Suburban Fire Marshal

1643 hours. The Smithtown FIre Department is dispatched to a traffic collision at Terry Road and Route 347. Units arrive to find that passenger vehicle hit the back of a school bus loaded with passengers. While no one was trapped, FD personnel had multiple patients on their hands. Smithtown used three of their ambulances, St. James FD sent an ambulance and the Nesconset Fire Department sent an ambulance. A total of 10 patients were transported to St. Catherines Hospital, thankfully all with minor injures. Commack Volunteer Ambulance sent a unit to cover the district during the incident. 

At approximately 1345 hours, multiple departments respond with the Farmingville Fire Department to a house fire at 22 Beech Avenue. Crews made quick work of the fire. There were no injuries. Fire Marshals from the Town of Brookhaven are investigating. 

2311 hours. The Centereach Fire Department responds to a report of a house fire at 52 Hammond Road off John Vincent Court. Units arrive to find heavy fire in a private dwelling. Crews stretched around to the back of the house and hit the fire with multiple lines. Mutual aid was requested from Setauket, Ronkonkoma, Stony Brook and Farmingville. 

At 12:48 AM Monday July 22, 2019 Northport FD responded to multiple calls reporting a residential structure fire at 62 Annetta Ave, Northport. Callers indicated a large fire with flames visible from the home and popping noises. 

1st Asst. Chief Dennis Sheridan arrived first on scene and confirmed the working fire on the first floor of a two story single family home. All occupants had self evacuated. Under the direction of Chief of Department, John Jacobsen, Northport firefighters arrived with two engines, a tower ladder, a rescue truck and two ambulances. 

1955 hours. As heavy storms rolled through the area, the Central Islip Fire Department is dispatched to a report of a house on fire at 11 Bridger Blvd off St. Johns Street. Arriving units encounter heavy fire in a two story private dwelling. Three lines were stretched and operated. The Islip Terrace Fire Department sent a RIT and Hauppauge sent an engine to cover. If I missed any details or FDs that were here, let me know.

A heat wave can’t stop the Smithtown Fire Department from giving back. On July 20th, members of the department and Explorers joined forces with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network to assemble over 300 totes to distribute to firefighters and families dealing with cancer.

2144 hours. Kings Park Fire Department is called to respond with Suffolk Police, the Coast Guard and Bay Constables from the Town of Smithtown, to search for two subjects on paddle boards that were in distress off Sunken Meadow State Park. Mutual aid was requested for divers from the Nesconset and St. James Fire Departments. Shortly thereafter, a second report went out for two kayakers in distress approximately 400 yards off Long Beach.  It was later determined that these calls were related.

As per SCPD Press Release:

Noreen McLoughlin, 54, and her daughter Dana, 19, departed from Sunken Meadow Beach to kayak on the Long Island Sound on July 19 at approximately 8 p.m. Once offshore and after darkness fell, they found the wind was too strong and they were having difficulty paddling their 13-foot kayak back to shore.
 
Noreen’s husband Joseph McLoughlin, 47, of Levittown had remained on shore and called 911. The Suffolk County Police Department dispatched two rescue boats and a helicopter to search for his wife and daughter. The New York State Park Police, Smithtown Fire Department and U.S. Coast Guard also responded.
 
Police Officers Christopher DeFeo and Anthony Chin aboard Marine Delta arrived in the search area and noticed the light of a cell phone in the distance, which led them to the kayak. Officers brought the two women aboard the police boat and transported them safely to shore at the Kings Park Boat Ramp on the Nissequogue River where they were reunited with Joseph McLoughlin. Both were wearing life jackets, and neither required medical attention.

0315 hours. SCPD and Commack Ambulance were dispatched to a female in labor at a home on Lafayette Avenue. Suffolk County Police 4th Precinct officers Walter Fingerle, Kenny Kaufold and Doug Nassifi were the first on the scene and coached the mother Christine Geness through the delivery of her second child, a baby girl.

Commack EMS arrived seconds later with an ambulance and the paramedic responder. The crew was able to cut the cord, assess both the mother and baby and transport both to St. Catherines hospital where they are now resting comfortably. Great job by not only the Commack Ambulance Crew but the 4th pct officers who did a wonderful job!

 2130 hours. Commack Ambulance was activated with the Commack Fire Department for a traffic collision at the intersection of Larkfield Road and Jericho Turnpike. Units arrived to find a crash involving five vehicles. Ambulance personnel quickly assessed all subjects involved and determined that there were only two patients.  Both patients were transported to Huntington Hospital with minor injuries. 

For the second time in 48 hours, fire and EMS agencies that protect the township have been called to respond to a near drowning involving a two year old. 

