Cause of Hempstead house fire that left 1 dead, others injured under investigation

VIDEO: A fire ripped through through a home in Hempstead early Monday morning, leaving at least one person dead. The flames broke out at the home on Front Street around 6:30 a.m., sending 55 Hempstead firefighters to tackle the blaze at the three-story house. "I couldn't believe it, I was like wow," eyewitness Shawn Smith said. "I was sleeping, and I came out to see what was going on." Firefighters found a woman dead inside the home and also removed a man who suffered serious burn injuries. "One fatality that's still in the house and one burn victim serious condition that was transported UMNC," Hempstead Fire Marshal Michael Utaro said. As some firefighters worked to contain the fire, others had to perform rescues of others inside the home. "The fire was contained relatively quickly by the fire department," Utaro said.
WABC-TV ABC 7 New York

New Riverhead firefighters face training course simulating different obstacles — all blindfolded

PHOTOS: Newer members of the Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department faced a training course meant to simulate the different obstacles they’d come across during a rescue inside a burning building. In the department’s Roanoke Avenue headquarters, around 15 members of the volunteer service, fully equipped with fire protection gear, weaved through wooden obstacles, squeezed through tight spaces and even simulated getting a wall dropped on them — all blindfolded — during the specialized course created by Long Island firefighters on Sunday morning. Most of what is done during the course is what these recently minted firefighters already learned during their initial training classes, First Assistant Chief William Renten explained.
Riverhead Local

Cambridge Fire Department moves to new home

The same siren that had signaled a three-alarm fire since 1951 in Cambridge sounded for one last time Sunday evening. The Village Fire Department’s five vehicles responded just like they always would—except this time, they came back home to the old firehouse. Firefighters sprung from their trucks and walked into the 71-year-old building through its open bay doors. After a brief moment of silence, the siren blew one last time, the firefighters walked out, and the bays were shut for good. The trucks then made their way back down East Main, turned right onto Gilbert Street, and backed into their new home. As they entered their new station, which had been in the works for over 20 years, all was quiet in the Washington County town.
WTEN-TV ABC 10 Albany

Iconic dalmatians return to FASNY Firefighter Museum in Hudson

For the first time in three years, the FASNY Firefighter Museum in Hudson was swarming with dalmatians and children on Saturday. The annual Dalmatian Day program was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns. The free event returned Saturday morning and was visited by more than 1,500 children and their families, said Jamie Smith Quinn, executing director of the museum. Dalmatian Day is listed as the largest one-day fire safety event in New York State, Quinn said. The annual event was held on Columbus Day weekend, every year since it’s inception in 2006 through 2019. Last year, organizers still were not comfortable holding the event due to ongoing COVID pandemic concerns. They decided to hold a smaller event, Trunk or Treat, on Halloween weekend, which turned out to be a huge success.
Hudson Valley 360 - Metered Site

Menands Fire Department announces death of former chief

Former Menands Fire Chief Stephen Lukovits passed away on September 16 at age 86. Lukovits—originally from Astoria, Queens—moved to Hoags Corners with his siblings and parents as a child, where he started his career as a volunteer firefighter. Born on Oct. 13, 1936, Lukovits graduated high school in 1954 and enlisted in the Navy shortly after, where he was a Navy Corpsman. He was also stationed with the Marines as a corpsman, before being honorably discharged in 1958. Lukovits worked with his father as a house painter before being hired as the Superintendent of Park Lane Apartments in Menands. He became a volunteer firefighter in Hoags Corner, and later in Menands, where he rose through the ranks to become fire chief. Lukovits was also Car 8 in the town of Colonie and was in charge of the fire police.
WTEN-TV ABC 10 Albany

Graduation ceremony held for new class of first responders in New York City

Monday was Graduation Day for a new class of first responders in New York. Acting fire commissioner Laura Kavanagh presided at the graduation ceremony for 153 emergency medical technicians and six paramedics. The EMTs have completed 13 weeks at the EMS academy, training in everything from CPR and medical trauma assessment to emergency childbirth. "At every turn, the impact of the life-saving work that you do can be felt in every corner of the city, even decades after the fact. This is difficult work, but it is noble, it is courageous, and it is brave, and it will change lives, as we've seen here today," Kavanagh said. The new EMTs and paramedics will be assigned to units throughout New York City.
WCBS-TV CBS 2 New York

