An era of Island’s Fire Department has closed: Andy Steinmuller remembered

The death last week of Andy Steinmuller, 92, on Oct. 31 represented the passing of an era of the of the Shelter Island Fire Department.

Mr. Steinmuller retired as a Fire District commissioner in 2018 after 25 years of service. He also had 67 years of service as a firefighter.

At the time, he said of his retirement that firefighting was a job for a younger man. But he could still be found functioning as a fire police officer, directing traffic to avoid tieups for firefighters answering emergency calls.

He let his fellow commissioners know of his retirement in June 2018 so they could appoint a successor who would have to stand for re-election in December of that year. But he thought that person would have an advantage in the election later in the year as a result of being an incumbent.

Former Fire Department Chief Greg Sulahian was the man appointed, and he subsequently won a full five-year term that year.

Mr. Steinmuller was among the leaders in the 1990s of the effort to merge the Center and Heights fire departments into one unit. When he first ran for commissioner, he vowed to work to bring that merger about, arguing it would save money for taxpayers.

His service also included getting water tanks installed around the Island to ensure there would be sufficient water to fight blazes throughout the town. That the town is surrounded by water didn’t change the need for tanks in some critical areas, he said.

Looking back on his career at the time of his retirement, he reflected on a major fire he helped fight in Dering Harbor, and also on one of last major blazes at the Belle Crest B&B in February 2013, which resulted in heavy damage to that structure.

Firefighting was in his blood, he said. He started as volunteer firefighter in Bethpage, became chief of that department, and instituted the Bethpage EMS squad. He also functioned as a EMT trainer for several fire departments.

One of his major concerns when he retired was how long a volunteer fire department could be sustained on Shelter Island. It remains a concern for many of his Fire Department colleagues, with fewer younger members and many who work off-Island, making them unavailable to answer some calls.

During the past two years, retirement has allowed Mr. Steinmuller to spend time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Family members have announced that arrangements would be announced at a later date. They requested that contributions in Mr. Steinmuller’s memory be made to the Shelter Island Fire Department, P.O. Box 613, Shelter Island, NY 11964 or to the American Legion Mitchell  Post 281 at P.O. Box 2021, Shelter Island, NY 11964.