HAGERMAN FIRE DEPARTMENT

December 29, 2015

At 8:47pm a First Responder from the South Country Ambulance Company noticed fire high into the air and notified county to activate Hagerman for a working fire behind an auto repair shop.  The 1st arriving Chief quickly sized up the scene and it was reported as a 35' RV fully involved with multiple propane tanks exploding.  The Chief immediately requested additional resources from Bellport, North Patchogue, Medford & Brookhaven Fire Departments.  Hagerman's 1st due Engine went right to work with handlines trying to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to other nearby trailers and equipment.  Once the majority of the fire was knocked down, Hagerman's tower ladder went into operation to finish the fire and help reach any deeper pockets of fire.  Crews had a lengthy overhaul and cleanup as a few hundred feet of hose was being used during the initial operation.  There were no injuries reported and the fire is being investigated. tory here

December 16, 2015

Add News Story h In the Early Morning hours a vehicle was spotted traveling East on Sunrise Highway at a high rate of speed.  Suffolk County Highway Patrol spotted the vehicle but just seconds later the vehicle exited the highway, lost control and crashed.  The vehicle traveled deep into the woods impacting numerous trees and burst into flames. The occupants of the vehicle fled on foot before Police or Fire crews were on scene.  Hagerman responded with 2 Engines and worked to extinguish the blaze and any hot in the surrounding area. ere

September 11, 2015

On the evening of Septmber 11th, Hagermans new 9/11 Memorial was officially dedicated to the Department. The memorial is lit with LED lighting during the night as the steel sits above a reflecting pool with a constant waterfall flowing behind the steel.

August 18, 2015

The Hagerman Fire Department has officially broken ground on its 9/11 Memorial.  Working with H2M Architects a concept was created and is now in the process of becoming a reality.  The steel center piece coming directly from the rubble of the twin towers and was one of many awarded to local and out of state agencies for their own memorials.  The process took months to complete and required a written application directly to the New York City Port Authority and was officially released to the department back in August of 2011.  The steel is just over 14' long and 3' wide at its center point and weighs more than 14,000 pounds.

August 17, 2015

At 12:26am the Hagerman Fire Department was activated for a reported structure fire at 447 Amsterdam Ave.  1st Assistant Chief John Mahoney arrived on scene first and reported back to dispatch it was a working fire.  Engine 1 and its crew arrived on scene and worked aggressively to extinguish the blaze.  Due to the severity of the fire load throughout the house and since the house was unoccupied crews were pulled out to knock the fire down from the exterior.  After working for almost 4 hours along with the help of Bellport and North Patchogue Fire Department's, Hagerman was activated again at 6:18am for a fire in the same residence.  Crews once again responded and worked the fire from the exterior as the structure was compromised from earlier fire damage.  The Suffolk County Police and Brookhaven Town Arson investigators were also called in due to the fire being suspicious in nature both times Hagerman arrived on scene.

July 3, 2014

On Thursday July 3rd, Hagerman placed its new 2014 Fire Police Truck into service.  The truck was built using a Ford F-450 and a custom built Brat Rescue body.  The truck will be 1st due for the Fire Police Unit and will hold the appropriate equipment for scene safety and management.  Located on top is a pop up Lightcast Automated Message Board for additional safety and notifications to alert traffic or pedestrians of an active scene.  The unit will also carry additional scuba gear for the dive team.

June 28, 2014

The Hagerman Fire Department along with TERC USA (Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee) hosted a 1 day 10 team Vehicle Extrication Challenge bringing teams together to put their knowledge to work in the field of extrication.  The teams competed in 2 events of a limited and unlimited scenario.   The Limited Pit consists of a 20 minute scenario in which only numerous hand and battery operated tools could be used to extricate a victim while demonstrating a standard suite of rescue skills.  The Unlimited Pit was another 20 minute scenario in which all tools are available including heavy hydraulic tools.  This rescue requires teams to demonstrate a broader range of road rescue skills required to release entrapments as well as creating a space for extrication.  These events are a great learning tool for all the teams who compete and allows teams to interact with other departments from around the local areas as well as around the country gaining further knowledge and insight.  A Great Job was put forth by the teams who competed and Hagerman as well as TERC USA thanks you for the support.  In October, Hagerman will again host along with TERC USA & TERC Canada a North American Vehicle Rescue Challenge which will bring teams across the United States and Canada together.

