59. Karl Michael Schweitzer (1996-1997)
Served 2 Years
Karl Schweitzer was born August 19, 1963, and is the son of Martin and Adeline (Brigandi) Schweitzer. He lives on Myers Avenue in Hicksville and married Lynn Scully in July of 1983. Karl was employed by the Long Island Lighting Company which later became National Grid. He then worked for Consolidated Edison and retired after 22 Years. He was a manager of Environment, Health, and Safety for Electric Operations, covering Brooklyn and Queens. He has a daughter Jennifer, son-in-law, Jon III and two grandchildren, Alexa and Jon IV.
Karl joined Emergency Company 5 in September of 1981 and was given badge 956. He has deep family connections in the Department. His grandfather, Michael Brigandi was a member of Company 1. His father was a 49-year member of the Woodmere Fire Department and Karl has had members of his extended family serving in all eight Companies since the 1920’s.
In 1986, Karl would be elected 2nd Lieutenant and served as 1st Lieutenant before becoming the 44th Captain in 1987 and 1988. He was elected a second time as the 54th Captain. This would be his second separate term as Captain in 2006-2007. Prior to being elected as Captain he served as 1st Lieutenant in 2004-2005 and 2nd Lieutenant in 2002-2003. He also served as the Company Secretary in 2001. Once again in 2020, 38-year veteran, Karl Schweitzer was elected as the 61st Captain to serve Company 5. This was Karl’s 3rd time serving as Captain. Karl was elected to help the Company through its many challenges that confront the members.
In December of 1989, Karl was elected 3rd Assistant Chief over his challengers Ex-Captain’s Robert Hammond Jr. and Robert Chiz. Schweitzer was sworn in as the youngest member to serve as Assistant Chief at the age of 26 and for Company 5, it ended a thirty-year drought in the Chiefs office, since Walter Werthessen served in 1961.
During his term as Assistant Chief, he was appointed to serve as Co-Chair and Chiefs Office Liaison for the Departments 100th Anniversary Committee. Along with Co-Chairs Ex-Chief Wigdzinski and Ex-Chief Schuckmann, the committee planned and organized the Department’s 100th Anniversary. In February 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.
In June, after three years of planning, a grand parade kicked off at 6:15 PM in a spectacular display of color, honor, precision and sound, as 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. The parade was preceded by a carnival held on East Marie Street for five days. 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 Department also 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. The entire year was also highlighted with a 100th anniversary department picnic and installation dinner. As part of the celebration, Karl took the lead conducting the necessary research of historical accounts. He was joined by Firefighter (later Chief) Edward Korona pouring through newspapers, visiting local libraries, and traveling hundreds of miles visiting museums and speaking with former members. The result was the publication of a hardcover edition of the Hicksville Fire Department. He and Ed would be recognized in 1994 with a Department Service Award for their efforts.
In 1997, Karl was elected the 59th Chief of the Department. His Assistant Chiefs were Philip LaNasa as 1st Assistant, William “Spike” Thunell 2nd Assistant and Patrick “Paddy” McGeough as his Third Assistant Chief.
During his term the Department responded to over 1,700 alarms each year. The increase was mainly due to the EMS workload and automatic alarms due to Carbon Monoxide incidents. The members spent countless hours on standby as a blizzard hit Long Island, the worst since 1947, and there were two tropical storms, Bertha and Edouard. He was responsible for the creation of a Zone Response for Mutual Aids, firefighter accountability program that included Riding Positions, Firefighter Assist and Rescue (FAST) program, revamping the EMS program including placing a 4th ambulance in service at Station 3 and his foresight with new OSHA Confined Space Regulations, Karl created a Technical Rescue Team. His commitment to training was paramount and he created a “Back to Basics Continuing Education Training Program”, a revised Probationary Training Program, Hands-on Department Inter/Intra-Company Drills.
