Bellmore Fire Department volunteers were recently honored for their role in extinguishing an out-of-control blaze that erupted on Sunrise Highway after a gasoline tanker crashed in December. more

Our schools, our businesses, our town departments that maintain the roads and infrastructure and the village and county police units that patrol our streets all contribute to the quality of life we enjoy here on the South Shore. more

When John Curley arrived at a raging fire on Nov. 12 last year, he thought he would pull a dead body out of the burning Bellmore home. Curley was with his son, John Curley Jr., on the morning of the blaze, driving a department pickup truck to retrieve a new boiler to replace one that was damaged by Hurricane Sandy for Engine Company No. 2 in south Bellmore. But at 7:39 a.m., when the department got a call about a “house fire with occupant trapped” nearby on Shore Road, the former chief responded. One of the residents, a man in his 60s, told Curley that his 92-year-old mother was trapped in their burning home. Thanks to the firefighter’s resourcefulness and bravery, Bellmore Fire Department officials said, the woman was rescued and survived the blaze. The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York recognized Curley’s efforts by honoring him with the Firefighter of the Year award at its annual convention. more

In spite of scattered storms last weekend, Bellmorites and visitors from across the county enjoyed summer fun at a carnival sponsored by the Bellmore Fire Department. more

Richard Messina, president of the Nassau County Firemen's Association, had one request when he learned that he would be honored at the county Firefighters Parade in his hometown of Bellmore: that “Papa Pete” Schmalenberger Jr. be named the grand marshal. more

Q: My husband is a firefighter who was recently injured on the job while fighting a fire.  He doesn’t think he is entitled to any monetary compensation … more

It’s hard to believe that the wounds inflicted by Hurricane Sandy are now six months old. more

Every community needs police officers, teachers, sanitation workers and elected leaders. But every community also needs volunteers, the people whose contributions mean so much yet so often go unnoticed. more

Amid all the complaints about what did not get done well before, during and after the storm, we shouldn’t forget to thank those who did so much good while the winds raged, and have in the days since. more

I always thought it was cliché to say, “I’ve never seen anything like it,” but in the aftermath of Sandy, I can honestly say that, in my lifetime, I’ve never seen anything like it. more