By Andrew Hackmack
He may well have been there, on the front lines, battling the flames.
Of course, you could talk to his wife, mother, sister or daughter, because she may have been there, too.
The Valley Stream Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary recently turned 85, and members celebrated with a dinner at Koenig's Restaurant in Floral Park last Sunday. More than 50 women, firefighters, company officers and chiefs attended the anniversary gathering and installation dinner.
"Normally we just have something small for the installation," auxiliary President Patricia Keenan-Beusmann said. "Because it's the 85th anniversary, it's a big deal. In this day and age, a lot of organizations don't last that long."
Keenan-Beusmann has been in the auxiliary for more than 15 years. Her husband, father and brother all serve in the department. She said the Ladies Auxiliary is in good shape, because the organization recently welcomed nine new members.
Auxiliary Vice President Hillary Lazar said those new members were attending their first meeting back in June when a call came in reporting a house fire in the village. "I was like, 'All right, ladies, no time like the present to learn how to do this,'" Lazar said.
A member of the auxiliary since 1996, Lazar recalled how she first got involved. She came to donate at a fire department blood drive, and one of the women encouraged her to join, since her two brothers were in the department. "I said, 'OK, why not?'" she remembered.
Now Lazar helps to cook and serve the roast beef dinner the auxiliary prepares for each blood donor. She estimates that the group serves 60 to 90 meals each drive, which is usually held in the spring.
Florence Beusmann, a 55-year member of the auxiliary - and Keenan-Beusmann's mother-in-law - has also helped prepare those hot meals. She is also one of the founders of the coffee brigade, a group that provides firefighters with refreshments at an emergency scene.
Beusmann remembered a supermarket fire on Brooklyn Avenue back in the early 1950s. Her husband, Andy, went to fight the fire. It was a cold night, so she rounded up a group of women to buy coffee, cake and doughnuts for the firefighters, and the coffee brigade was born. Beusmann still goes out whenever she can. "They're really glad to see us when we come," she said of the firefighters.
Keenan-Beusmann said that in cold weather, the ladies have coffee, water and Gatorade available for the firefighters. Even in the winter, a cold drink is welcome. "The fire itself is hot," she said, "plus the coats and the boots and the hats - it's very heavy. They've got a lot of weight on them. They need the hydration."
In warm weather, the ladies are ready with water, iced tea and Gatorade. As soon as the chief calls a working fire, the women prepare to respond. "We're a part of the department," Keenan-Beusmann said.
First Assistant Chief Joseph Fernandez said the ladies are always there at the scene to support the firefighters.
Lazar keeps big jugs of water in the trunk of her car. When called to a scene, she rushes to one of the firehouses to fill the jugs with water and ice. Some ladies keep bottles of water at home. "We each have our own method of doing it," Lazar said. "Me, I just get there as fast as I can."
The first fire call she responded to as an auxiliary member was at Barry's Carpet. The most memorable fire, however, was at the abandoned Hendrickson Brothers building - where King Kullen now stands - on Dec. 21, 1998. "It was freezing," Lazar said. "The milk froze within minutes."
She said that some of the auxiliary members' other responsibilities include helping with the annual fire department fund drive, serving breakfast before Memorial Day services and taking part in parades. Being part of the organization has been a big part of Lazar's life, even if there are only a few big calls each year. "Our function is to assist the fire department whenever they ask," she said. "Any time, any day, rain shine or snow, we're there."
Comments about this story? AHackmack@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
