Greenlawn Firefighters, Including Pet Savior, Earn Proclamations

Huntington NY

12 August, 2021

2:46 PM

Description

HUNTINGTON, NY — The Greenlawn Fire Department received proclamations at the Huntington Town Board meeting on Wednesday afternoon. An assistant chief earned a special proclamation for saving a family's pets from a burning home in Greenlawn on July 26, according to a news release from Councilman Mark A. Cuthbertson's Office. The Greenlawn Fire Department responded to three serious fires, marking what Cuthbertson's office referred to as the department's busiest month in its 118-year history. July 1 at 12:30 a.m.: The department responded to a very serious working house fire that was in an attached garage and was fed by a ruptured gas line; they brought the fire under control in 45 minutes preventing the house from being completely destroyed.July 10 at 8:45 p.m.: The department responded to a structure fire, 40 volunteer firefighters were able to control and contain the fire to the second floor in 30 minutes.July 26 at 10:45 p.m.: The department responded to a Greenlawn home's basement fire, and the conditions were extremely difficult, as numerous factors hindered the responders' ability to reach where the fire started. After five hours and the assistance of 14 volunteer fire departments and two volunteer ambulance corps, they were finally able to get the fire under control.Cuthbertson invited Roy Gross, chief of department of the Suffolk County SPCA, to congratulate 2nd Assistant Chief Joe Pace: the first firefighter to arrive at the Greenlawn house fire on July 26. Pace didn't think twice when he heard the family dog and cat were still inside the burning house. He risked his own life, running into the thick smoke, to rescue the family's pets from certain death. "It takes genuine courage to enter a burning house risking his life to save a dog & cat that certainly would have perished without the heroic efforts of Firefighter Joe Pace," Gross stated. Pace exemplified true heroism that day, Cuthbertson said. Cuthbertson and the town board also presented Pace with a proclamation for his heroic actions. "We rely on brave firefighters, day and night, to stop what they are doing at a moment's notice to protect our residents," Cuthbertson stated. "I cannot thank the Greenlawn Fire Department and all the first responders enough for keeping our community safe every day." Councilman Eugene Cook continued the presentation by presenting proclamations to the following volunteer fire departments for their assistance at the July 26 fire: Centerport Fire Department, Commack Fire Department, Cold Spring Harbor Fire Department, Deer Park Fire Department, Dix Hills Fire Department, Eatons Neck Fire Department, East Northport Fire Department, Halesite Fire Department, Huntington Fire Department, Huntington Manor Fire Department, Kings Park Fire Department, Melville Fire Department, Northport Fire Department, Syosset Fire Department, Huntington Community First Aid Squad and Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corp. "Huntington's first responders are a unique breed of people who not only risk their lives to protect ours, but they sacrifice time with their families to protect our families," Cook said. "Our volunteer firemen and ambulance corps are an asset to our community. They deserve to be recognized today for not only for their efforts in fighting this grueling fire on such a hot and humid day, but every day for the stories that don't make the newspapers; as all their calls affect all Huntington families. I personally want to let each and every one of them know that I appreciate their hard work and dedication to our community."