At approximately 1743 hours, the Nesconset Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a near drowning on Roseanne Court. Units arrived to find that a two year old fell into a swimming pool. The child was quickly removed, and was conscious and breathing. FD EMS personnel transported the child to the hospital and thankfully the little patient is going to be fine. 

Drowning is the #1 cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention! Almost 400 children between the ages of 0-14 drown each year!

This seems like a great opportunity to post a few tips relating to swimming pool safety:

1-NEVER leave children unattended in or near the water!

Always watch children when they’re in or near water, and never leave them unattended. Designate an official Water Watcher, an adult tasked with supervising children in the water. That should be their only task – they shouldn’t be reading, texting or playing games on their phone. Have a phone close by at all times in case you need to call for help, and if a child is missing, check the pool first.

Even if a lifeguard is present, parents and caregivers should still take the responsibility of being a designated Water Watcher. When any lifeguard chair is empty, the remaining lifeguards may not be able to see the entire pool and when lifeguards are seated in low chairs, their view can be blocked by patrons in the pool.

2-Teach Children how to swim.

Swimming is not only fun, it’s a lifesaving skill. Enroll children in swimming lessons; there are many free or reduced-cost options available from your local YMCA, USA Swimming chapter or Parks and Recreation Department.

3-Teach Children to stay away from pool drains.

Do not play or swim near drains or suction outlets, especially in spas and shallow pools, and never enter a pool or spa that has a loose, broken or missing drain cover. Children’s hair, limbs, jewelry or bathing suits can get stuck in a drain or suction opening. When using a spa, be sure to locate the emergency vacuum shutoff before getting in the water. Virginia Graeme Baker, after whom the Pool and Spa Safety Acti is named, died from drowning due to a suction entrapment from a faulty drain cover. All public pools and spas must have drain grates or covers that meet safety standards to avoid incidents like the one that took Graeme’s life. Powerful suction from a pool or spa drain can even trap an adult.

4-Install and maintain the proper barriers, covers and alarms on and around your pool and spa.

Proper fences, barriers, alarms and covers can be lifesaving devices. A fence of at least four feet in height should surround the pool or spa on all sides and should not be climbable for children. The water should only be accessible through a self-closing, self-latching gate. Teach children to never try to climb over the gate or fence. Install a door alarm from the house to the pool area, and keep pool and spa covers in working order.

 5-Learn CPR!

Often, bystanders are the first to aid a drowning victim, so learning CPR can help save a life. And once you’re CPR certified, make sure to keep your certification current. CPR classes are available through many hospitals, community centers, or by contacting the American Red Cross.

For more information visit www.poolsafety.gov.

Believe it or not, more than 1,000 house fires are started by pets every year.  In fact, the number one cause of pet-related house fires is cat or dog nudging a knob on the stove and accidentally igniting the fire. Other fires involve curious pets interacting with fireplaces, chimneys, space heaters, lamps, bulbs, wiring, and candles.  The United States Fire Administration reports that roughly 500,000 pets are affected by fires each year. Sadly over 40,000 are killed in fire related incidents each year. 

Here are some tips to help prevent pets from accidentally causing fires:

No Climbing/Jumping: Train pets and discourage them from climbing or jumping anywhere in the house, but especially in the kitchen.

No Chewing:  If a pet bites into wires, sparks could fly and cause surrounding objects to burst into flames. Cover wire in a bitter spray so the pet associates it with a bad taste to discourage chewing.

No Glass Bowls:  The American Humane Society recommends using stainless steel or ceramic dishes – not glass — outside, especially on wooden surfaces. The glass can magnify the sun’s rays starting a fire on the wood.

Safety Sweep: Just as you would sweep a room and remove potential hazards for young children, the same precautions should be taken for your pets. 

• Install child-safety knobs on stoves to prevent pets from accidentally turning them on.
• Keep all items, particularly flammable ones, away from open flames, stoves or heat sources.
• Keep candles out of reach from curious pets and extinguish flames when you leave the room.
• Check for loose or damaged wires that could be a fire hazard.
• To prevent a pet from getting burned, maintain a gate or 3 foot “pet-free zone” around fireplaces, fire pits and wood burning stoves.

Family & Pet Fire Drill: Make sure to include pets in fire emergency escape plans. 

• Take your pet with you when you practice your escape plan
• Know where your pet likes to hide when scared so you can easily locate them in an emergency
• Adults – not children – should be responsible for getting the pets out if a fire breaks out.
• Never go back into a burning building to save your pet – firefighters are trained to save pets and even have lifesaving equipment if needed.

