Meet your new fire chief

Longtime firefighter James Kane is sworn in

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James Kane spoke with passion as he recounted the proudest moments of his life — when he married his wife, Heather, 19 years ago; the birth of their two children, Nicole and Joseph; and April 12, when he was sworn in as the 66th chief in the East Meadow Fire Department’s 85-year history.

Looking back, there was little doubt that Kane, 46, who moved to East Meadow in 1980 after growing up in Salisbury, would eventually reach this point. His interest in fire service dates back to his childhood, when he recalls following East Meadow fire trucks to house fires on his bike to watch firefighters at work.

At 14 he joined the EMFD’s junior fire company, and four years later, in October 1987, just months after he graduated from East Meadow High School, he became an official member of the department.

“It’s been a passion,” Kane said of his 30-plus years of service. “There are a great group of guys and gals in this department that keep the wheels turning every day.”

Over the years, he has been devoted to educating the community about fire safety. He has been a member of the department’s Fire Prevention Committee for 18 years — 15 as chairman. He regularly visits local schools, senior homes and Boy and Girl Scout meetings to talk about fire safety. “If everyone takes one thing out of what we do,” Kane said, “then we achieved our goal.”

About 15 years ago, he co-founded the department’s Fire Prevention Open House at its station headquarters on East Meadow Avenue, which is attended by hundreds of residents every October. The event, he said, helps lessen the disconnect that can sometimes form between a fire department and its community, and also serves to remind residents that volunteers are their neighbors, too.

Understanding fire safety, Kane said, is the first step in protecting yourself. He stresses the importance of not only having working smoke and carbon dioxide detectors, but remembering to replace them every five years, and changing the batteries annually. “That may be all the time you need to save your life,” he said.

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