Is the entire Greenlawn Fire Department volunteer?
Yes. All the firefighters and EMS providers are volunteers. Fire District employees are paid. They include dispatch and maintenance staff as well as a District Secretary/ Treasurer and District Manager.
Do the members of the Board of Fire Commissioners get paid?
No. The five members of the Board of Fire Commissioners volunteer their time and are elected by the public. Each member serves a five year term.
Does the Greenlawn Firehouse have a pole?
No. The GFD never had a fire pole.
Does the Greenlawn Fire Department have a Dalmatian?
No, no Dalmatian. We do have an “Animal,” a “Mad Dog” and a “Kitty.” Just a few of the nicknames our members go by.
How are volunteers notified of a fire or medical emergency?
GFD firefighters are notified via three methods. Personal voice pagers that give the location and type of alarm to members when activated, text messages to individual members and an audible siren you might hear around town. Although the use of a siren may seem a bit antiquated to some, it is a useful tool to not only notifying our members, but also to alert the public to an emergency. The siren is generally not used during the late evening or overnight, except in certain circumstances.
What is the blue light?
N.Y. State authorizes (with the permission of the Chief of the Department) firefighters to display a blue light when responding to an emergency. This light is considered a courtesy light. Please extend this courtesy and yield the right of way to responding firefighters. It could be your house or a friend’s that they are responding to!
Is a firefighter’s turnout gear fireproof?
Unfortunately, it is not, but it does protect them from the heat to a certain extent.
How long can a firefighter stay in a fire with an air pack on?
Air packs vary in size, and there are several other factors that may dictate how quickly a firefighter uses his/her air, such as their physical condition and their level of activity, but typically only 10 minutes of “working time” and 5-7 minutes of “escape time.”
What’s inside a firefighters air pack?
Compressed breathing air, not oxygen as some might think.
Why do firefighters break windows?
During a fire, firefighters often break windows to allow intense heat and gases to escape. Additionally, these openings can be used as a means for escape should it become necessary.
Are volunteers trained as well as paid firefighters?
Without question, Greenlawn FD volunteers are trained just as well as many paid firefighters. In fact, the training never stops. Volunteers and paid firefighters are both professional firefighters. The only differences are the shift work and the pay check.
Is it rare to have a volunteer fire department?
Actually, no…In the United States there are about 31,114 fire departments and about 1,082,500 firefighters. Of the total 31,114 fire departments in the country, 22,636 are all volunteer; 4,848 are mostly volunteer; 1,602 are mostly career (paid); and 2,028 are all career. That means there are about 804,200 volunteer firefighters in the U.S.
Should I call 911 or the GFD direct number for an emergency?
If you have a fire or life-threatening emergency, call 631-261-1616. This number goes directly to the Greenlawn Fire Department Dispatch Center. While you can certainly call 911 during an emergency, the 911 system follows a series of steps before the Greenlawn Fire Department is contacted. Considering that the 911 system handles emergency calls from the entire county, the potential for delay could be greater.
How often do you replace a fire truck?
This all depends on the vehicle and is ultimately up to the Fire District. We take very good care of all of the District’s equipment. Typically a fire engine, rescue truck or ladder truck is replaced every 20-25 years. Our brush truck is over 40 years old and is still going strong. Our ambulances get replaced about every 10-15 years, while are Chief’s vehicles are replaced every 8-10 years.
Does the Greenlawn Fire Department rent out its meeting hall?
No. The firehouse belongs to the Greenlawn Fire District and is not rented out to the public or used for private functions.