As the noon siren sounded on Saturday, the welcomed two new trucks, Engine 924 and Ladder 926, with a wet down ceremony.
The department acquired both trucks over the past year. 924 was delivered this past April and 926 was delivered in October of 2010. Both trucks were custom made by Pierce Manufacturing specifically for the Village, to replace the older 924 and 926.
“We do more with less and we’re more creative with how we spend our money,” said Chief Kenneth Tortoso Jr. “Buying new apparatuses is costly. Every piece of equipment has to be made specifically for your department, the tools we need and the layout of our facility."
Leading the blessing was Farmingdale Fire Department Chaplain Frank Barone of . Farmingdale Mayor George Starkie, Oyster Bay Councilman Tony Macagnone and other officials watched alongside members of fire departments from all over the Island, as Barone blessed the apparatuses and praised the firefighters that help protect the community.
As 924 and 926 pulled out of the Farmingdale Fire Department station the trucks were greeted with a curtain of water provided by the East Farmingdale and South Farmingdale departments. The trucks then drove around the back parking lot, and got drenched with water from Plainview and Hempstead fire trucks.
“This is not only an important date for the Farmingdale Fire Department, but it is an important date for the community of Farmingdale," said Farmingdale First Assistant Chief Frank Romano. "For the safety and protection of the residents of Farmingdale, it is important that we have up to date, modern and safe apparatus."