June 17, 2014

Just after 9am reports of an explosion and ensuing fire were reported into the 911 dispatch center.  Hagerman was activated for a reported structure fire in the area of Camille Lane in East Patchogue.  Responding units confirmed a working fire from a distance due to the thick smoke emanating from the crash.  Once on scene the 2nd Assistant Chief quickly sized up the scene and determined the fire and explosion was due to an aircraft incident.  Once the arriving Engines were on scene, crews quickly pulled 2 hand lines to protect exposures and to extinguish the fire.  The aircraft narrowly missed homes as it clipped the trees surrounding the homes, crashed into a backyard pool and play set.  It was reported that the pilot radioed to the Control Tower of Islip Airport requesting help as visibility was poor at the time.  Once the scene was controlled units were cleared from the area so the NTSB and FAA can investigate the incident.  Mutual Aid was provided by the Bellport, North Patchogue, Medford and Brookhaven Fire Departments.  Ems services were provided by the South Country Ambulance and the services from the Suffolk County Police Emergency Service Units as well as the Suffolk County Fire Coordinators Office.

December 2, 2013

Just before Midnight on December 2nd, Hagerman was toned out for a reported Structure Fire in a Residential Garage.  1st Assistant Chief Billy Ventura responded and while en-route dispatch was advising of a confirmed fire.  Upon arrival the homeowner notified the Chief of numerous Oxygen & Acetylen tanks were in the garage and above the garage was a living space with nobody in it.  The Chief immediately called for Mutual Aid from Bellport and North Patchogue for a Rapid Intervention Team and an additional Engine to the scene and Brookhaven for a Standby Engine.  Hagerman's Engine 1 responded under direction of 2nd Lt. Tommy Dunham.  The Engine picked up the hydrant and crews quickly stretched attack lines and began knocking down the fire.  During the attack at least one explosion could be heard from the hazards inside.  Crews were able to gain control of the blaze quickly and saved a majority of the garage.  Searches were performed and came back negative and crews overhauled the structure to check for any pockets of fire.  There were no injuries reported during the fire and all units were back in service within 2 hours.  Great Job Done by All and Thanks to the Mutual Aid Crews for Responding.

October 24, 2013

On Thursday October 24th, Hagerman was activated for a reported Vacant Structure Fire.  Numerous calls were recieved reporting the fire and within minutes of activation Assistant Chief Ventura was on scene and confirmed the working fire in a 2 Story Vacant Residential House.  Heavy fire was already consuming the entire home and the calls for Mutual Aids went out as well as a Fire Marshall and Utility Companies to the scene.  It was determined a few minutes into the alarm, the property was actually covered by Bellport Fire Department.  Hagerman's Engine 1 picked up and laid in 5" supply line, while engine crews started attacking from the Exterior darkening down the Fire.  Truck 10 was set-up and was used for Defensive Operations to knock all the remaining fire and hot spots down so crews could enter the structure and perform overhaul.  Working along with Bellport & North Patchogue, the fire was contained to the structure and no further damage to other properties or injuries were reported.

July 8, 2013

Just before 3:00am a 7/11 Store employee noticed smoke and fire coming from an autobody shop across the street located on Montauk Highway.  Numerous calls were recieved and Hagerman was dispatched for the reported fire.  On Arrival crews found heavy fire and smoke in the garage bays of the shop.  Mutual Aid was requested from Bellport for an Engine, North Patchogue for a Rapid Intervention Team and Medford to standby at Hagerman.  First Arriving Crews went to work forcing entry into the building and pulling the 2 1/2" line to attack the fire.  Hagerman's Tower Ladder was also setup and finished knocking down all visible fire.  Crews then overhauled the building to check for remaining hotspots all units took up from the scene within a few hours.

