReserve Accounts where funds can be setaside annually and accumulate in a reserveaccount until ready for allocation. The Boardbelieves this is the most fiscally responsiblemethod to pay for most capital expendituresas it incurs no debt.

However, when potential needs are largeand exceed what can be prudently set aside,as in the case of our Fire Headquartersrenovation, the second option is theissuance of a Bond. The authority to do so isgiven to Fire Districts under Local FinanceLaw 30.00 but requires a public hearing andtaxpayer vote. This process gives Districttaxpayers a voice and a forum regarding theproposal, which made a Bond the mostlogical choice.

The Board, Officers and Firefighters of theHuntington Fire Department thank the firedistrict taxpayers for approving our $4.5million bond for the much neededrenovations and construction at FireHeadquarters. Please be assured that we willkeep you abreast of this project’s progress.

Commissioners' Corner

“The Chiefs cannotexpress how truly

proud we are of ourmembers.”

NON-PROFIT

BULK RATE

U.S. POSTAGEPA I D

Permit No. 325

Huntington, NY

1 Leverich PlaceHuntington, NY 11743-7803Emergency Tel: (631) 423-3131Tel: (631) 427-3030Fax: (631) 673-0684

Board of Fire Commissioners Chairman: Andrew Kitzen

Vice Chairman: Clifford Schwier

Thomas Brown

Thomas Collins

Edmund M. Erickson

Treasurer: Fred J. Buckholtz

Deputy Treasurer: Joyce Logan

Secretary: Karla Wright

District Manager: Bruce Smith

District Counsel: Joseph Frank

Questions or Comments? Email us at hfd230@gmail.com

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Designed & produced by Progressive Marketing Group, Inc.www.pmgstrategic.com

In the December 2012election, Ed Erickson was

re-elected to theHuntington Fire District

Board of FireCommissioners.

Mr. Erickson began thenew five-year term,

effective January 1, 2013.

ELECTION RESULTS

Dawn of a new era.

See Inside.