By Nick Buglione
The department finally moved into the 9,250-square-foot Station No. 1 in September, although it was initially hoped that it would be up and running in early May.
"We had some problems with the parking lot that had to be resolved," said East Meadow Fire Department Commissioner Robert Beck, explaining the delay. "We moved in here in September. We took our first call out of here the same day we moved in. It was a car accident on the Meadowbrook."
Workers are still putting the finishing touches on the station, installing some carpet and the last pieces of furniture, Beck said.
A $4-million bond issue funded the construction and the purchase of a new hook-and-ladder truck -- which actually prompted the building of Station No. 1.
According to Beck, the new hook-and-ladder would have been too tall to fit into the department's headquarters at 197 East Meadow Ave., where the fire trucks were previously housed.
In an April interview with the Herald, Beck pointed out that the department's trucks already had only about an inch and three quarters of leeway when backing into the bays at headquarters.
"You can see how high these trucks are already, and the new one was going to be too high to fit," he said.
At first, department officials proposed digging out the bottom of headquarters, to provide a little more breathing room. "The engineers said we could dig the floor out, but because the building is almost 70 years old, it would probably crumble," Beck said.
They even toyed with the idea of tearing down the old house and rebuilding it, but were turned off by the $10 million cost of doing that.
Finally, an opportunity presented itself when the old East Meadow Water Works property just south of headquarters went up for sale. The department jumped on it, purchasing the land.
"We demolished two main structures, and there were some sheds and a work garage," Beck said. "But it had been an eyesore for years."
Citing parking concerns and apprehension over how the bond issue would impact taxes, the residents around East Meadow Avenue were reluctant to back a new station. Public opinion changed, however, after it was explained that a 40-space parking lot would be constructed on site and that the bond issue would cost taxpayers only about 50 cents a day over the next 12 years.
The new three-bay Station No. 1 includes a special drive-through entrance and exit, so trucks can easily pull in and out without affecting traffic. "We don't even have a traffic light in front because we don't need to stop the traffic to get back in," Beck said.
With more than 60 volunteers stationed there, the new firehouse also includes office space, meeting rooms, a recreation room and a kitchen.
Headquarters will continue to house department ambulances and remain open as an emergency response unit for the neighborhood.
A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for Station No. 1 will take place sometime in the spring, Beck said.
"[The new firehouse] improved the morale of the membership significantly," Beck said. "The guys are happy, and they're telling their friends, so hopefully we'll increase our membership."
With about 250 volunteers on staff, the East Meadow Fire Department responds to more than 2,000 calls a year.