Schweitzer, while Assistant Chief, was assigned by Chief Merk to look at ways to recruit new firefighters. One of the initiatives Schweitzer started was to re-invent the Junior Firefighting group, Explorer Post 930. The post was reactivated, and seven charter members were sworn into the group. The ceremonies took place on Sunday, April 2 with an official swearing in led by Fire District Commissioner Robert Dwyer. Their first meeting took place at fire headquarters under the leadership of Head Advisor, Firefighter Dennis Mitchell and Assistant Advisor, Ex-Captain Michael Azzue. The newly installed members were Leonard Buccellato, Jimmy Flynn, Sean Flynn, Carl Johnson, John O'Connor, Dennis Pettas and Robert Price Jr.. The advisors volunteering for this extra duty are Lieutenant Chris Fox, Ex-Captain Frank Lombardi, Firefighter Don Hudson, Lieutenant Jack Huttle, Firefighter Ray Granville, Lieutenant Steven DeStefano, Lieutenant Bill Dammes and Ex-Captain Bill Efinger. This organization, until its hiatus, goes back to the 1970's and lasted until 1988 and produced two members who later in their volunteer career became Chiefs of the Hicksville Department (Tony Wigdzinski 1990-1991 and Pat Scanlon 1992-1993).
His efforts to increase communications established the Department Newsletter, monthly meetings with Captains, and round-table meetings with Companies on relevant topics facing the fire service. A final Department Policy and Procedure Manual was issued that brought together all the existing documents into a single resource.
To increase public relations and keep the public informed through transparency, Chief Schweitzer created a monthly column that was published in the Hicksville Illustrated News. The 12 topics covered fire department news, safety tips and other announcements benefiting the residents of Hicksville. As part of his outreach, Schweitzer instituted a customer satisfaction survey program where surveys were sent to homes following an event for their feedback. The results of the program expectations were fully met in all areas, and the results were favorable. The department had received many more surveys than originally anticipated, with a return rate of 49.5 percent against the anticipated average of 20-25%, normally seen in survey work. The program was designed to raise awareness and the educational process to improve the fire service.
In 1996, it was reminiscent of the great volunteer community effort of yesteryear, when the abandoned, vandalized, Hicksville Courthouse was rejuvenated and transformed into the home of The Gregory Museum. More than 30 volunteers, most of them Hicksville Firefighters and their families spent very productive days working on the latest restoration. Thanks to their help, and equipment loaned by the Water District, the enormous task of sandblasting and painting the rusted rear fire escape was completed. Using Tower Ladder 931 volunteers stripped the flagpole, while others worked on removing the massive overgrown shrubs to make way for the scaffold. Several other members primed and painted the clapboard laid out on the grass.
For years, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and Operation Life Safety (OLS) had been recognizing its member fire departments and their chief fire officers for having had outstanding fire safety statistics within a calendar year and for their proactive measures. In 1996, the Hicksville Fire Department was recognized as one of only 207 fire departments representing 42 States, one country and the District of Columbia that have successfully responded to and extinguished fire without the loss of a single life in the calendar year.
The Department paid tribute to Ex-Chief/Commissioner Cliff Davis with a dedication of the Maintenance Facility. Clifford G. Davis had served the community of Hicksville as a volunteer firefighter since 1948 and in 1996 the fire department has recognized his efforts. In a touching ceremony, the Board of Fire Commissioners, dedicated the renovated Hicksville Fire District Maintenance Facility on Strong Street to him for all his dedicated years of service. The dedication of the maintenance building was a significant event in that it is the first and only building in the fire district which proudly bears the name of any one person.
Chief Schweitzer was saddened by the news of the passing of 46-year member and Ex-Chief John Specht in January of 1997. Chief Specht was a retired Nassau County Fire Marshal and widely known and respected throughout the fire service.
The Officers of Emergency Company 5 and Hook and Ladder Company 6 held a grand opening celebration and dedication of the newly completed Station 3. Through the hard work of the department’s Legislative Committee, Bill Foley and Mike Krummenacker, the Department was able to secure a tax-free exemption for firefighter LOSAP benefits.
