16 The Queens Courier •JANUARY 3, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com persons of the year s Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department ‘Guardians of the community’ bY biLLY rennison [email protected] By now, everyone knows the story. More than 120 houses burned to the ground in Breezy Point the night Sandy struck. It was one of the most destructive resi- dential fires in New York City history. Houses were lost, but lives were saved. The Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department (BPVFD), along with the Rockaway Point Volunteer Fire Department and Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department, stand as a major reason no residents died that night as members fought through 10 feet of water to be the first to arrive on the scene of the inferno. But there is another story, a story of the houses saved from fire. The Point Breeze depart- ment went out on a call and saw another house in flames about a half mile from the six-alarm blaze. By that time, most phones were down and no one called in the fire. The firefighters responded to the flames and retirees, or hold down full- staffed 24/7. many individual volunteers focused on repairing their extinguished them. time jobs, have continued Used to helping oth- to gravitate to the area, said own damaged homes. “Had that fire gotten their work in helping the ers, the department has he plans on staying and Those who would like to loose, everything west of close-knit community get received an outpouring of joining the volunteer fire donate can head to point- there would have been back on its feet. support from throughout department. breezefiredepartment.big- gone,” said Marty Ingram, The department has been the country. “They’re great guys,” cartel.com to purchase a fire chief of the BPVFD. helping in any it can: doing “We’ve had a lot of angels Manley said. “Some of the T-shirt with the money going “That would have been electrical work, plumbing, come in,” said Ingram. “We best people in the world toward their rebuilding. another devastation, we gutting houses. have become a universal you can meet.” Members of the depart- would have lost an equal “The service we provide, fire house.” In addition to the repairs ment said the outreach number of homes and we we try to take it a step fur- Firefighters from Chicago, necessary at the fire house, from the community has could have lost the whole ther,” Tim Dufficy, a volun- Miami and Pennsylvania the department is looking been tremendous, but community.” teer with the department for descended on the fire to add a second floor. They Ingram said they were, and Twenty-five volunteers 10 years. house, helping where they will be relying mostly on continue to be, just doing worked the night of Sandy, Many of the all-volunteer can, staying overnight and donations for the work. what they signed up for. helping save those homes crew also had their homes heading out on calls. A Most of the money raised “Our job is to rise up and rescue residents. And damaged by the storm, as truck was donated from for the volunteer depart- from under the storm at the for the two months since was the firehouse. Seven or Pittsburgh and tsunami of ment usually came from the earliest possible time and the storm, the firefighters, eight members of the 50-per- supplies poured in. Breezy community, largely reserve our roles as guard- who are college students, son crew are sleeping at the Edward Manley, from displaced now, while those ians of the community,” firehouse, which is now Florida and one of the who have remained are said Ingram. PARKER WEATHERS THE STORM Throughout Sandy and its aftermath, the residents, also responded to requests for assistance in medical transportation division, Lakeville Ambulette patients and staff of the Parker Jewish Institute for areas of New York City and Nassau County, Transportation, LLC, and its staff provided key Health Care and Rehabilitation remained safe and and cared for evacuees from Brooklyn’s Shore assistance to many displaced by the storm. comfortable, and programs and services went on View Nursing Home, Far Rockaway’s St. John’s Additionally, Parker’s gift shop became an as scheduled. Episcopal Hospital and Long Beach’s Komanoff official Community Voting Center to facili- “The dedication of Parker’s staff, combined Center for Geriatric and Rehabilitation Medicine. tate voting for the November presidential with years of careful emergency planning and Aside from patient care, Parker also published elections, not only for its own residents and preparedness drills empowered Parker, liter- and disseminated regular information bulletins and patients, but also for evacuees who were being ally, to weather the storm,” said Michael N. established a 24-hour hotline to update the sur- cared for at Parker, and for community resi- Rosenblut, President and CEO. rounding communities on services related to the dents whose polling locations were impacted Outside of the New Hyde Park facility, Parker storm. Also, similar to Hurricane Irene, Parker’s by the storm.
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