The
family, the Orient community, and the Orient fire Department
lost a happy and gentle man, Roger Vallance Tabor. Roger joined
the Orient Fire Department in 1951. He was a life member and
served 57 years. He was Chief from 1968 - 1970 and Fire
Commissioner for 15 years. He was a member of the North Fork
Volunteer Firemen's Association from 1952 to 2007.
He will be remembered always and sorely missed.
Fire News Photos by Myron W. Goldstein
RICHARD ECKERT
WANTAGH FIREFIGHTER
Richard Eckert, 54, a
twenty-nine- year member of the Wantagh Fire Department, died
unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 2, 2008. Rescue personnel tried
in vain to revive him in his home, after they were notified at
about 10:30 a.m.
Richie was born and raised in Rockville Center and met his wife
of 34 years, Jane, at a local basketball game. They were
teenagers at the time, married, and moved to Wantagh in 1960,
where he obtained employment with Verizon.
On March 26, 1979, Richie joined the Wantagh Fire Department and
was assigned to Engine 1. He remained there, and when Engine 1
and Engine 8 were combined, he continued his firefighting career
with Engine 1/8.
He was very active with the fire department, chairing the Fire
Prevention Committee. Many local children had the privilege of
his expertise as the Smoke House Trailer was brought to local
schools and Firefighter Eckert taught them what to do in the
event of fire.
When ambulance calls were received, it was almost a given that
“Rescue Richie,” (an affectionate honor bestowed upon him by
other firefighters) that he would arrive to drive Rescue 1 to
the call. The dedication of his 29 years of service to the
community was his legacy and the two “Unit Citations” (Bunker
Ave. Fire 1987 and Seaford Propane Incident 1989) he received
were just a small part of his time in the Wantagh Fire
Department.
Mr. Eckert was waked at the at the Bartholomew Funeral Home in
Bellmore with a Firematic Service held Monday evening, July 7,
with fire department honors.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Tuesday morning, July 8, at
Saint William the Abbott R.C. Church in Seaford with interment
in Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
He is survived by his wife Jane and three sons: Shawn, 31, a
firefighter on Engine 1/8, Michael, 28 and Keith 25. It was
requested by the family that in lieu of flowers a donation be
made in his name to the Nassau County Burn Center of Nassau
University Medical Center.
It was what Richie wanted, and he will be missed.
Provided by Harry Loud
In Memory of Ex-Chief Joseph
Rosina
Brentwood Fire Department
Ex-Chief
Joseph Rosina was sworn into the Brentwood Fire Department in
May, 1960, and became a member of Pines Engine Company 2. In
April of 1963 he became Lieutenant of Pines Engine Company 2 and
became Captain in April of 1966.
He joined the Wanderers Band shortly after he joined the
Department and was the Band Master when the Wanderers Band won
the State Championship in 1970.
In 1968, he was appointed by Ex-Chief William Feeley as the
Department’s first Third Assistant Chief. Ex-Chief Rosina became
the Chief of the Brentwood Fire Department from 1972 – 1974.
He then joined Ames-Elliot Engine Company 3 in July 1980 and
became their Captain from 1993 – 1995 and then again from 2000 –
2002. He also held the position of Company Trustee from 1982
-1983 and 1986 – 1992.
Ex-Chief Joe Rosina was a Suffolk County Parade Official for
over 30 years. He was also a member of the Suffolk County Fire
Chiefs’ Association, the Town of Islip Fire Chiefs’ Council, and
the Islip Town Volunteer Firemen’s Association.
Submitted by Liz Vogel
Robert E. Chiuchiolo,
Patchogue Fire Department
It
is with the deepest regret that the Patchogue Fire Department
has announced the passing of: Robert E. Chiuchiolo, Sr.
Bob was a forty-nine-year member of the Patchogue Fire
Department as well as an Ex-Captain of Engine Company No. 1. Bob
was also the Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners of the
Patchogue Fire District when he passed away early in July after
losing a battle with cancer.
-Fire News photos by Dennis Whittam
Rico Torres, Middle Island EMT
Rico
Torres, an EMT with the Middle Island Fire Department, died
suddenly after suffering from an apparent heart attack on July
4, 2008. A member of the Middle Island Fire Department for four
years, he was 37 years old.
Torres
is survived by his wife Michelle, and two sons. The department
is selling memorial shirts to raise funds for the family.
After a
firematic service at the Giove Funeral Home in Middle Island on
July 8, 2008, burial took place at the Washington Memorial Park
on July 9.
-Fire News photos by Dennis Whittam
FDNY - Fireman Martin Simmons,
Ladder 111
A beloved Brooklyn firefighter drowned in frigid Lake Tahoe
during a desperate attempt to save his 10-year-old son, who was
fighting to stay afloat in the choppy waters after suffering a
leg cramp.
Martin Simmons, 41, a 17-year-veteran out of
Bedford-Stuyvesant's Ladder Co. 111, was lost in the murky
waters before rescuers could reach him.
His exhausted brother-in-law had also jumped in to help, and was
barely treading water as he gripped the child, who had lost
consciousness, witnesses said. Both were rescued, and the boy
had to be resuscitated. "It was the biggest waves I've ever seen
on the lake," said area resident Anthony Battezzato, 18, who
helped bring the survivors to shore. Monday's tragedy came two
weeks into Simmons' long-anticipated vacation to spend time with
his wife, Judi's, relatives in Nevada. "He was so excited about
the trip," Ladder 111 Capt. Steve Berube said of the doting
father of three sons. "This is extremely difficult for us." The
family had been cruising on a 20-foot boat when they stopped for
a swim. The boy, Kevin, jumped into the water, where the
temperature below the surface was about 52 degrees, just after
4:00 p.m. and quickly cramped up. "All we could see was a man
and a boy in the water," Battezzato said. "People on the boat
started screaming, 'Help! Help!" Kevin was "motionless" and "his
uncle was dead tired," the teen said. "We didn't know until 15
minutes after that there was another person down." Simmons' body
was flown to JFK yesterday. "I loved him. He will be missed,"
said firefighter Joe Honan, a 15-year colleague. Simmons, who
lived in Nesconset, LI, lost five firehouse colleagues on 9/11,
and served as the master of ceremonies during each anniversary.
He coached his sons' baseball teams and "lived for those boys,"
Berube said.
-Reprinted from Firehouse.com
