STATEN ISLAND, NY — A fire crew from Engine 157/Ladder 80 in Port Richmond climbed into the huge red vehicle and headed off, as they do every day to help the community. Immediately, the firefighters went to work, deploying the ladder to get onto a roof. The men climbed up the slope, turned around — and smiled and waved.
Hundreds of families with young children – wearing the New York Fire Department’s trademark plastic helmets – watched in awe. The demonstration was a success.
Fortunately, the smoke that should have been worrying firefighters at that moment was only coming from the grill, where a feast was being prepared for the more than 1,000 guests who attended a FDNY street festival community event in front of the firehouse on Castleton Avenue on Saturday afternoon.
A DJ provided music and various mini-games, while inflatable bounce houses provided fun for the children. Firefighters mingled with the members of the community they protect.
Across the street, a row of tents offered shelter and freshly popped popcorn to a cartoonist.
Further down the street, several tents and tables were set up with fire safety information for guests, respiratory resuscitation training, and a series of demonstrations to educate the general public.
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Over at the firehouse, children climbed into various emergency vehicles, eagerly awaiting their chance to take a photo with a New York City Fire Department mascot.
“The importance of such events is enormous because you make the fire department known to the public and they see us in a different light,” said Captain Timothy Smith, one of the event’s organizers. “Normally we work behind closed doors and they only see us in an emergency. But now they get to know us as normal people and realize that this is also an opportunity for them in their careers.”
The event lasted from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and culminated a week of district-specific social media content highlighting the work of the FDNY.
Over the course of the summer, each borough in New York City hosted a similar FDNY community event, with the Port Richmond Block Party concluding the series.
Smith said these events began nine years ago for the FDNY’s 150th anniversary and continue to be held annually to this day.
“They have been well received by the public, local businesses and actually by firefighters in general because, as I said, we have the opportunity to talk about our careers and make people understand that this is a career that you can pursue and it is really worthwhile,” he said.
Smith said the event had fed over 1,000 people by 1 p.m., and he estimated that by the end of the event, over 1,500 people would have stopped by to have fun with the firefighters. He also thanked Sandra Sanchez, the FDNY’s director of public affairs, for her help in making the event a reality.
