Welcome to Islip Fire Department

Apparatus :

Islip Fire Department, Islip, New York

by Tom Kaminski

Click here to download a printable version of our apparatus

The Hamlet of Islip is located in the Town of Islip, in central Suffolk County approximately 50 miles east of New York City. Fire protection is provided by the Islip Fire Department, which celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2006. The Department serves a population of around 17,000 and covers a 7.5 square mile response area, which includes 6,500 private homes 200 commercial businesses, five schools, nine garden apartment complexes, a trailer park, and six boat yards. Also located within the fire district's historic "Main Street" area are several buildings that house Islip Town government offices along with the Town Hall. The district is crossed by two major east/west highways that move more than 125,000 vehicles daily and a commuter and freight rail link and includes five miles of shore line along the Great South Bay. The department annually handles an average of 1,650 alarms that comprise 550 fires and emergencies and 1,100 EMS or "rescue" calls.

History

The Department traces its history to 1881 when the Islip Fire Brigade and the Hook & Ladder Company were incorporated. The Hook & Ladder Company had actually been formed in 1880 and took delivery of its first piece of apparatus on May 31, 1880. In 1885, the Brigade was reorganized when Alert Hose Company No. 1 and Protector Engine Company No.1 were created. On April 3, 1888, the Fire Brigade, Engine and Hose Companies were organized as the Islip Fire Department. Its newest company joined the ranks in 1924 with the formation of the Fire Patrol Company. An Emergency-Rescue Squad was added in 1941 and the most recent change to the organizational structure occurred in 1998 with the formation of the Tactical Rescue Team.

Engine 3-4-2 on the ramp in front of the Islip Fire Department historic Headquarters building. Although it has been renovated and extended several times, headquarters was erected in 1912.
(Tom Kaminski)

The Islip Fire Department and its early motorized apparatus as seen in front of the current headquarters building during 1926.
(Islip Fire Department)

The Islip Fire Department?s Maintenance and Training Building houses the Tactical Rescue Team?s heavy rescue truck and its equipment. A second bay is used by the district mechanic.
(Tom Kaminski)

Known as the North House, Station No. 2 houses two engines, a tower ladder, fire police truck and one ambulance.
(Tom Kaminski)

Facilities

The Islip Fire District is protected by two fire houses including Headquarters, which is located just south of Main Street on Monell Avenue and Station No. 2, which sits on Commack Road at the north end of town. Better known as "the North House", it was built in 1971 and extended in 1996. The Headquarters complex includes the "Main House", the Maintenance and Training Building and a two-story prefabricated storage building that includes three vehicle bays. The Headquarters building, which was completed in 1912 and extended in 1958, houses two Class A pumpers, a City Service ladder truck, a Fire Police unit, and an Ambulance. Although assigned to Headquarters the Heavy Rescue truck operates from the maintenance and training building, which houses much of the Tactical Rescue Team's equipment. Station Two supports a pair of Class A pumpers, a Tower Ladder, an Ambulance and a Fire Police truck. Approximately 120 firefighters are assigned to the four companies and all are volunteers.

Tower Ladder 3-4-11 is operated by Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 which was formed in 1881. The truck entered service in 1998 and is one of five pieces of line apparatus assigned to Station No. 2.
(Tom Kaminski)

Rescue Squad and the Tactical Rescue Team. Department operations are unique in that each of the four line companies maintains two pieces of apparatus with one assigned to each of the two fire houses.

Companies and Apparatus

Hook & Ladder Company No. 1's apparatus includes a 1975 Saulsbury/Ford 8000 "City Service" ladder truck that is designated as 3-4- 5 and operates from Fire Headquarters. Now the oldest vehicle in the Islip Fire Department fleet, it was refurbished extensively in the summer of 2000. It carries a full complement of ground ladders, exhaust fans, and is referred to as a "rolling tool box". A 75-foot LTI/Spartan mid-mount Tower Ladder, which is mounted on a Gladiator chassis was delivered in November 1998 and entered service in February 1999. It also carries ground ladders, and is equipped with a 7 kilowatt generator. Additionally it carries a Hurst Tool and serves as a backup, should the Heavy Rescue Truck be out of service or when an additional tool is required. Designated as 3-4-11, it replaced a 100-foot Grumman AerialCat rearmount tower ladder that had been delivered in 1985, and is assigned to Station No. 2.

