46. Louis Ashley "Red" Mertz (1972-1973)
Served 2 Years
Louis Mertz or “Red” as he was known because of his strikingly red hair was born on December 12, 1926, in Manhasset and the son of Frank and Anna (Rapp) Mertz. He married Viola “Jerry” Beyer in July of 1949. They lived in Manhasset where he was a volunteer firefighter from 1945 through 1954. That year, they moved to Hicksville, and they lived at 15 Briggs Street. Red was employed as a sheet metal worker.
Red was a Veteran of World War II, serving in the United States Army beginning in April of 1945.
Red joined Protection Hook and Ladder Company 1 on May 19, 1957, before transferring to Independent Engine and Hose Company 2. Red was elected as 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant and subsequently as their Captain in 1963-1964. He was elected Assistant Chief in 1968 and after serving 4 years as an Assistant Chief, Red became the 46th Fire Chief of the Department in 1972. His Assistant Chiefs were Mario Misturini (1st), Roy Schaaf (2nd) and Bill Ferber (3rd).
During his term as Chief, Red responded on April 8, 1972, to a fast-spreading fire that gutted four stores and heavily damaged a fifth store at the Mid Island Plaza Shopping Center on North Broadway. The first alarm was sounded at 11:35 AM, with mutual aid requested from Jericho and Westbury. The fire spread quickly to the cockloft above the stores where it was difficult to combat. Firemen were hampered by heavy smoke that built up in the mall when automatic opening windows failed to open. Firemen were forced to break many of the windows.
On December 15, an alarm was sounded for a fire at the Mid Island Plaza. The alarm was sounded at 7:21 AM for a fire of undetermined origin which heavily damaged the glass blowers’ shop. The owner suffered burns on the arm and hand. Firemen were hampered when the entire area was filled with smoke as the automatic opening windows failed to open.
A stubborn fire burned out of control on July 23 in the warehouse of the Meadowbrook Paper Company on South Broadway near Fourth Street. The alarm was turned in from two alarm boxes at 2:24 PM. Over thirty-five firemen were injured, four of which were sent to the hospital and later released. Injuries sustained were heat exhaustion, cuts, blisters, minor eye injuries, and smoke inhalation. Eight firemen narrowly missed serious injury when one of the buildings walls collapsed.
On September 10, firemen responded to a general alarm fire in a warehouse on 98 Tec Street off Old Country Road. On arrival firemen found flames coming from the windows of the Limmco Inc, a distributor of musical instruments. The firemen from four departments combined forces to bring the blaze under control. Due to heavy smoke, iron bars over windows, doors and overhead garage doors, a metal roof and fallen walls, the fire was not under control until after midnight. Despite fallen and buckling walls and caved in roofing, firemen entered the building and kept the flames in check. Six firemen were injured fighting the fire and suffered smoke inhalation. Owners estimated the damage at approximately $500,000. Several factors contributed to such a high loss; the building is on a dead-end street away from most traffic, the building did not have automatic sprinklers or fire alarms, and the doors and windows were blocked by bars.
A spectacular general alarm fire struck the McKeon Lumber Yard on Old Country Road on October 22. Upon arrival flames were 100 feet in the air. The blistering heat injured 6 firemen, destroyed a portion of the lumber yard, and damaged a house next to the yard. It was reported that an automatic fire detector failed, and the fire burned undetected for an undetermined period. Destroyed were two storage sheds loaded with lumber, tar and sheet rock. The intense heat ignited piles of lumber 60 feet away. Firemen using tower ladders and water deluge guns knocked the fire down fast, so firemen using handlines could advance. Several other fires were ignited by sparks and were quickly extinguished. Fire was confined to one corner of the yard and prevented a house on Hanover Street from being destroyed. The house, which was slightly damaged by the heat, was right next to the lumber storage shed.
