New Chief of Department at Halesite FD

On January 1, 2019 the Halesite Fire District will swear in its new Chief of Department, James Magerle, age 40. If the name Magerle sounds familiar, it’s because Jamie (as he is known to everyone) is the twelfth member of his family to serve as a firefighter in Halesite. Jamie’s grandfather was a member in the 1950’s. His father Peter Magerle was a chief, as were Jamie’s two brothers Pete and Andy. His uncles Dennis Magerle and Richard Colligan were also chiefs. His cousin Mike Magerle served as chief and his cousin Craig Colligan was a captain. There are currently nine members of the Magerle family who are active in the department including Jamie’s nephews Mathew and Pete Jr., and his niece Casey. Jamie’s daughter Kaitlyn is a member of the Halesite Juniors.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a Halesite firefighter,” says the modest Magerle. “When I was a kid, I just wanted to ride the fire trucks like my father and uncles. As I got older, I grew to appreciate the commitment they were making to the community. The idea of serving others and helping our neighbors wore off on me.”

And serving others is something he knows a lot about. Jamie has served as an assistant chief for the last six years. Before that, he was a company Captain, Lieutenant, firefighter and EMT. He joined the all-volunteer department in 1996 while still a senior at Huntington high school.

Jamie, who works as a Firehouse Attendant/Dispatcher for the Melville Fire District, lives in Huntington with his wife Kathy and their two children, Kaitlyn and Brendan.