Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department

Story

The Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1910. The original fire department had an operating charter for about 15 years. Currently, the Point Breeze Fire Department is the only volunteer fire department to receive a charter from New York City as a fire department in the last 88 years. This was done on Mayor Abraham Beam's last day in office in 1976. The first firehouse was on Hillcrest Walk near Point Breeze Avenue, facing the bay. It was a wooden structure built above the sand so that storage space was provided underneath. It contained two hose reels and a large mounted CO2 extinguisher, all of which had to be pulled manually by the members to the scene of a fire. An alarm for a fire could be sent out by anyone. Several hand-cranked sirens were located on the beach. There was a large bell tower next to the firehouse. In the event of a fire a member would strike the bell several times with a mallet. The volunteers were each given a whistle to alert people of a fire by blowing it three times. This was the first use of three blasts for a fire. Once the members assembled, the hose was pulled to an outlet. The first hydrants were two-inch standpipe to which the hoses were attached. This was a shaky operation at best because the problem of little or no water pressure. Some of these stand pipes can still be seen on areas of the beach. At the beginning of the summer, large water-can fire extinguishers were placed in wooden boxes attached to poles in strategic areas. They were taken in and stored in the firehouse at the end of the summer and serviced the next spring. It should be noted that the fire department only operated in the summer months, as Breezy Point was only a seasonal community at that time. In 1926 the first hydrants were put into operation. There were seven of them around the beach. By the early 1940's the standpipes, which had been obsolete for some time, were taken out of service. The water flow on the beach was gradually increased over the years. In 1938 a wooded firehouse was built at 32 Point Breeze Avenue. It remained the fire dept quarters until 1975. Over the years the fire dept has had an interesting array of fire apparatus. As previously stated, hand carts were used to pull hose to the scene of a fire in the early operating years. This was a very difficult task. The department purchased a Cadillac and a LaSalle Hurst from which the backs were removed and flatbeds installed. The first actual fire engine was a 1925 Mack, which arrived on the beach in 1948. This was a chain driven vehicle, which could not operate in the sand and remained in service until 1958. The "Sand Flea I" was a converted World War II weapons carrier. The members of the department bought it for $750 in 1952. This small fire truck remained in service until 1964. In 1958 a 1941 Mack was purchased to replace the 1925 Mack. This truck, a favorite among the older members because of its very savvy appearance, remained in service until 1967, when it was sold to West Hamilton Beach Fire Department. Sand Flea II was the first fire apparatus purchased new in Breezy Point, arriving in 1964. Its small size and maneuverability in the sand made it the workhorse of the department until finally put out of service in late 1984. While plans were under way for a large custom made truck in the late sixties a 1947 Ford was pressed into action as an interim truck. It remained for just two years, until "Big Jack" arrived in 1970. The Big Jack, a 1969 GMC, was by far the most complete and flexible piece of fire apparatus on the beach. In 1984 the "Sand Flea III" arrived. This truck brought with it many new advances in firefighting equipment. It has a 1000-gallon per minute pump and 1000 feet of 5-inch supply line. This, along with a 20-inch water supply pipe and 144 hydrants affords the residents of Breezy Point, Rockaway Point, and Roxbury an excellent fire protection system. In April of 1993 the Big Jack was taken out of service after twenty-three years of service. As an interim replacement, while a new apparatus was being built, the department received a 1979 GMC from Melville Fire Department. This rig operated strictly as a truck company because it did not have a fire pump. In October of 1994 Point Breeze received its newest piece of apparatus, 1994 International Truck built by KME. It is equipped with a 750-gallon per minute pump. Today, the Point Breeze Fire department, which began full-time year round operation in 1959, responds to 100-125 calls a year. There are a variety of emergencies such as brush, car, structure fires, car accidents, floods, storm related accidents, sparking, and downed wires, boats in distress, and blackouts. Over the years there has been 33 chiefs and over a 1000 members. The large firehouse which is now 28 years old, and current roster of about 75, suit all of the needs of a modern fire department.