The “Hicks” Drill Team placed 5th overall at the Annual Labor Day Drill in 1996 and took top honors at the annual 9th Battalion Drill that included a new State record by Firefighter Richie Schmidt in the “Dummy” competition. It was during this parade season that the Department, Ladies Auxiliary and Explorer Post also took top honors.
Karl was also a member of the Department’s softball team that took top honors at the 9th Battalion weekend, capturing the “Triple Crown”, a feat that was never done again. Hicksville started their first leg to the Triple Crown when Chief Wigdzinski led over 100 members of his department and Ladies' Auxiliary to an overall best appearing Fire Department victory in the Annual 9th Battalion Parade. Hicksville's second phase of their journey to the crown was when the "Hicks" Drill Team won a close victory over the Carle Place "Frogs" for the Ninth Battalion Drill. Hicksville for the third year in a row has sent Carle Place home with only a second-place trophy as Hicksville has dominated the Drill Circuit, winning 7 of the last 10 years running. The Hicksville Fire Department has become the 1990 Triple Crown Winners, continuing to make them the Pride of the Ninth Battalion.
In 1990 the softball team also took the Division Six Title of the Town of Hempstead Fire Department Softball League defeating the Island Park Fire Department 16-3 and 6-1 in a twin bill securing the division title. Hicksville had to beat top-seeded teams Lawrence/Cedarhurst, Garden City, West Hempstead, Franklin Square and Long Beach to capture the crown.
The competitive spirit was brought back to increase morale by restarting the annual Bocce Ball Tournament and the Inter-Company events that were discontinued several years earlier. A Chiefs Award for the top Company that puts the most members in the line of march during the season was started as it was discontinued several years earlier. Company 5 took top honors in both years of Schweitzer's term. Additionally, he held a “Breakfast with Santa” for the Department and in conjunction with the Rotary Club, they resurrected the Annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting. For many years, at Christmas time, the Rotary Club of Hicksville-Jericho has decorated the evergreen tree situated in Kennedy Park which is located between Broadway (Route 107) and Jerusalem Avenue in the center of Hicksville. That year, together with the Hicksville Fire Department, the Rotary Club held a festive "Tree Lighting Ceremony”. Live Christmas trees were donated by IKEA and Agway. The various service clubs, councils, chambers, and veterans’ organizations decorated one of the donated trees.
After a long trip from the Sutphen factory in Ohio where it was built, the newest edition to the Hicksville Fire Department, a 100-foot Hook and Ladder 931 was christened in a formal Wet Down ceremony at Station 4 on Levittown Parkway. Joining in to help welcome the new truck into service were the members of Oyster Bay and the Point Lookout-Lido Fire Department, who along with the engines from Hicksville deluged the new truck with colored water. The new truck is named "South of the Border".
The fire load was significant during his two years.
In 1996, 13 people, including two children, were left homeless when a fire destroyed part of their basement apartment in a West John Street home. The fire, which started around noon in an unoccupied bedroom, appeared accidental, and the fire appeared to have been sparked by something smoldering, such as electrical appliances or careless smoking. No one was injured. The 13 lived in the basement of the one-story and the occupants were outside by the time firefighters arrived. The main floor of the house was not damaged.
Hicksville firefighters responded to the West Village Green shopping center on September 3, 1996, after a truck lost control of its brakes and drove into the rear of the Carvel building, destroying the gas meter in the process. Firefighters evacuated the shopping area and employees stood outside for nearly three hours as LILCO worked to shut off the gas supply. By using hose lines, they were able to disperse the fumes. Firefighters immediately began alerting the people in homes nearby to evacuate. There were no injuries reported in the incident but damage to the building from the impact was substantial and the town building inspector responded.
