23. Valentine Kerbs (1935-1936)
Served 1 Year
Valentine Kerbs was born on February 14, 1905, in the hamlet of Hicksville to German immigrant parents, August and Elizabeth (Werling) Kerbs. He married Madeline Guerin in December of 1924. Val, as he was affectionately known, owned a plumbing company and heating business and lived at 182 John Street. Val was later employed by Nassau County Department of Parks and Recreation.
He joined the Hicksville Fire Department on August 3, 1925, as a member of Independent Engine and Hose Company 2 and was assigned badge 178. Val was a charter member of Emergency Company 5 in September of 1928. He served as their first Captain and was instrumental in securing the Larabee Car from Volunteer Hose Company 4, with the 12 newly chartered members. He remained in office as Captain until 1930.
It was befitting of Val Kerbs to be elected Chief following his tenure as the first duly elected Captain of Emergency Company 5 from 1928 through 1930. Val Kerbs ran successfully for 2nd Assistant Chief against Daniel Munch, beating him 74 votes to 33. In the ensuing 1933 election for the 1st Assistant Chief position, Val Kerbs was elected overwhelmingly with 115 votes. Val was elected 2nd Assistant Chief in 1932, and 1934, 1st Assistant Chief 1934-1935 and was elected in April of 1935 as the 23rd Chief of Department following the term of Chief Harry Gleckler.
In early July of 1935, Chief Kerbs attended a legislative session with other Chief Officers in petitioning them to pass legislation that would provide compensation for firemen killed in the line of duty and legislation absolving firemen from all civil liability from acts done in the performance of their duties as firemen unless willfully negligence or by malfeasance. Both articles introduced were passed later that afternoon.
October 15, 1935, a train struck a gas truck, and one man was instantly killed, and two others were injured, one seriously. A small kerosene tank truck exploded after being struck by a speeding Long Island Railroad train at the unguarded Charlotte Avenue grade crossing. The explosion spattered the inflammable fluid over the locomotive and first two coaches, setting fire to them and the railroad ties. The driver of the truck who was killed came from Brooklyn. He suffered third degree burns and a broken neck. The two injured people both suffered third degree burns and were brought to Meadowbrook Hospital in serious condition. The fire which followed the crash threw passengers into panic and necessitated speedy work on the part of members of the crew to quiet them. The fire was finally extinguished under Chief Kerbs and damage to the train was slight due to the fact the flaming kerosene was on steel and iron portions of the train. The truck was demolished.
On December 27th, a fire that started in an overheated furnace caused over $500 damage to a two-story dwelling at 78 Notre Dame Avenue. Just before leaving the office, a second fire resulting from an overheated lighting fixture caused significant damage that estimated at about $2,000 to the City Lunch Restaurant on Herzog Place and Broadway. The blaze, which was confined to the rear of the building, was extinguished under the command of Chief Kerbs.
In December Chief Kerbs asked the Board of Commissioners to procure much needed equipment and apparatus for the Department. Unfortunately, four of the seven appropriations sought for the operation of the department were defeated by taxpayers at the greatest surprise to Chief Kerbs. Included among the appropriations defeated was $7,500 for the purchase of a new hook and ladder truck; $760 for red lights to be placed over 38 alarm signal boxes, $1,000 to remodel and change the chemical truck and $1,500 for the purchase of a new emergency truck. The vote on propositions were overwhelmingly defeated 82 yes with 176 against the propositions. Val took the defeat personally as a reflection of his tenure and he would not seek re-election and would serve only one term.
Val served as the “Hicks” Drill Team Captain during the championship years and was a member of the “Hicks” Drill Team when they won the only NYS Championship in Saranac, New York in 1931. He was a Charter member and 1st Vice President of the Exempts Firemen’s Benevolent Association in 1938. A member of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), Nassau County Firemen’s Association (NCFA) and South Shore Firemen’s Association (SSFA).
Ex-Chief Kerbs reached his fifty years of active service in 1973 and was recognized as the Honorary Grand Marshal at the Labor Day Parade. Chief Kerbs passed away on March 14, 1984, after 60 years of dedicated service where he was buried with full honors and Department Services and is interred at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury.
Val Kerbs is shown as the Charter Captain of Emergency Company 5 in 1928
