April 2020
Photos by Richard Lewin Professional Photography (soniboy@aol.com)
Well, to say the least, a lot has happened since last month’s edition of the Montauk Fire Department Corner. This month I intended to tell everyone about the Montauk Fire Department’s upcoming proud march behind this year’s Grand Marshal and MFD Member Charlie Morici at this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but, as we are all well aware, this year’s Parade and all the events surrounding it had to be cancelled because of the pandemic. However, I still want to congratulate Charlie from all of us in the Montauk Fire Department family for being selected Grand Marshal. Please enjoy the photograph of Charlie and his late wife Betty, taken in 2014 by Honorary Chief Rich Lewin. On a similar note, I would like to mention with pride that, of the 50+ years of the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, the Montauk Friends of Erin has chosen over twenty of our members to be honored as Grand Marshal.
I am sure all our readers are well aware of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic. This has seriously affected everyone in our normal daily lives. This is also true of the Montauk Fire Department. To this end I would like to take this time to explain to you what precautionary actions the Montauk Fire Department has made to protect our volunteers and the citizens of Montauk, and also to offer a few helpful suggestions and safety precautions.
First and foremost, the Members of the Montauk Fire Department, although volunteers, are considered essential personnel when they are responding to a fire and/or ambulance call for service. What this means is that our response to a citizen’s call for help is not diminished in any way. This information I feel is important to get out to the public to hopefully relieve any anxiety that the public may be experiencing about this issue. Secondly, the actual physical plant of the Montauk Fire Department has been made off limits to all visitors and personnel until further notice, unless they are responding to an alarm. This measure helps in two ways. It will ensure that the Fire District Employees will be in a safe working environment, and that it will keep the area of our apparatus, fire trucks, and ambulances in a sterile state. In this time of COVID-19 the best method I can suggest for staying safe is advice that you have probably already heard, but it doesn’t hurt to hear it again. Please wash/sanitize your hands and counter services thoroughly on a regular basis, avoid crowds, and even in casual encounters when you are out of your house try to keep a safe (six feet is recommended) distance from others.
It is the goal of the Chiefs, Officers and Members of the Montauk Fire Department to stay healthy, so we are in the best position to help others when needed. We urge all our citizens to do their part. Together we will get through this crisis and I believe we will come out of this stronger than ever.
Until next month,
~David Ryan, Chief, Montauk Fire Department
https://www.montaukfiredistrict.org/
