New Shelter Island Fire Chief Greg Sulahian, always ready to serve

Greg Sulahian may have started his firefighting career on Shelter Island in 1984, but his true baptism of fire came as one of 6,000 volunteers who fought the legendary “Steamboat Fire” in August 1990 at California’s Yosemite National Park.

The new chief of the Shelter Island Fire Department was out west, having left the East End in 1987 for a position with the National Park Service.

The chief described Steamboat as “probably one of the scariest” fires he’s ever battled. A lightning strike hit both sides of a canyon near the mouth of Yosemite. One line of fire shot into the park while two more lines shot out of the park. Winds walloped the blazes at speeds of 75 miles per hour and flames shot 400 feet into the air.

Heavy equipment, including multiple aircraft and firefighters on the ground, fought uncontrolled burning for 28 days. It took another three months before the fire was totally defeated, Chief Sulahian said. The inferno ravaged thousands of acres, turning many houses to ash. It’s counted among the worst forest fires in American history.

What attracted him to firefighting when his dad was an attorney and judge?

“I guess it was just in my blood,” he said.

Shelter Island was also in his blood. “I love it here,” he said.

He was born in Queens and grew up in Rockville Centre, but his parents purchased a summer home on the Island in 1963 and the family spent countless weekends and summers here. His mother still operates the Tuck Shop on North Menantic Road, where young Greg and his siblings — Billy, Marie, Susie and Carol — worked while growing up.

He was the free, unmarried, New York guy when he went to California; but at one point he was ready to return to the Island and settle down. He and wife Debbie married 20 years ago and have raised five children here, the youngest of whom, Adrian, will graduate from Shelter Island High School in June. He’s now the grandfather of three with another grandchild on the way. “It’s so cool,” he said.

Chief Sulahian spent 11 years working in heating and fuel oil with J.W. Piccozzi, another seven with Shelter Island Ace Hardware and he’s currently in his fifth year with the custodial crew at Shelter Island School.

He’s been in what’s called “the chief’s line” of the Shelter Island Fire Department for several years. He was second assistant chief during John D’Amato’s term and first assistant chief to Will Anderson III, who resigned his post last month because of personal responsibilities, opening the way for Chief Sulahian to assume the top spot.

Both men were a pleasure to serve with, the chief said. He learned a lot about organizational skills from Mr. D’Amato. With Chief Anderson he learned the value of teamwork, which was not surprising since they grew up together on the Island, and could practically finish one each other’s sentences, he said.

Three chiefs traditionally work together as a team, Chief Sulahian said. Those in the first and second chiefs’ positions need to be ready to move into the top spot at any time and should also bring different skills to their roles,

“Putting our heads together as a group” brings good results, he said.

Importance must also be placed on open lines of communication between firefighters of different generations, he has learned. The older ones have experience, but younger ones bring technical knowledge that is vital to doing the job well today.

Chief Sulahian is pleased the department continues to attract younger members with the energy and ability to tackle the heavy work the job often requires.

His most challenging fire on the Island occurred in August 2002 when the Midway Road house belonging to Rod and Robin Anderson was destroyed. The chief said that horrific fire was especially distressful because it involved people he knew, making the call to service greater but the pain deeper.

It took 75 firefighters from the Shelter Island, Sag Harbor and North Sea fire departments to bring the blaze under control, but the house was lost. The couple had built the house 17 years earlier and were left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Chief Sulahian was actually on the scene doing plumbing work when the fire erupted. He had taken a break for a soda when he saw the flames and shouted to Mr. Anderson. Fortunately, Ms. Anderson and the couples’ daughter Morgan were visiting friends on the South Fork when the fire erupted. Mr. Anderson was able to get some of the family’s pets and farm animals to safety before the flames and smoke became overwhelming.

The blaze started in an area where Mr. Anderson worked on antique boats and there were accelerants, flammable fiberglass, paint and thinners.

That’s part of what worries Chief Sulahian today, with many structures no longer primarily made of wood. There are multiple hazards that can result from the highly flammable new building materials.

“It’s a toxic soup,” he said about many of today’s fire scenes. That’s why it’s essential that firefighters are constantly trained in the latest methods of handling modern fires, he said, and he makes that his top priority.

“I love doing this,” the chief said.