By Sarah Moskowitz
In addition to currently holding several positions in various firefighter organizations, DePoto served as Malverne Fire Chief from 1982 to 1984. On Aug. 9 his contributions were recognized along with those of police department volunteer Joanne Costello and ambulance corp. volunteer Joanne Karam at the Second Annual Salute to Volunteers celebration and barbecue held at Malverne's Whelan Field. The Malverne Police Department hosted the event.
"It was a really fun night," said DePoto, who received a plaque recognizing his efforts.
DePoto said he was proud to receive the honor, although the highlight of his summer came in June during the Fourth Battalion Parade. The parade celebrates Nassau County's fire department division of East Rockaway, Lakeview, Lynbrook, Malverne and Rockville Centre. This year DePoto was nominated as marshal, and as he approached the reviewing stand he was saluted by the Fourth Battalion chiefs.
"[This was] the greatest moment of my life," said DePoto. "It was very unexpected. Fifty years ago I never expected [being honored] like this."
DePoto graduated from the New York College of Agriculture and Horticulture, now known as SUNY Farmingdale in 1944, where he studied to become a farmer. It was at school that he earned the nickname "Moose" while playing on the college's football team because teammates always said he was built like a moose.
In 1952 DePoto left his residence in Jamaica and moved to Valley Stream. He began volunteering at the fire department with hopes of earning the respect of villagers and helping the community. One of the biggest differences in firefighting since the beginning of his career is the equipment that is used, said DePoto. In the 1950s firefighters wore rubber coats and crawled on the floor to avoid smoke and flames during calls. There were no masks or oxygen tanks, and if smoke inhalation rendered a firefighter unconscious, fellow firefighters would "drag you out by your boots" and have you drink a quart of milk, said DePoto.
"It was not like today," he said, noting that fires in general are worse now because of explosive chemicals such as propane and chlorine, which were uncommon years ago.
Over his 50-year tenure as a volunteer firefighter, DePoto has been exposed to a myriad of experiences, but none could have prepared him to handle the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"That was the most disastrous day," said DePoto, who compares the attack with the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Although he was not sent to Ground Zero, on Sept. 11 DePoto was named Fourth Battalion command, taking control of area units. In the following weeks DePoto attended 37 funerals for fallen firefighters. A total of 105 firefighters from Nassau and Suffolk counties died as a result of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks.
DePoto was not disheartened or discouraged to leave the force after the events of Sept. 11. He saw productivity in tragedy and recognized that Sept. 11 has brought firefighters closer together and has lessened competition between firehouses.
"We're all brothers here," he said.
Now a grandfather, DePoto still has no plans to stop volunteering as a firefighter. He sees his physical health as an opportunity to serve the force and continues to be involved with fighting fires.
"As long as I can walk," he said," I'm gonna go down there [and fight fires]."
