57. Patrick Scanlon (1992-1993)
Served 2 Years
Patrick Scanlon was born February 24, 1953, and is a life-long resident of Hicksville. He graduated Hicksville High School in 1971. He is the son of Edward and Marion Scanlon. He married Eileen Trenkle on September 13, 1975. Patrick was employed by the Town of Oyster Bay working as a supervisor of Sanitation and he lived on Murray Road and West Avenue in Hicksville.
Patrick joined the department as an original charter member of Junior Firefighting Group (Explorer Post 930) in 1970. He would become a member of Hook & Ladder Company Six on March 21, 1972. He was assigned badge 851. Patrick served as 2nd Lieutenant 1978-1979, 1st Lieutenant 1980-1981 and subsequently elected as Captain of Company Six in 1982 and 1983.
Patrick was elected as 3rd Assistant Chief in 1986 and 1987. Then as 2nd Assistant Chief in 1988 and 1989, then as 1st Assistant Chief in 1990 and 1991, before being elected as the 57th Chief of the Hicksville Fire Department in 1992-1993.
At the corner of Woodbury Road and South Oyster Bay Road stood the “Plaza Diner” for many years. In a matter of a few hours, the fire damage left the diner in ruins. A spectacular fire destroyed the Plaza Diner at 406 South Oyster Bay Road on February 1. A thick black smoke covered the area and rose hundreds of feet into the air attracting many spectators. Hicksville firefighters responded under Chief Patrick Scanlon and on arrival reported heavy fire conditions in those spaces above the ceiling. This building was, at one time, a Howard Johnson restaurant and a new shell was built over the top of the original construction. The building had 2 ceilings and 2 roofs which made it tough for firefighters to get at the fire inside from underneath. Attempts were made to cut holes to allow the fire to go up, so firefighters could attack it from inside, but conditions on the roof were too dangerous and members were told to evacuate.
The Carvel Store on South Broadway suffered a fire which caused a long-standing business to come to an end. The fire caused over $100,000 in damage and the store did not reopen.
On December 11, 1992, a 100-year no-name nor'easter hit the Northshore of Long Island, the worst to hit Long Island in the 20th century. Tides spurred by heavy rain and gale-force winds swamped the North and South Shores, flooded highways, and shut down train service. The storm claimed at least one life, interrupted electric power for 448,000 customers and washed dozens of beachfront homes into the sea. The Department responded to the Bayville Fire Department with a group of Hicksville firefighters that would staff the Incident Command Mobile Unit for several days.
Chief Scanlon had the honor of being the Chief of Department for the 100th Anniversary. It was in February that the department kicked off the year-long celebration by having the oldest Ex-Chiefs open the meeting. The meeting was moved to coincide with the actual charter date of 1893. Following the meeting the members made their way across the street to the old firehouse, now Peppercorns, for refreshments in the upstairs meeting hall.
Following three years of planning, Chief Scanlon stepped off the parade at 6:15 PM in a spectacular display of color, honor, precision and sound, the department marked its 100th Anniversary that surpassed any parade in Hicksville history. Sixty-three fire departments, two from as far away as Ohio and New Hampshire, marched in brilliant form through the streets of Hicksville. The parade was only one of many events that were held in honor of the fire department's centennial. A nightly carnival and a firemen's drill were among the other festivities. Thousands of people lined the two-mile parade route.For spectators from across Long Island the parade was a joy to behold. The bands were in tune, the marchers were on point, and the streets were aglow in gleaming crimson, silver and yellow as the still brilliant late afternoon sunshine shone off the vehicles. It was a beautiful day for a parade. The skies were clear, and the temperature was in the low 80's.
In addition to the 100th anniversary parade, the department played host to the 98th annual Southern New York State Volunteer Firefighters' Association Convention. The last time this was held in Hicksville was in 1902 and 1908. The convention included the racing tournament with entries from across Long Island and Westchester. Tournaments are competitions to determine skill, accuracy, and speed. Another aspect of the Hicksville Fire Department's 100th anniversary celebration was the carnival held on East Marie Street for five days. Rides of all types gave many a thrill as shouts of terror and delight filled the air. Adjacent to the carnival was a food court staffed by local Hicksville organizations given an opportunity to raise funds for their groups. There was a fireworks extravaganza in the parking lot next to Station 1 and the famous Country Music group “Six-Gun” played for an evening under the stars. The entire year was also highlighted with a 100th anniversary department picnic and installation dinner.
