The Islip Fire Department's Engine 3-4-7 shares space with the Gabreski Airport Fire Department's own Engine 7.
Despite the Gabreski Airport Fire Department's attempt to camouflage Engine 3-4-7, the intrepid Islip crew was able to track down their rig.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
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On May 13, while visiting the 106th Rescue Wing facilities at Gabreski Airport, in Westhampton Beach, the Islip Fire Department fell victim to a hijacking. Several members of the Engine Company No. 2 had traveled to the facility aboard Engine 3-4-7, to welcome Firefighter Matt Infante home from a five-month deployment to Afghanistan. Matt is a member of the Engine Company No. 2, a flight engineer with 106th and a New York City firefighter. Although the operator had left his engine in the relative safety of the Gabreski Airport Fire Department’s parking lot, the crew returned to find that their beloved Pierce Dash pumper had been stolen. Following a brief search, the crew discovered that the engine had in fact been hijacked by the Gabreski Airport Fire Department, who had in fact tried to hide it amongst their own apparatus. After some fast talking by Captain Joe Ferrari and a promise by the operator that he would never leave his engine in a “no parking” zone again, 3-4-7 was returned to the Islip crew.
