Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island are home to an estimated 2.7 million people, and boast a total of 181 fire departments. As a member of the Explorers, you can get an inside look at how the Hauppauge Volunteer Fire Department works and receive training that will prepare you for the Suffolk County Fire Academy if you become an official member. The paid fire service in New York City began in modern-day Manhattan, until the law of 1865 that linked Brooklyn with Manhattan to form the Metropolitan District. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) uses a ten-code radio signal system and bell codes to communicate information related to emergency situations and general operations.
FDNY rescue companies are made up of specially trained and experienced members of the department. In 1874, Southwest Westchester County (which would later become the western Bronx) was annexed by New York City and the volunteers were gradually replaced by a paid department. Nine volunteer fire companies remain in New York City and respond to calls in their neighborhoods, in addition to FDNY units. The FDNY is responsible for responding to a variety of buildings, from single-family wood-framed homes to high-rise buildings, as well as isolated bridges and tunnels, the New York City subway system, parks, and wooded areas that can cause wildfires. The consolidation of Greater New York City in 1898 combined the two departments under a common organization or organizational structure. When a medical call requires the assistance of fire units trained in first aid, it is sent electronically to the appropriate central fire alarm office so that appropriate personnel and equipment can be assigned. The origins of the FDNY date back to 1648 when the first fire ordinance was adopted in what was then the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam.
Suffolk County offers incentives through its SERVE program to volunteer firefighters who attend Suffolk Community College. This gave control of the fire departments of New York City and Brooklyn to the governor who appointed his Board of Commissioners. In 1865, the volunteer fire department was abolished by a state law that created the Metropolitan Fire District and the Metropolitan Fire Department (MFD).Understanding how fire departments operate in Nassau and Suffolk Counties is essential for anyone interested in becoming a firefighter or joining an Explorer program. The FDNY is responsible for responding to a variety of buildings, from single-family wood-framed homes to high-rise buildings, as well as isolated bridges and tunnels, parks, and wooded areas that can cause wildfires. The consolidation of Greater New York City in 1898 combined two departments under a common organizational structure.
In addition, nine volunteer fire companies remain in New York City and respond to calls in their neighborhoods. Lastly, Suffolk County offers incentives through its SERVE program to volunteer firefighters who attend Suffolk Community College.