In 1976, Captain Scanlon was awarded the Firefighter of the year because his exemplary service was a perfect example of the spirit of Volunteer Fire Service. He is a qualified chauffeur on four trucks plus the Rescue Rig and the Ambulance and he was an inspector for the department. He has been on the Labor Day Tournament Committee as Chairman of Purchasing for 2 years, and this year was Co-chairman of the Committee.
Chief Scanlon was recognized by both the Hicksville Fire Department and Nassau County Fire Commission for actions that he took to save other people’s lives. In 1991, he received the County's highest award, the Gold Medal of Valor, along with Ex-Chief Wigdzinski and Lieutenant Doucette. They rescued a husband and wife that were trapped on the second floor of a house fire. It was April 2, 1991, when the department responded to a fully engulfed house fire at 54 Fox Place. Assistant Chief Scanlon and Chief Wigdzinski were the first to arrive at the scene. With confirmed reports that the occupants of the house were trapped on the 2nd floor, both Assistant Chief Scanlon and Wigdzinski approached the stairs to the 2nd floor, where they were able to see the fire burning to the left on the 1st floor. As they proceeded up the stairs, they encountered heavy smoke and a high heat condition. Assistant Chief Scanlon and Wigdzinski continued their search down the hall. Chief Wigdzinski located the woman as he was moving through the hallway. Assistant Chief Scanlon continued moving along with his search, while Chief Wigdzinski moved the female occupant back towards the stairs. Lieutenant’s Doucette and O’Brien had entered the house and were moving past the heat and smoke towards the stairs, where they were met by Chief Wigdzinski. The woman was passed off to Doucette and O’Brien to bring the woman to safety outside the home. Chief Wigdzinski rejoined Chief Scanlon and there was limited visibility, and the heat conditions were now keeping him them to the floor. Assistant Chief Scanlon located the male occupant, and he was assisted by Chief Wigdzinski to move the male victim down two flights of stairs, and then outside for medical aid. Both occupants were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation, where the male occupant was admitted in serious condition and did recover from the effects of the fire. If not for Chief Scanlon’s disregard for his own personal safety, determination and teamwork, the outcome of this fire incident would have had a fatal end to it.
In 2006, Ex-Chief Scanlon received the Gebhardt Award for his actions at 54 Boulevard
Drive House Fire. When Ex-Chief Scanlon arrived on location, he was met by two residents at the front door of the house, who informed him that there was an occupant trapped in an upstairs bedroom. Ex-Chief Scanlon proceeded to the fire floor, while calling for the occupant. Due to the extreme heat and heavy smoke condition, he was forced to his hands and knees. At the end of the hallway, he entered the bedroom and after hearing gurgling sounds, found the victim and pulled him out of the room. He proceeded down the hallway to the head of the staircase. At this point, he and an adult male civilian carried the victim from the fire floor to the entry on the floor below. While Ex-Chief Scanlon was performing the rescue, the crew from Engine 934 responded to the scene. Upon their arrival, Ex-Chief Owen Magee was directed by his officers to assist Ex-Chief Scanlon in the rescue of the victim. Ex-Chiefs Magee and Scanlon removed the victim to the front lawn and began Basic Life Support procedures on the victim. Upon arrival of EMS, they assisted in the treatment and packaging of the patient. The victim, an 83-year-old male, was transported to Nassau University Medical Center in unstable condition with respiratory distress and airway compromised due to obvious burns to the upper airway structures. At the submission of this report several days later, the patient was still alive.
In 1988, Assistant Chief Scanlon was a founding member and instrumental in the organization of the Fire Police Squad. As a responder during the World Trade Center tragic events on September 11, 2001, Ex-Chief Scanlon spent 2 days standing by at a Queens Fire House so the members of the FDNY could search for their missing comrades. Always committed to the fire service, Patrick knew he had to step up even though it was on his 26th wedding anniversary.
Chief Scanlon has participated on numerous department and company committees such as Chairman of the Labor Day Parade and Drill in 1978. Chief Scanlon was an early member of the Hazardous Materials Response Team. He was on the Ice Hockey Team.
After leaving the Chiefs Office, Ex-Chief Scanlon was elected by the residents of Hicksville to a Five-Year term as Fire Commissioner in 2007, Serving as its Chair in 2010.
Ex-Chief Scanlon noted that the three most important things that have changed the most since he served and since joining the fire service were the improvements in firefighters’ equipment, communications and firefighter accountability while performing their duty at a fire.
