Crime & Safety
Irene Keeps Sayville Fire Department Hopping
Volunteers responded to more than 30 calls during the hurricane.
It may have been chief of the Thomas Pantano's first hurricane, but he wasn't lacking for expertise.
Throughout , Pantano relied on the insights of his crew, which includes a former chief who served during the 1938 "Long Island Expressway" hurricane, and another who served during Hurricane Gloria.
"Having those bacgkrounds were very beneficial to me," Pantano said.
Their main advice - look out for the members. "If the winds are over 50 miles an hour, they said 'we are not responding,'" Pantano said. "I have to take care of my emergency personnel."
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Pantano is no newbie - he's been a member of the Sayville Fire Department for the last 12 years, working his way up through the ranks to become chief of the department this year. And his experience told him to begin getting ready as early as possible.
"We needed to prepare for the worst," Pantano said.
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The fire department began doing so in earnest of Friday. They helped Sayville's Good Samaritan Nursing Home and Good Samaritan Hospital in advance of the storm.
On Saturday, the department's members began a survey of the town, assessing flooding conditions and potential hazards. By that night, about 30 members had assembled at the station to prepare to respond to probems.
And it was good the members were around. The department responded to about 30 calls on Sunday, mostly from residents who noticed hazardous electrical conditions.
According to Pantano, their toughest call came when a resident reported a downed powerline right near a car with a full gas tank. The department stood watch for over an hour before LIPA was able to cut power.
"The wire was bouncing around," he said. "You don't know your surroundings, anything could happen."
Pantano and his crew also handled crowd control at the Sayville Beach, forcing curious residents away from the rough shore line.
The department is still fielding calls this week from residents and businesses. But overall, Pantano said he's satisfied with his crew's work.
"The biggest thing I noticed was the camaraderie of the membership," he said. "I wouldn't change a thing."