June 5, 2013

Shortly before 2:00pm numerous calls were taken into 911 dispatch reporting heavy black smoke from a house in Medford.  1st arriving units on scene reactivated for a working fire and requested additional departments for manpower and apparatus.  Hagerman was activated to respond to the working fire with their Tower Ladder.  Once Truck 10 was on scene crews went to the roof to cut ventilation holes while crews attacked the fire from below.  Once the fire was knocked down Medford's Chief directed Truck 10 to reposition and extend the aerial ladder and began applying water from above.  Once tower ladder operations were complete crews rentered the structure and performed an overhaul and mop up on the house.

December 24, 2012

On the morning of Chrismtas Eve, a frantic call was placed to 911 about a large propane truck that had overturned and crashed into a deli full of customers trapping the driver. A Bellport Fire Department Chief was in the deli at the time of the crash and quickly contacted the dispatch office advising of the situation and requested a rush be put on the response. The truck was loaded with 2100 gallons of propane when it overturned and came to a rest on the drivers side between the front of the deli and a telephone pole with electric wires right above. Hagerman Responded with 3 Chiefs, the Heavy Rescue (Rescue 4), Technical Rescue Truck & Trailer, Engine's 1 & 3 and Firepolice. Crews quickly stablized the truck and extricated the victim who was transported to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital. Because of the structural damage, Hagerman's Chief requested a level 1 Response of the Brookhaven Technical Rescue Task Force which brought in equipment from Ronkonkoma, Holtsville, and Selden Fire Departments. The Chief also requested additional Engines from Bellport, Brookhaven, Blue Point, North Patchogue, and Patchogue to stage just west of the scene as a precaution. A request was made to the Long Island Power Authority to cut power to the entire area to reduce the risk of an explosion since the power was still live. Crews stablized the structure, while two Heavy Duty Wreckers were brought in to upright the propane truck. Before it was righted, crews applied foam around the entire area as a precaution and to also cover the large fluid spill from the truck. A Big Thank You for all the Departments who responded and worked together to prevent a bigger disaster.

October 30, 2012

On October 30th, a powerful Category 1 Hurricane named Sandy took a direct aim at the Northeast coast.  Sandy made landfall on the Jersey Shore but since the hurricane was over 800 miles wide the storm impacted areas from the Carolina's up to Maine.  The Hagerman Fire Department set up standby crews which responded to over 30 incidents during the peak of the storm.  Crews were faced with hurricane force winds and rain while assisting clearing trees from the roadways and also reporting downed wires and utility poles to the Long Island Power Authority.  Hagerman also assisted a resident which had a tree fall onto the house and punctured a large hole in the roof.  Crews removed the tree and laid down plywood over the hole in order to keep the wind and rain from damaging the rest of the roof and the interior of the home.  Areas south of Montauk Highway and South Country road were under mandatory evacuations due to the low lying areas which were flood proned.  Severe flooding was reported and some residents who didnt evacuate needed to be transported out of the area by boat.

June 12, 2012

Just after 7:10am, as sanitation workers were beginning their day for pick-up, the sanitation truck they were driving suddenly caught fire near the front wheel on the driver's side.  The two workers quickly exited the burning truck and quickly dialed 911.  Hagerman was then toned out to respond to the call.  Once Engine 1 took to the road, chauffeured by Ex-Chief Louis Valentino and under direction by Captain John Mahoney they were informed that the caller stated the truck had multiple propane tanks on board.  These tanks are used to fuel the truck since it runs on clean compressed natural gas.  Engine 1 arrived on scene and quickly stretched the 1" 3/4 line off the front bumper and began to attack the blaze.  The fire was quickly extinguished and attention was focused on the natural gas tanks.  Crew's shut the main supply valve off to the truck which was still running and flowed water on the tanks to help cool them off from the heat of the fire.  Engine 3 also responded in and crews helped overhaul the cab of the truck.  All units were placed back into service within 45 minutes. 

