Thursday, October 1, 2026
For Tim Neri, service has been a part of life since he was young — first through Scouting, then as a junior firefighter and now alongside his father in the Lynbrook Fire Department.
The Lynbrook resident, 18, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in Scouting, after more than a decade of working his way through the program. The Lynbrook Village Board of Trustees and Mayor Alan Beach recognized him for the achievement at Village Hall on Aug. 20.
But reaching Eagle Scout has been only one milestone in a year filled with significant first-time accomplishments for Neri. Shortly after turning 18, he joined Rescue Hook, Ladder and Bucket Company No. 1, commonly known as Truck Company, following in the footsteps of his father, Dan Neri, an 18-year member of the company.
“It is a blast being in the same company as him, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Tim Neri said.
He began Scouting at age 5 as a Cub Scout and later joined Boy Scout Troop 336 in Lynbrook, based at St. James United Methodist Church, also in Lynbrook. He said the significance of becoming an Eagle Scout, along with the lessons he gained along the way, kept him motivated throughout the years.
Earning the Eagle Scout rank requires Scouts to complete a community service project, which they are responsible for planning and carrying out.
“Achieving the rank of Eagle Scout not only gives you the title, but also makes you a brighter, more intelligent, and more prepared individual,” he said.
For his Eagle Scout project, which he began in February, he decided to give back to the church that has long provided a home for his troop. An upstairs Sunday school meeting room at St. James had sustained water damage years earlier, leaving its walls and ceiling in need of repair.
Tim Neri organized the work to clean and repair the damaged walls and ceiling before repainting the room.
“St. James is very generous to our troop, and I thought it would be nice to repay them by helping them out with a major project,” he said.
The project also taught him a lesson in leadership, and he said one of his biggest challenges was resisting the temptation to handle every part of the work by himself.
“It’s very easy to try and do your whole project yourself,” he said, “so sometimes I found myself having to take a step back and accept help from people who offered it.”
Those lessons also carried over to the Lynbrook Junior Fire Department, which he joined at age 13, eventually rising to captain. A week after his 18th birthday, he became eligible to follow his father into Truck Company.
While Tim Neri grew up around the firehouse, his father took a much different path into fire service. Dan Neri joined Truck Company about 18 years ago after meeting department members at a Lynbrook Little League event. Although he had never previously been interested in the fire department, he said its camaraderie and commitment to the community quickly drew him in.
Dan Neri served as company secretary for 10 years and has been treasurer for the last four years. He also has chaired Truck Company’s annual golf outing for the past six years, including this year’s event, served on numerous company and department committees and worked as a department photographer and public information officer.
“To be part of a company and department of such amazing people who selflessly dedicate themselves to serving our community is such an honor,” Dan Neri said.
For years, he watched other fathers and sons serve together and hoped he might one day have that same experience.
“I’m so excited to share that with Timothy,” he said. “He’s done so great in the three months he’s been a member and was the No. 1 call percentage member his first month in.”
That meant Tim responded to the highest percentage of fire calls among Truck Company members during his first month.
Service extends throughout the Neri family. Tim’s mother, Kimberly, has belonged to the Ladies Auxiliary for 10 years, previously served two years as president and is currently vice president. Tim and his older siblings, Danny and Stephanie, also have been active in their church and close to their family, their father said.
Dan Neri said the discipline, problem-solving and leadership his son developed through Scouting prepared him well for his newest role.
“He’s learned that patience and preparedness is necessary to get through an emergency situation,” Dan Neri said. “Him being a firefighter now feels like a perfect next step.”
After graduating from Lynbrook High School, Tim Neri plans to continue serving with the Lynbrook Volunteer Fire Department while attending SUNY Potsdam. As he moves into that next chapter, he thanked the troop leaders and mentors who helped him reach the rank of Eagle Scout, including Dan Cullen, Scott Reid, Sean Murray, Steve Maroney and others.
Being recognized by his hometown made the accomplishment even more meaningful, he said.
“It is such a privilege to live in a town that supports their Scouts and their youth the way that Lynbrook does,” he added.
