Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island are home to an impressive 2.7 million people. These two counties are home to a total of 181 fire departments, each of which is governed by an elected board of five commissioners. The fire department of each district is made up of one or more fire companies, which are led by a chief and one or more deputy chiefs. The commissioners of each district are authorized to create rules and regulations that govern all fire companies and the fire department. In some of the more populated districts, there may be a small force of paid firefighters.
Every fire district must also have a treasurer and a secretary. Robins Island is an island located in Peconic Bay between the towns of the north and south of eastern Suffolk County. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for protecting all county property, such as county government office buildings and Suffolk County Community College campuses. Fire districts are political subdivisions within the state of New York that function as municipalities, regardless of the cities in which they reside. Suffolk County was part of the Connecticut colony before becoming an original county in the province of New York, one of twelve created in 1683. The most important responsibility of the Board of Fire Commissioners is to provide fire and emergency protection within the fire district. The Hauppauge Fire District and the Hauppauge Fire Department are proud to sponsor Explorers Post 660. State University police have jurisdiction in Suffolk County, Stony Brook University, and Farmingdale State College.
This new equipment will be used for everything from small construction projects on the District's grounds to helping remove snow. The Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Company response district also surrounds the Wading River Fire District and operates in parts of the Riverhead and Manorville Fire District within the city of Riverhead. The fact that Suffolk remains number one in agriculture, despite the development that has taken place, is a testament to careful planning, along with excellent land, favorable weather conditions, and hardworking farmers in this region. Suffolk County occupies the central and eastern part of Long Island, in the far east of New York State. Police services in the five western cities (Babylon, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown and Brookhaven) are provided primarily by the Suffolk County Police Department. Suffolk County has the highest number of lighthouses of all counties in the United States, with 15 of its original 26 lighthouses still standing. A fire district is a district corporation in the state that is distinct from any municipalities it may be located within.
Special rules apply to the selection of commissioners for a newly established or consolidated fire district.
