North Merrick Fire Department's Annual Fund Drive in Progress

(Editor's note: This article was submitted by Mark Barone, of the North Merrick Fire Department's Publicity Committee.)

The North Merrick Fire Department has been providing the residents of North Merrick fire protection for 84 years on a volunteer basis.

The department at this time is doing its annual fund drive walk around during the months of September, October and November. Residents of the North Merrick community will be seeing members of the department soliciting donations door-to-door. They will be in either a fire department issued jacket or uniform shirt and hat along with department identification card.

The North Merrick Fire Department does not solicit donations over the phone. If you receive a phone call from someone stating they are from the North Merrick Fire Department and are asking for a donation, call the chief's office and the police as the only way donations are solicited is by the three mailings and walk-arounds for residents that do not respond to the mailings.

In 2009, the North Merrick Fire Department responded to 1,135 calls for assistance. Some of the services we provide are responses to structural and vehicle fires, hazardous material response, vehicle extrication, medical emergencies including advanced life support and fire prevention. We also provide mutual aid assistance to neighboring departments as a rapid intervention team which is a team of specially trained firefighters who will rescue a firefighter who may become incapacitated in a burning structure these services are all done by volunteers.

Members attend 24 training sessions a year; 12 on a company level and 12 on a department level including a four night department operations class at the Nassau County Fire Academy to provide the best fire protection.

If you are interested in joining the North Merrick Fire Department, please stop by fire headquarters on Camp Avenue between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon on Sundays to obtain an application.