Shelter Island Fire Department responds to upstate fires

Over the last several weeks, brush fires broke out all over New York State, with the worst concentrated in southern New York and Long Island.

Suffolk County mounted a response to fires in Orange County at the request of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) office. Twenty fire departments across Suffolk County voluntarily responded on Nov. 12, 16, and 19. The Shelter Island Fire Department (SIFD), along with departments from Orient, Greenport, East Marion and Mattituck sent personnel and equipment.

Shelter Island responded on Nov. 19 with seven department members, one engine and one chief’s car. Their primary assignment was patrolling neighborhoods for hot spots and communicating with the public.

“We were dealing with a lot of the public coming and having concerns about small areas that were still smoldering or showing some signs of smolder,” said Max Pelletier, SIFD assistant chief who was among the volunteers. “So we had a couple guys go around the woods in the general area and put water on those hot spots. “It brought peace of mind for the residents of that area.”

Chief Pelletier also noted the warm reception from the town and their fire department.

“I give a real big shout out to them, as well as the Greenwood Lake Fire Department for providing the station house for us and any amenities that we might have needed,” he said.

Residents even arranged to line up along the streets of the town when the trucks arrived, displaying handmade signs of welcome and gratitude for their efforts. They also distributed “go bags” with treats and drawings from local children. 

East Marion F.D. assisted twice, sending tanker and personnel north to fight fires in Orange County on Nov. 12. They returned to assist a second time on Nov. 19, along with the Orient fire department.

“It was a very impressive operation when you bring in all these different counties to one area and one mass scale incident, the community treated us great. They put on a great spread — anything you needed, you know, they had for us,” said Ryan Weingart, assistant chief of the East Marion Fire Department. “It was really, really great to see the teamwork and brotherhood that went across the board, from the Suffolk County departments, all the way to the state, counties and everything. It was really impressive.”

Greenport Fire Department also started off extinguishing hot spots.

Orient Fire Department also assisted twice, sending four volunteers and a 3,000-gallon tanker truck.

All of the volunteers received an outpouring of gratitude and support from the community.  There were several restaurant owners who closed their restaurants and operated out of the local firehouse kitchen, cooking around 12 meals a day.