Suffolk County, New York is a bustling area with a population of 1,497,595 people spread across 912 square miles. It is home to a total of 228 fire departments, one of which is the Port Washington Fire Department. This department is one of the largest and busiest volunteer fire departments in the state and has strategically located fire stations throughout the district to ensure adequate response times. The Port Washington Fire Department is a private, not-for-profit corporation that provides contracted public safety services to the area known as the Port Washington Fire Protection District.
Their mission is to prevent the loss of life and property. Once alerted, members respond to the district's different fire stations to control the device and respond. In addition to responding to firefighting requests, Suffolk County fire departments are also responsible for medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, rescue calls, and motor vehicle accidents. By dialing 911, the Port Washington Fire Department will respond; however, it is recommended that all residents of the Port Washington Fire Protection District call 742-3300 whenever they need to report a fire or request an emergency ambulance. In New York, Suffolk County ranks 55th out of 62 counties in terms of fire departments per capita and ninth of 62 counties in fire departments per square mile. This means that Suffolk County has an adequate number of volunteer firefighters to serve its population.