For the second time a fire of suspicious origin struck in a Lumber yard. A blaze was reported on November 4 and when firemen arrived, flames were 100 feet in the air, in the Schildknect Lumber yard on South Broadway near Mineola Avenue. Upon arrival firemen launched a two-prong attack on the fire and hose lines were set up to protect many dwellings on Mineola Avenue which were 50 feet from stacks of lumber. Due to the number of hose lines needed to protect these homes, several firemen suffered from exhaustion getting the hose lines in operation. Damage was estimated at $400,000 and destroyed a large lumber storage shed and many stacks of plywood and lumber.
February 1, 1973, forty firemen, assisted by units from the Plainview and Westbury departments battled a stubborn blaze in a shopping center on Old Country Road at Lee Place for hours before bringing it under control. A second and third alarm were subsequently sent for additional help. The main part of the fire was in the open space between the roof and ceiling. Heavy smoke hampered efforts as they fought the blaze. The fire was believed to have originated in a plastic trash can at the rear of a beauty salon and spread upwards. Air vents at the east end of the center apparently caused the fire to spread in that direction. Three stores were heavily damaged, House Chow Restaurant 350 Old Country Road: All County Appliance Inc. and Elegant Hair Fashions. There was additional smoke and water damage in the Pizza Shop and the A&W Delicatessen. Although a fire wall existed between buildings, the improper construction of it allowed flames to get passed, but firemen anticipated it and removed part of the ceilings and prevented the spread of fire to the rest of the shopping center.
On February 14th fire swept through the Midway Delicatessen at 399 Jerusalem Avenue. As fire units arrived flames were shooting out the back of the store. As firemen were entering the building the floor collapsed into the basement, and one fireman fell through the floor, but other firemen held on to the hose line and pulled him to safety by his feet. The blaze gutted the store, and units were on the scene for over 4 hours in bone chilling wind and rain.
On February 16th a fire caused heavy damage to the Adam Trent Clothing Store in the Mall Area of the sprawling Mid Island Shopping Plaza. Firemen were hampered by heavy smoke and the fire apparently started under a platform in the rear of the store and gained considerable headway before it set off an automatic sprinkler. The basement of Newberry’s Department store was flooded by water and the Adam Trent Store, which is directly over a portion of Newberry’s basement sales area sustained damage.
On June 2nd, fire struck the large barn on the Jones Institute property on Charlotte Avenue and West John Street. Firemen had the first line on the fire and it was confined with minor damage. However, just days later June 9th, firemen found upon arrival a serious fire in progress. And again, on Sunday June 10th a third fire struck the barn and this blaze all but destroyed the structure.
In April of 1972, the Department finalized a complete overhaul of the current by-laws and had new by-Law books printed in loose-leaf format for each member. The new format enabled future revisions to be inserted without incurring complete reprinting. They were distributed to all members at the May Company meeting.
At the 1973 Labor Day events, Chief Mertz oversaw the 45th Annual events that were chaired by Ex-Captain William R. Stahley, Jr., with the Honorary Grand Marshal Ex-Captain Carl Eisemann, who was honored for 50 years of service to the department. For the first time, the parade was held on Sunday night, at 6:00 PM at the Mid Island Plaza. In addition, the Department hosted the 9th Battalion old fashioned tournament.
Red was a long-time racing team member and was Captain of “Hicks” Drill Team. He was on the Labor Day Parade & Tournament Committee for many years, chairing the event in 1965. Red played Softball for the department and was an avid bowler playing for the Department for several years.
Red would serve as Company 2 Trustee and as President of Volunteer and Exempts Firemen’s Benevolent Association of Hicksville 1967-1968 and he was a Charter member and Captain of the Fire Police when it was started in 1993.
Red served as a 9th Battalion Delegate, was a member in the NY State Chief's Association, Nassau County Chief's Association, and 9th Battalion Chief's Council of Nassau County.
Chief Mertz’ grandson, John Mohrmann, joined Company 2 in 2004. Chief Mertz passed away on August 14, 2005, and he is interred at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale.
Chief Mertz is shown above with Assistant Chief Ferber and below with Lieutenant Donald Hudson Sr at fires during his term.