Engine Company No. 1, which is nicknamed"Alert Hose", was known as Alert Hose Company No. 1 until 1936. It operates a 2007 Pierce Dash Series pumper that is equipped with a 1,500 gpm Waterous pump and a 500 gallon booster tank. The engine is the first to wear a red and black paint scheme. Assigned to Headquarters, it is designated as Engine 3-4-1. The company also operates a 2000 Pierce Quantum Series pumper that is designated as 3-4-9. It operates from Station No. 2 and is equipped with seating for ten in the crew cab, a 1,750 gpm Waterous pump and a 500 gallon booster tank and carries 1,600 feet of three-inch.

Delivered in 1976, Truck 3-4-5 is the oldest piece of apparatus in the Islip fleet. Assigned to Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 the truck was built by Saulsbury on a 1975 Ford 8000 chassis.
(Tom Kaminski)

Truck 3-4-11, which entered service in 1998, features a 75 foot LTI tower ladder that is mounted on a Spartan Gladiator chassis. The rig is assigned to Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 and operates from Station No. 2.
(Tom Kaminski)

Engine 3-4-1 was built by Pierce Manufacturing on a 2007 Dash series chassis. It is assigned to Engine Company No. 1 and operates from Headquarters.
(Tom Kaminski)

A pair of 2007 Pierce Dash pumpers were delivered to the Islip Fire Department in June 2007. The engines, which are identical except for their paint schemes, will replace a pair of Emergency One/Mack engines that entered service in 1990. The engines will respectively be designated as 3-4-7 (left) and 3-4-1 (right) and will be assigned to Engine Company No. 2 and Engine Company No. 1.
(Tom Kaminski)

supply line. Until the Quantum was delivered the Department had exclusively operated Mack engines for 30 years. Although it was originally delivered with hydraulically driven hose reels; the engine was retrofitted in 2005 when the Department revised its operating procedures. The company recently took delivery of a 2007 Pierce Dash series engine, which will replace 3-4-1 from August 2007. It features seating for eight in the crew cab, a 1,500 gpm Waterous pump and a 500- gallon booster tank. Originally known as Protector Engine Company No. 1, Engine Company No. 2 was renamed several times before assuming its current title on October 9, 1926. The company continues to carry the nickname "Protector Hose".

Delivered Engine Company No. 1 in 2000 3-4-9 was the first Pierce engine to enter service with Islip. The Quantum features a ten-man cab and a 1,750 gpm pump and is assigned to Station No. 2.
(Tom Kaminski)

Apparatus currently assigned to the company includes a 2004 Pierce Lance Series pumper that is designated as 3-4- 2. It operates from Fire Headquarters and is equipped with seating for ten in its crew cab, a 1,750 gpm Waterous pump, a 500 gallon booster tank and 1,600 feet of three-inch supply line. It also features a 7.6 kilowatt generator. Like Engine 3-4-9 it was delivered with hydraulically operated reels that were removed in 2005. In November 2007, the company placed a 2007 Pierce Dash Series pumper in service. It is assigned to Station No. 2 and designated as 3-4- 7, and is a twin of Engine 3-4-1. The twins, which feature eight man crew cabs replaced Islip's last Mack engines.

Organized in 1928 as the Fire Patrol Company, Fire Police Company No. 1 went through several name changes before it assumed its current identity on December 2, 1964. The apparatus currently assigned to the company includes a 1994 Emergency One/Ford F450 utility truck that is designated as 3-4-10 and operates from Fire Headquarters. The vehicle is also designated as the primary tow vehicle for the Tactical Rescue Team's Collapse, Hazardous Material and boat trailers. A 2002 Pierce Saber Fire Police Truck is assigned to Station No. 2 and designated as 3-4-8. The truck is equipped with a generator for lights and an air compressor and cascade system used to refill Scott air and/or Scuba bottles. In additional to portable lights, it is also equipped with a 25 foot light tower and a 15-ton winch.

Although it was organized on April 1, 1941 the Emergency Rescue Squad did not actually operate an ambulance until January 1949 when a 3/4-ton Chevrolet panel truck was delivered to the Department. Currently the Rescue Squad operates a pair of 1997 Braun/Ford E350 Super Duty modular ambulances. Designated as 3-4-3 and 3-4-6, the units are generally assigned to Station No. 2 and Headquarters respectively but are often rotated in order to average out their usage. Both vehicles were placed in service in March 1988.