Flames, Dark Smoke Billow From Top of Ferry Terminal in Manhattan

VIDEO: The New York City skyline was interrupted Saturday afternoon by a thick black smoke billowing up from the roof of the Governors Island ferry terminal in Lower Manhattan. Ferry service between Manhattan and the popular island destination was experiencing delays while emergency crews responded to the rooftop fire. FDNY investigators traced the fire to an air conditioning unit on the roof of the terminal building, which extension to a machinery room. What sparked the fire was under investigation. New Yorkers near and far from the terminal spotted the smoke filling the sky around 4 p.m., while those closer to the area were able to spot flames whipping in the air. Within a half hour, it appeared as though firefighters had gained control of the fire and extinguished any lingering threats to the terminal structure.
WNBC-TV NBC 4 New York

Funeral arrangements revealed for 20 year Rochester firefighter Elvis Reyes

The Rochester Fire Department announced calling hours for firefighter Elvis Reyes who passed away due to surgery complications Wednesday. Reyes’ calling hours will take place at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center on Tuesday, September 27, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reyes’ funeral will be held at the Blue Cross Arena on Wednesday, September 28, at 10 a.m. The funeral is open to the public, according to officials. His final resting place will be in the First Responders Section of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on Lake Avenue. Reyes spent 20 years with the Rochester Fire Department and was commended for his volunteer work, support of recruitment efforts, and work on Long Island following Hurricane Sandy. His legacy lives on through his sons Reid and Remington Reyes, who are also firefighters with the Rochester Fire Department.
WROC-TV 8 CBS Rochester

First female firefighter with Rome department, to be honored at women’s business week

Jamie Stasio, the first female firefighter to work with the Rome Fire Department says she was surprised after being presented Friday, with five yellow roses representing a Monday through Friday work week. The roses were a gift from Beth Jones to recognize Stasio's hard work, along with an invitation to be honored during women's business week in October. She wasn't always a firefighter, though. After eight years of education and an unsuccessful job experience, Stacio says she asked for a sign. "That same day I found a car parked on the side of the road so I happened to be there at the right place, right time and rescued a woman. And it gave me a great feeling" Stasio said. After this experience, Stasio said she went down to the fire department and applied. It was a long, five-year journey.
WKTV NBC/CBS/CW+ 2 Utica

Tunnel to Towers 5K Run and Walk honoring firefighter killed on 9/11 returns to New York City streets

The annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run and Walk in honor of fallen firefighter Stephen Siller, who died on September 11, 2001, returned to the streets of New York City Sunday. Thousands participated in the event, which retraces Siller's final footsteps from the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, formerly called the Battery Tunnel, to the World Trade Center. This year, organizers are also honoring some U.S. service members. Runners began in Brooklyn and ended on West and Murray streets across from the World Trade Center, the route Siller took when he abandoned his truck and ran through the tunnel towards the towers. The event is a tribute to the 343 firefighters and first responders who were killed on 9/11, as well as the service members who died during the war on terror. "First you feel hot, because that tunnel has no breathing," participant Scott Nokes said.
WABC-TV ABC 7 New York

Hispanic Heritage Month: Spring Valley firefighters connect with Hispanic community they serve

News 12 is highlighting how firefighters in Rockland County are connecting with the Hispanic community they serve as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Spring Valley Fire Chief Marcos Padilla is Puerto Rican and has been a volunteer firefighter for 20 years. He is one of nearly two dozen Hispanic people who are members of the firehouse on West Furman Plane. That enrollment is higher than most firehouses in the county. There are 33,000 people calling Spring Valley home, and 26% of them are Hispanic or Latino. Padilla says he can use his background to help people when they need it most. "It's nice for us to get to a call, especially as a chief, to pull up and the people don't really know how to speak English and they don't know how to communicate to you and then I start speaking Spanish then you know, it's like, wow you know he understands us," he says.
News 12 New Jersey

Residents from two apartments displaced from fire in Utica

Residents from two apartments in a building on Pleasant Street in Utica are displaced after fire ripped through the second story and attic of an apartment building. Utica Fire officials tell us there are four apartment units in the building at 139 Pleasant Street. Two of the apartments were occupied. The residents were able to get out of the building before fire crews arrived on the scene just before 6am Sunday. Fire and smoke were coming from the second floor and the attic. Crews made an aggressive interior attack and made a search for any victims inside the building. The fire chief tells us the fire was knocked down in about 45 minutes, but there was extensive overhaul to put out pockets of fire. One firefighter was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center for evaluation for injuries.
WKTV NBC/CBS/CW+ 2 Utica