April 17, 2012

For the 2nd time in just over a week another large brush fire burned out of control not far from the last fire.  The fire broke out near Weeks Road and North Street and with the low humidity, dry underbrush and 15 - 20mph winds the fire traveled in an East - SouthEast Direction towards a more heavily populated area.  Manorville Command quickly called for additional resources into the scene which ended in the result of 35 Suffolk County Fire Departments responding in.  Brush trucks were sent in and chased the fire down from behind while numerous Departments set up a defensive line of Engines to the rear of homes and businesses that the fire was encroaching on.  Crews were able to get the head of the fire knocked down which at times had flames 40 to 60 feet in the air.  Officials as a precaution evacuated 300 Homes and Businesses including a Day Care Facility.  The fire did destroy some vehicles and equipment to the rear of homes that were to close to the woods but were quickly contained and extinguished.

Hagerman once again responded with Brush Truck 12, Engine 3, and Fire Police. 

Hagermans brush truck worked with other departments in the woods battling the blaze while Engine 3 was positioned to protect structures on Weeks Avenue.

April 9, 2012

On the afternoon of April 9th, a 2 small brush fires broke out on the grounds of Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton.  The fires rapidly spread, fueled by excessively dry underbrush, low humidity and strong wind guests in excess of 40mph.  Manorville Fire Department was one of the 1st arriving units on scene and quickly realized this fire was out of control and immediately requested additional brush trucks to the scene.  The scene brought back memories of the four day long, 1995 Wildfire on Long Island which scorched over 5,000 acres of Pine Barrens.  The two fires eventually combined into one large brush fire which in under two hours resulted in the response of 109 Suffolk County Fire Departments and 15 Departments from Nassau County.  The Fire was battled with 30+ Brush Trucks, 20+ Water Tankers, and 70+ Engines.  Crews worked tirelessly into the night battling the blaze and by 2:00am Tuesday morning, 3 sides of the fire had been contained with the head of the fire still burning approximately 1 mile long.

The Hagerman Fire Department sent their Brush Truck 12, Engine 3, and Fire police to the scene with all crews working until relieved at 2:00am Tuesday.  Brush 12 worked the entire day in the woods battling the fire, while Engine 3's crew was sent to protect and extinguish structures that were overwhelmed by the fast moving fire.  Officials have named this fire the 10th largest brush fire in New York State burning over 1,100 acres, destroying 2 Houses and 1 Commercial Building, numerous storage sheds/garages, and vehicles as well as 1 Brush Truck.  In the end took over 600 firefighters to finally contain and extinguish the blaze on April 10th, with crews still hitting hotspots into April 11th.

February 7, 2012

Just before 2:30pm, Hagerman was initially toned out for a commercial structure fire on Montauk Highway.  Hagerman Chief Billy Ventura was 1st to respond from Hagerman and was advised from dispatch the caller stated a truck was on fire inside the building.  This activation automatically brought out Bellport and North Patchogue Fire Departments.  Once on scene the Chief reported it was a garbage truck on fire and was outside not threatening any structures.  Hagerman Engine 1 was first on scene and setup for a deck gun operation.  Bellport's Engine took the hydrant and laid in a 5" supply line from the hydrant into Hagerman's Engine while North Patchogue's engine helped relay water between the two.  Workers then brought out and excavator to help pull out the garbage from the truck since the truck would not start in order to dump the body.  The garbage was removed and extinguished and all crews were back in service in under 2 hours.

January 20, 2012

On January 20th, a neighbor witnessed a fire across the street from her residence.  The neighbor called the homeowner of the residence and frantically advised her that the house was on fire.  The fire was rapidly advancing as it consumed 2 vehicles in the driveway and began to run up the front of the garage.  Hagerman was toned out and almost immediately the fire was confirmed by 2nd Lt. Kenny Dean who was one block from the scene reporting heavy smoke showing.  Once on scene, the fire was confirmed and 1st Assistant Chief Billy Ventura had the fire re-activated.  Again, the daytime pre-plan was activated and North Patchogue and Bellport responded with Engines and Brookhaven Fire Department was requested as the Rapid Intervention Team.

