EMFD competes in BBQ cook-off

The East Meadow Fire Department recently sparked up the grill and participated in the 5th Annual Firefighter Cook-Off on June 28, hosted by the Nassau County Firefighters Museum.

Joining the EMFD was the Bethpage and Rockville Centre Fire Departments, as the three units met outside of the Fairway Market in Westbury.

The Independence Day event is aimed to inspire friendly competition between local volunteers, as they cooked up their best hamburgers and ribs under the sun.

Fairway, who sponsored the event, gave each team $100 to purchase their own choice of ribs, burgers, chicken, toppings, spices and other ingredients.

The judges panel featured County Executive Ed Mangano, Angelo Catalano, the board president of the Nassau County Firefighters Museum, Westbury Fire Chief Doug Ingram, Angela Anton of Anton Community Newspapers and Alan Riesenburger, the executive chef of Fairway Market.

In the end, the Rockville Centre and Bethpage Fire Departments finished in a first-place tie, and East Meadow finished as the runner-up. But as the three teams ended the affair by enjoying their delectable burgers and ribs, there were no losers on the day.