Hicksville firefighters responded on March 17, 1997, located at 17 East Old Country Road. A vacant car dealership building was apparently torched. The alarm was received at 2:05 PM. On arrival fire was heavily involved throughout the structure. Hicksville fire units were assisted by units from Jericho and Syosset at the scene and Levittown and Westbury covered the district for any additional alarms. When this alarm was received, Hicksville firefighters were working in Plainview at a hazardous materials incident involving a chemical reaction and fire. Rescue units from Hicksville were also working at the scene of a call at 320 Dawson Lane, a worker fell off the roof of a two-story apartment building and suffered leg and back injuries.
A roaring fire erupted from the second story windows of Samson Pest Control on East John Street in Hicksville on April 6. Firefighters arrived to discover the wood-framed structure engulfed in flames and two unwary occupants in the rear part of the building on the first floor. The fire was reported by a resident from across the street and there was a small supply of pesticides in the basement of the building that were removed by firefighters before they were damaged by the fire. As a precaution, Schweitzer ordered a supply line from another hydrant. Fire departments from Bethpage and East Meadow provided mutual aid. Three Hicksville firefighters were treated for minor burns at Nassau County Medical Center and released.
The Hicksville Fire Department Memorial Day Services were personal and hard hit to its members. The Department honored comrades lost at war as well as the firefighters who answered their last alarm. Sadly, on this day, the Hicksville Fire Department also mourned the tragic and untimely death of a fellow firefighter who had moved to Merrick and transferred to the Merrick Fire Department. Albert Hassan, 33, was killed in an accident caused by a drunk driver. His wife, Marianne, 31, also in the car, was in critical condition in the intensive-care unit. The couple was on their way to Marianne's parents' house to pick up their three-week-old son, Kevin Michael Hassan. Albert served as lieutenant for Heavy Rescue Company 8 after joining the Hicksville Fire Department in 1988. The firefighter transferred to the Merrick Fire Department after getting married to Marianne in 1994.
An early morning fire on April 16 at the Cerco Corporation could have destroyed the entire complex but an automatic fire sprinkler confined the blaze to the point of origin, again demonstrating the advantages and proficiency of using the safety devices. The complex, located north of the Northern State Parkway on Cantiague Rock Road, is protected by the automatic system which transmitted the alarm to the Hicksville Fire Department at 3:22 AM. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy black smoke. After a quick search the fire was discovered in the center of the warehouse. The fire originated in a construction trailer inside the warehouse and was confined to that area. The entire complex sustained extensive smoke and water damage. Ten units responded with three neighboring departments who supplied one unit each to stand by at Hicksville headquarters.
Just one day before departing office on December 30, 1997, Chief Schweitzer responded to the Reptile Museum for a report of an employee being bitten by a poisonous snake. The employee was bitten by one of the world’s most venomous vipers, an African Gaboon, while cleaning the snake’s cage. Realizing the extent of the bite and its poisonous nature, Chief Schweitzer called in for an airlift to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. The Jacobi medical center is the regional center for snake bites due to its proximity to the Bronx Zoo. The handler reached treatment in a matter of minutes before it would have been fatal. He underwent emergency surgery to relieve swelling in his hand. The snake was 4 feet long with a strike range between 18 to 24 inches. The snakes’ fangs reach about 2 inches and can inject a large dose of poisons venom in a single bite.
In 1987, Karl was recognized as part of a Unit Citation for his role in an EMS Incident for a non-breathing resident on Glenbrook Road. In the early afternoon on February 10, 1987, the Hicksville Fire Department received a call for a woman passed out. As part of the crew on 935 responded to 42 Glenbrook Road they encountered a woman in her early to mid-70's in full cardiac arrest. On the scene administering C.P.R. was Lieutenant William McKee and another civilian. The crew from 935 relieved the two men to continue C.P.R. as the officer on 935 requested a second alarm for an AMT and an ambulance. The entire crew continued their first aid efforts until they received vital signs. As the AMT arrived with the bus, they in turn transported to NCMC.