Hagerman Engine 1 was first due into the scene and went right to work upon arrival.  Crews hand stretched a 5" supply line to the hydrant which was 30' away from the front of the engine, and pulled off two 1 3/4" hand lines.  Crews tried to battle the fire from the inside out, but as progress was being made it was realized that the attic above the garage was full of fire.  Crews backed out deeper into the house and had to pull ceilings in order to get control of the fire.  Once the fire was extinguished, crews overhauled the house and checked for any remaining hot spots.

January 16, 2012

On the afternoon of January 16th, 2012 a neighbor noticed smoke coming from the house across the street.  Suffolk County Fire Rescue Communications took the call and activated Hagerman with the report of "Caller states house across from him is on Fire". 1st on scene was Hagerman's Safety Officer who advised dispatch there was smoke showing from the building.  1st Assistant Chief Billy Ventura arrived shortly after and confirmed a working fire.  Hagerman has mutual aid agreements during the week for any phone in alarm or structure fires, which brings 1 Engine into the scene from both Bellport and North Patchogue.  A North Patchogue Engine was returning from a previous call when the mutual aid went out and was 1st on scene.  Crews went to working stretching lines and preparing to make an attack on the fire.  Hagerman's New Engine 1 arrived and dropped a 5" supply line from the hydrant to North Patchogue's engine.  Crew's went inside and began searching the house on and above the fire floor.

The fire was located in the living room near a wood burning stove and began to extend up to the 2nd floor of the house via the metal ductwork located on the 4 side of the structure.  The engine crew made a quick knockdown of the fire and search teams swept the house confirming there were no victims.  Crews overhauled the entire fire room and exterior of the building to check for any additional hot spots.  All units were released in under 2 hours.

November 14, 2011

At 9:15 pm the Fire Island Pines Fire Department was activated to a reported structure fire on Fire Island Boulevard.  First arriving units had found they a large commercial complex with heavy fire showing with exposure to multiple propane tanks.  Fire Island Pines command requested the alarm to be reactivated and had multiple units from the surrounding area to respond.  With the blaze rapidly intensifying due to a strong wind coming off the ocean requests went out for help from the mainland.  Over 25 Departments responded via Fire Boats or by Ferry to battle the blaze which lasted over 8 hours.

Hagerman responded with a crew of 5 Firefighters with their fireboat and took around 20 minutes to arrive while navigating the water in rough seas.  Once on scene, Fire Island Pines Command re-directed them to a reported house fire on the other side of the marina possibly from the burning embers from the blaze.  Hagerman's crew went right to work along with Bellport Fire Department.  Crews stretched lines from the fireboats to the scene and made an aggressive interior attack on the fire and contained it to the attic and a bedroom on the 2nd floor of the house.  Crews worked for about 20 minutes before declaring it under control and then began the process of overhauling.  Units packed up and went over to the other side of the marina and once again started to fight the blaze until being released at 2:30am. 

October 1, 2011

On the evening of October 1st, the Hagerman Fire Department was activated for a reported fire on Durkee Lane.  Chief of the Department, John Tew was first on the road and was updated that the caller has evacuated the house and there was both smoke and fire visible.  Tew arrived on scene within 2 minutes of the activation and confirmed the working fire in a large two story private dwelling.  The Chief immediately requested mutual aid from Patchogue and North Patchogue for Engines and Trucks to the scene due to the size of the home and rapidly spreading fire.

1st to respond from Hagerman was Engine 3 under direction of 2nd Lt. Ralph Lettieri Jr and Truck 10 with Captain Kenny Mudrack.  Arriving within minutes, the crew of the engine went right to work stretching a 1 3/4" line into the house.  The hose team proceeded up the stairs and began to fight the fire.  The truck crew split up and began getting the tower ladder ready while the others stretched another line off the engine ot help the intial hose team inside.  Crews worked for over 10 minutes but due to the amount of fire and integrity of the roof being compromised, the chief ordered all units out of the building and directed Hagerman's tower ladder to begin aerial operations to knock the bulk of the fire down.

