Fourth Battalion Fire District plans to aid Wounded Warriors

For the past 15 years, Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior have supported wounded warriors. In addition, Nassau County firefighters, including members of the five fire departments in the Fourth Battalion Fire District — which includes Malverne, Lakeview, Lynbrook, East Rockaway and Rockville Centre — travel down the east coast to military hospitals and rehab units to bring Christmas and holiday cheer to these wounded men and women and their children.

Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior is a nonprofit that is not affiliated with the national Wounded Warrior Project. This year, the firefighters learned that the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Va., one of the stops the firefighters make each year, needs help in stocking their food pantry, and the firefighters of the Fourth Battalion Fire Departments are helping in that effort.

Every firehouse in this fire district is involved in accepting non-perishable food items for this cause from the general public. People who wish to help can drop the food items off at any firehouse in the five communities on two Sunday mornings, Nov. 15 and Nov. 22. In addition, there will be a final drop-off held at the Lynbrook Fire Department headquarters, at Wright Avenue off Merrick Road on Nov. 29, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The caravan of fire vehicles to deliver the food items will leave for Fort Belvoir from Lynbrook Fire headquarters on the morning of Dec. 4.

“The trips by the firefighters this year to the military hospitals and rehab units have been scaled back due to the coronavirus, but we want these men and women to know that they are not forgotten,” said Fourth Battalion Chairman Ex-Chief John O’Reilly in a news release. “They have a need and we want to continue to help.  I would hope that people feel the same way.”

Those seeking additional information can contact Lynbrook Ex-Chief Kevin Bien at (516) 993-6074.

Courtesy Fourth Battalion Fire District; compiled by Nakeem Grant