Fifth Battalion firefighters battle at Tappen Beach

The Glenwood Fire Company hosted the annual Fifth Battalion Parade and Drill on June 15, inviting the community to get a glimpse of the camaraderie and prestige so inherent to local fire departments. The Fifth Battalion consists of 11 departments that protect residents and businesses on the North Shore: Glenwood, Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Locust Valley, East Norwich, Oyster Bay, Atlantic Steamer, Bayville, Syosset, Roslyn Rescue and Roslyn Highlands.
A cloudless sky stretched across scenic Tappen Beach Saturday morning as seven drill teams arrived at the track, ready for action. The competing teams were the Bayville Oak Neckers, the East Norwich Spooks, the Glen Cove Wet Ears, the Locust Valley Chiefs, the Oyster Bay Teddy’s Boys, the Sea Cliff Cell Crushers and the Roslyn Highlanders.
One by one, teams raced down the narrowed track to complete different tasks: footing ladders, connecting hydrants, replacing hoses, adjusting nozzles and hitting targets. The members sprinted with determined speed, sounding back and forth to one another to ensure unflinching efficiency, as if the threat of a blaze was omnipresent.
The teams raced to complete the following drills in the fastest time: Individual Ladder, Three-Man Ladder, Running Ladder, Running Hose, Running Hose Replacement, Efficiency Replacement, Efficiency, Two-into-One, and the Buckets contests. As they worked, onlookers cheered wildly from the stands on the sidelines.
Oyster Bay’s Teddy’s Boys took home first place with 40 points overall, Bayville’s Oak Neckers came in second and Glen Cove’s Wet Ears placed third.