Once exterior operations were complete all units re-grouped and went back into the house to begin the long process of overhaul and continue to knock down pockets of fire.  In all crews worked for over 2 hours battling the blaze.  Great Job Done By All and Thank You to All Mutual Aid Departments.

July 11, 2011

Around 1:45pm on July 11th, witnesses heard a large explosion and fireball erupt from a boat anchored to the dock at the West Bank Marina and Yacht Club.  The fire quickly consumed the entire boat and spread to the adjoining boats anchored next to it.  Two civilians caught in the blast jumped into the water to escape the raging inferno.  The Patchogue Fire Department received the initial call and rolled out with a full Department response including the fireboat.  Once on scene Patchogue's Chief was met with two boats fully involved with fire, with 3 others sustaining damage from the heat of the fire.  The Chief quickly requested mutual aid fireboats from Hagerman, and Bellport, 1 Engine from Blue Point, and Ambulances from Holbrook and North Patchogue.

Patchogue initially dropped one 1 3/4" hand line in operation to begin battling the blaze until the mutual aid departments arrived.  Hagerman responded into the scene within minutes with fireboat "5-10-26".  The pilot positioned the boat alongside Patchogue's boat and began flowing water from the deck gun and one 1 3/4" hand line to suppress the fire.  Crews were able to bring the blaze under control within an hour.  In the end two boats (roughly 35 to 37' long) were destroyed along with the dock, while three other boats suffered considerable heat damage.  Crews did an outstanding job by keeping the fire from spreading to the rest of the boats.

December 23, 2010

Just after 10:30pm, Hagerman was activated for a mutual aid to the Bellport Fire Department for a working residential structure fire at a 2 story private dwelling on Brookhaven Avenue.  Bellport received the initial call and once their Chief's arrived on scene they knew this require additional departments.  They requested for the alarm to be re-activated and to have Hagerman Respond with an Engine, Brookhaven Respond for a Rapid Intervention Team, North Patchogue for an Engine, and Patchogue for a Standby. Hagerman's Engine 6 made a quick response and arrived at the scene 2nd due and was ordered to stretch an additional hose line to the front of the house. Bellport's units were met with heavy fire in the rear of the house that quickly engulfed the entire 1st floor of the two story residence.  While Bellport worked the rear of the house, Hagerman quickly knocked down the fire at the front door and on the exterior of the house before it could extend into the 2nd floor through the windows.

The layout of the house proved difficult for the crews operating inside since the garage was turned into an apartment which was separated from the interior of the house, and the stairway leading to the second floor was difficult to find in the thick smoke and inverted layout of your typical split level house.  Once all the fire was knocked down, units began the task of overhauling the entire 1st floor and doing secondary searches of all the floors and rooms to make sure nothing was overlooked

October 26. 2010

An early evening call went out sending units to the intersection of County Road 101 and Gazzola Drive for a reported car accident with heavy rescue.  As both the 1st and 2nd Assistant Chiefs were responding, dispatch notified that the caller is stating there is one person pinned and that the vehicle was laying on its side.  The Chiefs arrived on scene to find a horrific crash and quickly confirmed the reports from dispatch.  They went right to work sizing up the incident to see what would be needed from the crews responding in.

While responding the Chief ordered the Rescue to pull right up to the overturned car and to quickly stabilize as the driver was still inside.  Chief Billy Ventura decided that the best access to the patient would be to remove the roo since the vehicle was laying on the drivers side.  The crews used step chocks and z-mags to stabilize the vehicle so crews could begin to cut using the hydraulic TNT Cutters.  Engine 3 and Truck 10 also responded and there manpower was put to work using the Hurst hydraulic cutters to help with the roof removal and to take care of the fluid spills from both vehicles.