Assigned to Engine Company No. 2, Engine 3-4-7 features a 1,500 gpm Waterous pump. The pumper, which operates from Station No. 2, was built by Pierce Manufacturing on a 2007 Dash series chassis.
(Tom Kaminski)

Engine 3-4-2 entered service in 2003. Built by Pierce, the Lance operates from Headquarters and is assigned to Engine Company No. 2.
(Tom Kaminski)

Truck 3-4-10 is operated by Fire Police Company No. 1 as a utility vehicle. Built by Emergency One on a 1994 Ford F450 chassis the truck is assigned to Fire Police Company No. 1 and operates from Headquarters.
(Tom Kaminski)

Built on a 2002 Pierce Saber chassis, Truck 3-4-8 operates from Station No. 2 and is assigned to Fire Police Company No. 1.
(Tom Kaminski)

A pair of Braun ambulances entered service in March 1988 as units 3-4-3 and 3-4-6. Built on Ford E350 chassis the vehicles are operated by the Rescue Squad and one is stationed in each fire house.
(Tom Kaminski)

A 23 foot Zodiac Hurricane rigid hull inflatable is assigned to water rescue duties and for firefighting and is designated as Unit 3-4-26.
(Tom Kaminski)

Islip's Tactical Rescue Team was formed in 1998 when the former Rope Rescue and Scuba/Water Rescue Teams were combined. At that time the team also assumed responsibility for all heavy rescue emergencies, which had previously been handled by the Rescue Squad. When it was formed, the team was equipped with a vintage 1977 GMC Step Van, which carried the Scuba gear and a converted 1987 Chevrolet/P&L ambulance/heavy rescue truck that carried the vehicle extrication and confined space/high angle equipment. The latter had previously served the Rescue Squad.

When placed in service in March 1998 the team's Pierce Quantum Heavy Rescue Truck was outfitted to carry the extrication, scuba, confined space and high angle equipment enabling the team to put all of its tools on a single rig. The Quantum is also equipped with a generator, an air compressor, 25 foot light tower and a 15-ton winch and is configured with a command center between the cab and the box. A secondary portable generator and air compress or are also carried.

Additional tools, lumber and equipment required for collapse emergencies is carried on a cargo trailer that was placed in service in 1999. Early in 2002 the team became the first volunteers in Suffolk County to be certified in the use of chemical protective clothing (CPC).

During 2003, the Islip Fire Department assumed the responsibility for one of several CPC trailers deployed by the Suffolk County Department of Fire Rescue & Emergency Services (FRES). The apparatus currently assigned to the Tactical Rescue Team includes the Quantum, which is designated as 3-4- 14 and a 1996 23-foot, Zodiac Hurricane rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB). Designated as unit 3-4-26 the boat is powered by a pair of 90 hp Mercury outboard engines and equipped with a firefighting pump. A smaller 14 foot Starcraft aluminum boat is also assigned as unit 3-4-25. During the boating season unit 3-4-26 is kept in the water at a Town of Islip dock on Raymond Street.

Support Equipment

Support apparatus includes a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban (3-4-21), a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe (3-4-20), and a 2007 Ford Expedition (3-4-21) which are all operated as Chief's vehicles, a 1991 Ford E350 passenger bus (3-4-18), a 1995 Ford E350 panel van (3-4-4), 1992 Ford E350 (3-4-16) and 2004 Chevrolet 3500 passenger vans (3-4- 17).

Additionally a 2000 Ford Excursion (3-4-23) serves as a spare Chief's vehicle. The Islip Fire District operates a 1993 Ford F250 pickup truck, a 1995 Ford F450 Super Duty Utility truck (3- 4-13), a 2002 Pierce/Kenworth Tractor (3-4-15), a 1998 Ford Expedition (3-4- 22) and a 1999 Ford E350 passenger van (3-4-19).

Fire Prevention

A Surrey Fire Safety House Trailer, which is designated as unit 3- 4-28 is regularly brought to schools, churches and civic events where it is used to instruct children on the importance of fire safety.

Heavy Rescue Truck 3-4-14 was the first Pierce purchased by the Islip Fire District and entered service in March 1988. Built on a Quantum chassis the rig is assigned to the Tactical Rescue Team.
(Tom Kaminski)

Unit 3-4-21 is a 2007 ford Expedition and is assigned to the department's 2nd Assistant Chief.
(Tom Kaminski)

Designated as Unit 3-4-28 this Fire Safety Training trailer is used by the Fire Prevention Bureau as an instructional device that teaches young children how to deal with emergencies.
(Tom Kaminski)

Engine Company No. 2's apparatus includes a pair of Pierce pumpers including Engine 3-4-7 a 2007 Dash series (right) and Engine 3-4-2 (left) a 2003 Lance.
(Tom Kaminski)

Although Islip operates two Pierce Quantums, Engine 3-4-9 is the only pumper in the fleet. The second Quantum is a heavy rescue truck operated by the Tactical Rescue Team.
(Tom Kaminski)

"Proudly serving our community for over 126 Years"