Since pets can’t be taught fire prevention, fire sprinklers are a great option to protect your home from all fires, not just those caused by pets.  “Fire sprinklers are extremely effective at controlling the spread of fire and often extinguishing fires before the fire department arrives,” said Kurasz.  “But more importantly, fire sprinklers save lives, reducing the risk of dying in a home fire by 85%.”

For more Pet Fire Safety Resources visit the links below:

Dog Starting Fire Video: Inside Edition

NFPA Pet Fire Safety Tips Flyer 

American Kennel Club – National Pet Fire Safety Day

ASPCA FREE Pet Window Cling Alert Package/Pet Rescue Decal 

American Red Cross: Pet Fire Safety Tips  

PetCube.com: Pet Fire Safety Blog

Two more people were injured in crashes involving pedestrians and vehicles today. Commack Fire Department and CVAC handled a vehicle vs pedestrian in front of the Mayfair Shopping Center on Jericho Turnpike at 2023 hours and the St. James Fire Department responded to a vehicle vs. Bicyclist on Lake Avenue near 3rd Street. In both incidents, the victims suffered non-life threatening injuries. Both were transported to area hospitals by ambulance. 

2141 hours. The Hauppauge Fire Department responds along with Central Islip Hauppauge Ambulance to a traffic collision on Veterans Highway near Route 111. Units arrived to find an overturned vehicle. The driver had self extricated and sustained non-life threatening injuries. The patient was transported to the hospital via ambulance. FD personnel secured the vehicle and turned the scene over to SCPD.

1439 hours.Central Islip Hauppauge Community Ambulance responds to E. Poplar Street, in regards to a drowning. Police and EMS arrive and find that a two year old boy was found unresponsive in a koi pond. Emergency personnel immediately started CPR and were able to revive the child. The boy was transported by ambulance to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore. Police are investigating.  

Stringer News Photo

1806 hours. Smithtown Bay Constables, Suffolk Police, the Coast Guard and the Kings Park FIre Department were all dispatched to a report of people in the water in distress at the entrance to the Nissequogue River. A Bay Constable was already on station at the Bluff but found nothing. The search was expanded and it was determined that four subjects, 3 adults and an eight year old had been pulled out of the water and onto the beach at Sunken Meadow by good samaritans. The subjects were  evaluated and transported to the hospital by ambulances from the Kings Park and Smithtown Fire Departments. 

At approximately 1300 hours, the Farmingville, Holtsville and Ronkonkoma Fire Departments were dispatched to a report of a house on fire at 42 Beach Avenue in the Farmingville Fire District. Units rolled up on an active fire in the rear of a one and one half story private dwelling that was under construction. The fire was quickly extinguished without incident. Ronkonkoma sent a ladder, Holtsville an engine, Selden a RIT. There were no injuries. The Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshals Office is investigating. 

Photo came from the Holtsville FD Facebook Page

1223 hours. Suffolk Police and the St. James Fire Department are dispatched to a report of a vehicle vs. Pedestrian on Lake Avenue near Roseville Avenue. Units arrive to find an adult male deceased at the scene. FD personnel took up, turning the incident over to the police. 

SCPD Press Release:

Suffolk County Police today arrested a man for leaving the scene following a motor vehicle crash that killed a male pedestrian in St. James.

Michael McDermott was jogging on the shoulder of the southbound lane of Lake Avenue, north of Oak Street, when he was struck by a southbound 2014 Nissan sedan at 12:21 p.m. The driver, Keith Clancy, fled the scene in the Nissan. McDermott, 37, of Smithtown was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.

Police located Clancy driving the Nissan eastbound on the Long Island Expressway. He was pulled over by a Seventh Precinct officer near exit 69 in Manorville at approximately 12:49 p.m.

Clancy, 32, of Mattituck, was arrested and charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle. He is being held overnight at the Seventh Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip in the morning.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555. All calls will be kept confidential. 

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

2106 hours Smithtown Fire Department was activated for a reported brush fire on Lindner Place. Upon arrival crews found an unsafe and illegal open burn which was quickly extinguished. 4-2-8 and 4-2-14 operated under the command of Chief Fitzpatrick for approx. 20 mins.

Centereach Fire Department responds to a report of a subject hit by a vehicle on Sterling Drive in Lake Grove. The subject sustained non life threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital via ambulance.

0040 hours. The Smithtown Fire Department is dispatched to a traffic collision near the intersection of Routes 111 and 347. Units arrive to find a vehicle that had been in a collision, burning on the hike and bike trail on the eastbound side of 347. The lone occupant had self extricated and suffered non-life threatening injuries. That subject was transported to the hospital by Smithtown FD ambulance. All units clreaed from the scene at approximately 0120 hours.