Once crews removed the roof EMS crews were able to fully assess the patients injuries and it was also determined the dashboard would have to lifted as well since it was impinging on the patients legs.  EMS units also requested the Rescue Helicopter for transport but due to the weather, it was unable to fly.  The driver of the second vehicle involved was not pinned but did suffer serious injuries.

Fire Police Squad 8 along with Suffolk County Police shut down both the north and southbound lanes of CR-101 to allow crews to work safely.  All units were back in service within 1 hour and the road remained closed until the investigation was complete.

October 21, 2010

Under a clear night sky with the moon fully illuminated, the pagers came to life to awaken the members of Hagerman.  12:30am was the time and the voice came over "Structure Fire" but only cross streets were given and no house number, giving the members the hint they could be going to work.

The 1st Assistant Chief was the first to respond to the call and while en-route dispatch notified him that the caller is stating the house is "fully engulfed".  31 arrived on scene and confirmed he had a working structure fire.  He immediately requested for 1 Engine from Bellport Fire Department, a RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) from Brookhaven Fire Department, and North Patchogue Fire Department for an Engine to standby at Hagerman's quarters.

Hagerman Engine 3 was first due and the Chief gave the order to 2nd Lt. Ralph Lettieri Jr (5-10-70) to pick up the hydrant and lay the 5" supply line into the scene and go right to work.  Firefighter Louis Valentino placed the truck into pump, hooked up the supply line and gave water to the hose team in perfect fashion.  With fire through the roof and roaring out of the windows Nozzle Man "Commissioner" Randy Miller and Backup Corey Citarella made an outstanding attack from the interior to quickly extinguish the blaze.  Truck 10 Chauffeured by "Ex Chief" James Vignato was second due and the crew assisted in stretching a second hose line, helped complete the primary searches, and provided the trucks scene lights for the exterior operations.

The Search team (Sean Vignato & 2nd Lt. Ralph Lettieri Jr) were able to make a quick search of the vacant house to make sure there was nobody inside and also came across a portion of the floor that was weak and found a few holes that formed in the floor bringing it to the attention of the crews operating inside.  Once the fire was knocked down crews began the tedious process of overhauling.  Crews also opened up a large portion of the floor to gain access into the crawl space to extinguish a few hotspots.

October 10, 2010

Just after 2:30am, the pagers sounded for a reported Structure Fire on Private Road.  As soon as the location was received the members knew that this location could have access problems.  Hagerman's 1st Assistant Chief and Captain (Kenny Mudrack) were first on scene and confirmed a working basement fire and advised that the home was located 100 yards off the main road, with a very narrow driveway. Engine 3 made a quick response and was ordered to pick up the hydrant that was directly across the entrance of the driveway.  After some skilled maneuvering of the Engine (by Ex-Chief Jimmy Vignato) down the narrow driveway crews went right to work pulling off the 1 3/4" line to the front door while the search team went to locate the fire.

Truck 10 and Engine 5 also responded but due to the driveway no other rigs could get in so they had to stage on the main road.  The hose team brought the line in to the top of the stairs while the search team located the fire in the drop ceiling above the boiler room.  2nd Lt. Ralph Lettieri jr requested a second line be pulled by Truck 10's crew to protect the crew in the basement.  The fire also began to burn through the floor of the 1st floor but with a quick stop by the hose team they prevented any further extension.  While the crew was fighting the fire the search team went with the 2nd Lt. to check for victims but all searches of the home were deemed negative.

Crews from Bellport and North Patchogue also responded and helped cut holes in the floor to help ventilate the smoke and heat from crews operating in the basement.  Crews overhauled the basement and 1st floor to check for any remaining fire and setup ventilation fans to clear the house of smoke.

September 27, 2010

The Vehicle Extrication team made a trip up to Calgary, Canada to compete in the 26th Annual North American Vehicle Rescue Challenge.  26 other teams from around the World joined in as well to take part in the 6 day event.  The challenge is to remove a live victim in a simulated car crash, quickly and safely. Hagerman competed in the Rapid, Limited, and Unlimited Pit.  The Rapid pit was a 10 minute scenario with the live victim being unresponsive and in immediate need of extrication, while the limited and unlimited were both 20 minute scenarios but only heavy hydraulic tools could be used in the unlimited pit meaning the limited pit can only be handled with numerous hand and battery operated tools.

