Season Starts for B-BP Junior Drill Team

The Bayport-Blue Point Mighty Midgets, one of New York's junior fire department drill teams, kicked off their season last Sunday at Lindenhurst Fire Department.

Bayport and Blue Point teams merged to become a superteam with hopes of bringing home the big trophies. This summer marks the start of the group's third season as a joint team.

The Mighty Midgets are comprised of approximately 45 girls and boys, ages 8 to 17 from the area. They practice at Blue Point Fire Department twice a week and compete seven times throughout the months of June and July with different fire departments across Long Island, including Hagerman Fire Department and Central Islip Fire Department.

Competition events incorporate the general fire department knowledge and physical demands that anyone looking to join a fire department would need to know: Blue Point will accept volunteers age 18 and above. Events include climbing ladders, assembling and disassembling hoses and shooting targets with hose water by using a cart or by foot. 

"It gives them the structure on how things are done in the fire service," said Bob Dasch, who c0-directs the team on the Bayport side. 

For co-director Tom Nicholson, from the Blue Point side, the benefit of the junior drill team is getting the youth involved.

"This brings the brotherhood together earlier in life," Nicholson said of the fire service.

Nicholson allows the opportunity for any junior to join the team, regardless of physical ability. 

"I'm not really good at other sports, so this is my calling," said 16-year-old captain Ryan Klimar, who joined the Mighty Midgets at 8-years-old.

Nicholson too was a member early in life, as were all of his children, currently from 7-years-old to 27. "I'll probably be out there with a cane doing this," Nicholson said. 

The Mighty Midgets do not have a website, but inquiries about the team can be made to the Blue Point Fire Department at (631) 363-6310.