The East Marion Fire Department’s 125th anniversary celebration ended with a drone show. (Photo credit: Jeremy Garretson)
The East Marion Fire Department gathered from across the North Fork on August 10 to celebrate its 125th anniversary of service. There was a parade led by Grand Marshall Frank “Buzzy” Begora, a 70-year member of the department, followed by a picnic at the firehouse and a raffle. The festivities concluded with a live drone show.
Photos by Jeremy Garretson
Many volunteer fire departments on Long Island have struggled to retain local members in recent years, but East Marion is doing well. Members live primarily in Orient, East Marion and Greenport, with a few in Southold.
“I think all departments struggle to retain and keep members, but this department has done a great job. Chief Miller has been recruiting new members and keeping them for the last few years because that’s the most important thing, retention. (The recent chiefs) have done a great job of recruiting and retaining all of those members because there’s a lot of training to do and a lot of participants in all kinds of events,” said Kevin Webster, former chief and communications officer.
The fire department has a rich history in the area. It was formed in 1899 with 10 members and purchased its first vehicle for $325 that same year. Three years later, they were invited to their first parade. The fire department continually expanded its equipment by purchasing chemical fire extinguishers and a wagon for transporting them. The canisters were stored in boxes filled with sawdust to keep them from freezing. They used the church bell to sound the alarm until two fog horns could be purchased, which were followed by the current siren system.
A lot has changed for East Marion and North Fork in general. The region has completely transitioned from a predominantly agricultural economy to one focused on tourism. The architecture of new buildings has also changed, from small homes and ranch-style farmhouses to larger buildings. Transportation has changed, adding to the challenges of responding to emergencies. And the nature of emergencies has evolved, with mass casualty and pandemics requiring new approaches. These changes mean innovations in training and equipment.
“We train to mobilise rescue teams. We’ve had a couple of car fires with electric vehicles. We have to train specifically for that. We train outside with a simulation of how to cut open a roof and get up a ladder. Working on (our aerial ladder truck) is a skill you have to train. With new construction, there are some buildings with much higher roof lines. It’s a challenge to get up there and maintain safety at the scene, which is very important for our members. We want to make sure we take the time to work the scene properly and that we all go home. There’s a whole group of people who are fire police to keep the scene safe,” Mr Webster said.
Because much of East Marion’s population is seasonal, the department has had to get creative in choosing its members. “We’ve thought outside the box the last few years. And some people who come just for the summer and have a firefighter or EMT degree, we take them in to help us in the busier months, as EMTs and firefighters,” said current Chief Carol Miller. “We’re doing this for the second year now. We have a nice young gentleman, Connor. He’s 18. He wants to be in the FDNY. So he says, ‘Can I study with you?’ And we say, ‘Sure.’ He just got a CFR and hopes to get his EMT next year… So as our demographics change, we’re learning to adapt.”
Although members have a specialization, they are trained in all areas of rescue. This allows the department to be flexible and respond to all kinds of emergencies. “So when we arrive at a rescue, all kinds of hands are there to help: someone to stop traffic, someone to assist the ambulance, someone to pick up the patient, someone to pick up the stretcher, someone to take the times. When you have a full team like this, you are 100 percent sure that many hands make the job easier and then everything runs smoothly,” Mr Webster said.
For information about volunteering with the East Marion Fire Department, please visit (631) 477-0163.