The extrication team was able to get the victim out in both the limited and unlimited pits and were only minutes away from extricating in the rapid pit.  In the end Hagerman was the only United States team to place in the entire event taking 3rd place in the Unlimited Pit behind Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Back in June, Hagerman's extrication team also competed in the Northeast Regional Competition in Chili, NY.  Out of 10 teams Hagerman came home with a 3rd Place Finish in the limited pit, 2nd Place Finish in the unlimited pit, and a 2nd Place Overall in the competition.  This finish advanced Hagerman into next years competition which will be held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

September 20, 2010

On the afternoon of September 20th, Hagerman was toned out for a reported heavy rescue located on County Road 101 and North Dunton Avenue.  Upon arrival it was determined that a SUV heading South was hit by a tractor trailer which in turn caused the vehicle to flip causing major damage to the roof and passenger side of the vehicle.  Luckily the driver of the vehicle was not trapped but did sustain significant injuries which required the patient to be transported by helicopter to the trauma center in Stony Brook.  Rescue 4 responded and secured both the tractor trailer and the suv, Engine 6 secured a landing zone for the medivac, and Fire Police Squad 8 shut down the road to protect the entire scene.  All units were back in service in under 1 hour.

July 18, 2010

Firefighters from the Hagerman Fire Department were just returning from a prior alarm when they heard the Blue Point Fire Department reactivating for a working fire in the Home Depot in the Gateway Plaza. Upon notification to Blue Point the Chief asked if Hagerman had a Tower Ladder available to respond to the scene since he had a working fire in the paint department. Hagerman Responded with Truck 10 and Engine 5 and were directed to come into the scene, report to the back of the building and set up the tower. 

Truck 10's crew went to the roof to check for any fire extension and advised the Blue Point Chief the roof was all clear. Engine 5 helped Blue Points ladder truck connect to a positve water supply incase it was needed.  Blue Point made a quick knockdown on the fire and the buildings sprinkler systems did activate which helped contain it to a small area in the paint department.  Truck 10 set up ventilation fans in the building to help clear the smoke.  Along with Hagerman, Patchogue, North Patchogue and Bayport Fire Departments also responded to the scene. 

July 12, 2010

Just after 3:00 am the Hagerman Fire Department was activated for a mutual aid to the Brookhaven Fire Department for a Tower Ladder and Engine to the scene of a large compost fire.  The fire was located at Long Island Compost Corporation and was located in a large pile of compost which included large tree stumps and logs which was around 50 to 75 feet high, 200 feet wide and 400 feet long.  Initial reports had flames around 40 feet tall and a thick ash filled smoke column could be seen during the early morning hours.  Water supply was a priority and due to the lack of hydrants in the area, multiple tankers were requested from surrounding departments and provided water shuttle operations.  It was estimated that 6,000 feet of 5" supply hose was laid out to bring water into the scene for the three tower ladders.  With Hagerman, Bellport and Brookhaven's Tower ladders in operation along with the Long Island MacArthur Airport Crash Rescue Truck the fire was extinguished while the employees used heavy equipment to tear apart the pile and expose any hotspots.

Brookhaven Town also helped by supplying a 12,000 gallon water tanker and crews brought in pickup trucks full of 5 gallon buckets of foam to add into the water to smother the pile.  GelTech Solutions also responded and supplied a product called FireIce to help fight the fire which was used through Bellports tower ladder.  In total over 150 firefighters responded from 20 departments to help battle the blaze.  Mutiple EMS agency's were on scene providing firefighter rehab, and the Suffolk County Fire Rescue Mobile Command Center also responded to overview and direct scene operations. Units were on scene for over 12 hours and thankfully there were no reported injuries.