In 1988 he was awarded the Department’s Service Award for his role in Fire Prevention and Education. In any Volunteer Fire Department, there are more than enough jobs to go around. The Eighties have been hard on the Volunteer Fire Service. As a result, fire departments find it hard to staff worthwhile programs such as Fire Safety Education. As in the past, the department has been fortunate that an individual has the interest to volunteer EXTRA time for an important program. In the department, that person was Ex-Captain Karl Schweitzer. Karl, like many others serves on various committees, but has been singled out for his work as coordinator for the Annual Fire Prevention Expo held in conjunction with McDonald's Restaurant, coordinator of the Annual Holiday Open House, a popular Hicksville event; Fire Prevention-Fire Safety speaker for the district; coordinating speakers for school tours and local organizations. It was for those extra efforts that Karl was chosen for recognition.
During the year of 1990, eleven members of the Fire Prevention and Fire Education Committee, including 3rd Assistant Chief Karl Schweitzer had arranged, coordinated, and performed 57 presentations to various groups in the community. Some of these groups included preschool, nursery, kindergarten and elementary grade students, PTA's, Civic Associations, and Senior Citizen groups. Many of these presentations consisted of tours, lectures, and designed programs to meet a particular subject. Through the hard and continuing efforts of these members, Hicksville's residents, young and old, are becoming more aware of the dangers of fire, and learning how to prevent fire and how to survive it.
In 1990, Karl along with Firefighter Tim Chase were recognized with a Certificate of Merit and FASNY Award for their actions in removing a woman from a smoke condition at a house fire. On August 24, 1991, at 3:13 AM, the Hicksville Fire Department responded to a reported house fire at 331 West John Street. The first arriving members Assistant Chief Schweitzer and Firefighter Chase observed a smoke condition coming from the house and were advised that an occupant was still in the house. Assistant Chief Schweitzer and Firefighter Chase entered the structure in search of the occupant before any fire department equipment had arrived. During their search they came upon a fire burning in the living room. As the heat and smoke conditions continued to increase, they continued their search and came upon a bedroom where a semiconscious woman laid in bed. Assistant Chief Schweitzer removed the occupant from her bed and Firefighter Chase assisted in carrying her by guiding Assistant Chief Schweitzer to the outside. Thanks to the quick actions and dedication of these two members the occupant was located and removed from the structure before receiving any injuries.
In 1994, Assistant Chief Schweitzer was presented with a Department Service Award for his research and authoring of the 100th Anniversary History Book. He along with Captain Edward Korona formulated and compiled information for the writing of the Hicksville Fire Department's 100th Anniversary Historical Journal. This historical journal would turn out to become the most comprehensive and concise history ever produced on the history of the Hicksville Fire Department. The task of putting this document together required Assistant Chief Schweitzer to spend many hundreds of hours researching information, meeting with local historians, visiting local libraries and having to travel hundreds of miles upstate to visit museums and to speak with past Hicksville residents. All this time did not come easy and required Assistant Chief Schweitzer to take personal time off from his place of employment. After many hours reviewing slides, photographs and over 10,000 photocopies of news clippings from 9 different publications dating from 1890 through 1992, Assistant Chief Schweitzer's task was now to layout and edit this historical journal. In December 1993, after 4 years of research, typing text, editing and re-editing, the finished version of the Hicksville Fire Department's - First One Hundred Years, an historical journal, which consists of over 300 pages was finally completed and put to print.
In 1994 Karl was awarded an EMS Award, for his role in a team that resuscitated a resident in cardiac arrest. On September 17, 1994, at 21:08 hours the Hicksville Fire Department responded to 194 9th Street for an unconscious and unresponsive resident. As one of the first on scene Karl Schweitzer encountered the resident in cardiac arrest and immediately began CPR with the assistance of Assistant Chief LaNasa. With the arrival of the ambulance a couple of minutes later, Lieutenant Drayer and Firefighter Huttle entered, assisted, and continued doing CPR while Ex-Captain Brevogel set up the advance life support equipment in the ambulance. The patient was moved out to the ambulance and CPR was continued. While transporting the patient to Central General Hospital, several attempts were made to establish an IV, but these attempts failed. The patient was now showing a very slow heart rate, and medications were ordered from medical control. Because of the lack of an IV, medications were administered down the endotracheal tube which had been inserted earlier. Upon their arrival at hospital, the patient was stable. Because of Assistant Chief Schweitzer, and the team applying their basic and advanced EMS skills and teamwork, the patient was resuscitated and survived the life-threatening ordeal.
In late August of 1995, a series of major brush fires swept through the pine barrens region. The first major fire incident occurred in Rocky Point when a larger, more catastrophic fire erupted in the Westhampton area just shortly after the Rocky Point blaze was ended. The Department responded to these fires and Karl was part of the response as an Assistant Chief. The fire, aided by high winds and dry conditions, quickly spread, threatening area homes and businesses. The fire was nicknamed the "Sunrise Wildfire", as it engulfed both sides of Sunrise Highway, the major highway connecting the Hamptons region with the rest of Long Island. The fires closed down the highway and stopped railroad service, effectively cutting the Hamptons off from the rest of the island for days, as firefighters from all over Long Island worked around the clock to battle the blaze.
Following his departure as Chief, he attained his life active status and was elected as a LOSAP Director from 1998 to 2000 and Company Secretary from 2000-2001. He was a member of the Hicks and Hazzbeens Drill Teams, serving as Captain for the Hazzbeens Old Fashioned Team. He was part of the Annual Labor Parade and Drill activities serving on the Journal, Public Relations, and Member Refreshments Committee. He is a member of the Volunteer and Exempts Firemen’s Benevolent Association of Hicksville.
Karl is the unofficial historian for Emergency Company 5 and the Department. He has written several historical pieces related to the fire service, including 50-Year biographies for Ex-Chief Werthessen, Ex-Captain DiStefano, Ex-Captain Nolan and Firefighter Dwyer. Additionally, he has authored 75 Years of Labor Day events in 2005 and continues to organize the Department’s historical files. His current project is to digitize as much as he can and have it made available on the Department website for future generations.
Karl also served as the Chairman of the Department’s Welfare Committee for several years and in 1989, he served as the Chairman of the Department’s Annual Fund Drive Committee. In the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks in 2001, Ex-Chief Schweitzer stepped up and chaired the Annual 9/11 Memorial Committee. For twenty years he organized the annual event to pay tribute and never forget the sacrifices of his friends Chief Terry Farrell and Ex-Captain George Howard. He would turn over the committee to his good friend Mike Kretz in 2021 to carry on the tribute and remembrance. He remains a close advisor to the Committee.
Additionally, he has served on many Company Committees. In 1991 with OSHA’s implementation of the Confined Space standard, Karl would organize and lead the Technical Rescue Team and served as its Leader from 1998 - 1999. With his professional work background Karl would become a member of the Hazardous Materials Response Team from 1987 - 2005 and was a petroleum specialist.
According to Schweitzer, there is one regret that remains unresolved. During his time in the Department, Chief Schweitzer served on two Committees that have never made it through to completion. The need to address the EMS service for the community has eluded his grasp. In 1956 the department started providing EMS service to its residents, and over the last 60 plus years, the service is well beyond the capabilities of its membership. Ex-Chief Schweitzer was part of the 1991 EMS Company Committee and the 2015 Committee to reinvent the squad that would transition into a Company, both never made it to fruition. Additionally, as a Chief in 1996, he expanded and reorganized the role for the EMS Squad but that also did not last more than a few years after he left office.
Ex-Chief Schweitzer remains an active member today and enjoys his family and grandchildren but still finds time to make history his passion.
