64. Robert Chiz (2006-2007)
Served 2 Years
Robert Chiz was born August 18, 1954. He was adopted by his loving parents Frank and Margaret Chiz and brought home to 19 Preston Lane, Hicksville where he still lives today. Bob graduated from Hicksville Senior High School in 1972. In October of 1976 he married his lovely wife Mary O’Malley. They have three children, Peter, Douglas, and Linda. Bob worked in the electronics industry for the private sector most of his career, then was employed by the Town of Oyster Bay Division of Public Safety.
Bob joined Engine Company 7 in 1974. He served as company lieutenant from 1981-1984 and as Captain in 1985-1986. In the years to follow, Bob again took on the responsibility of company officer and served as Captain, a second time, in 1992.
Bob was elected 3rd Assistant Chief in 2000-2001, 2nd Assistant Chief 2002-2003, 1st Assistant Chief 2004-2005 before he was elected as the 64th Chief of Department in 2006 and 2007. His Assistant Chiefs were Robert Lang, 1st Assistant, Edward Korona, 2nd Assistant and Christopher Moskos, 3rd Assistant.
While emergency medical services were in their infancy in the firehouse, he became a state certified EMT. Bob is also a charter member of the Hazardous Material Team. In addition to his duties on the fireground, Bob has been active on department committees, representative to the community and continues to serve on other countywide committees. Bob was a participant on the Annual Labor Day Parade and Tournament Committee for many years and served as Chairman in 1981.He was President of the Ninth Battalion Active Chief's Council, and past Advisor to the Hicksville Junior's Organization. Bob ran as a member for the Hicks Drill Team, and later as a member of the Hazzbeens. He also was a member of the bowling team.
On Thursday, December 23, 2004, at 9:14 PM firefighters battled a raging fire in a two-story apartment house on West Cherry Street. Bob, who was first on the scene, encountered a fully involved structure with fire out multiple windows on both floors. Neighbors were screaming, glass was breaking, and power lines were starting to burn and falling as the first engines arrived. Eighty-five Hicksville firefighters under command of 1st Assistant Chief Chiz, assisted by Assistant Chiefs Bobby Lang and Edward Korona, battled the blaze for three hours, utilizing five fire hydrants, before getting it under control. Hicksville used all five of its engine companies as well as a ladder company and was assisted at the scene by additional ladder companies from Syosset and Westbury and medical units from Plainview, Jericho, and Nassau County Police. Bethpage and Plainview also sent engine companies to assist. One firefighter suffered a torn muscle in his shoulder and was transported to the hospital for treatment. There were several other close calls from a flashover, but firefighters were able to escape. Their protective gear was seriously damaged by the heat, but effectively protected them from injury. LIPA, fearing damage to primary wires shut down electric to the downtown area for over an hour. Keyspan service was on scene quickly and shut off the gas supply to the structure. Firefighters were on scene until 3:00 AM mopping up and putting out small pockets of fire. Town of Oyster Bay Building Department officials were on scene and after an inspection, deemed the structure unsafe. On December 24, after fire investigators completed their on- scene investigation, the investigators stated the fire was arson. The structure was torn down.
On the evening of January 13th, 2006, the department responded to a reported fire with people trapped at 14 Boulevard Drive. Upon Arrival, Bob found a heavy smoke condition coming from second floor of a split-level house. Ex-Chief Patrick Scanlon was returning from a previous alarm in his private vehicle and responded directly to the scene. Upon his arrival he noted a working structure fire upstairs and entered the structure without the use of any personal protective equipment. Due to the extreme heat and heavy smoke condition, Scanlon had to make his way through the home on his hands and knees. At the end of the hallway, he entered the bedroom and after hearing gurgling sounds, found Joseph Shunnan and pulled him out of the room and down the hallway where he and an adult male civilian carried Shunnan downstairs. While Scanlon was performing the rescue, Engine 934 arrived on the scene. Ex-Chief Owen Magee assisted Scanlon in the rescue and, together, they carried Shunnan outside and began Basic Life Support. Upon the arrival of EMS, they assisted in the treatment and packaging of the patient who was transported to Nassau University Medical Center in unstable condition with respiratory distress and a compromised airway. Mutual aid was requested from surrounding departments. Ex-Chief Patrick Scanlon was presented with the Hicksville Fire Department's Henry Gebhardt Award and Ex-Chief Owen Magee was presented with the Hicksville Fire Department Certificate of Merit for their heroic actions.
On June 25th, 2006, at 9:47 AM, Nassau County Firecom toned out the department with a working fire possible people trapped on North Drive. Bob was first on scene and reported a fully involved working house fire. The first due engine 933 arrived, picked up a hydrant and stretched a hand line to the front of the house. Upon charging the hydrant they found the hydrant was faulty and they had to find another source of water and a source was soon established. The second due engine 937 picked up a hydrant down the block and stretched 2 lines off the engine. The first due truck team began to search the house for the victim. As the fire was being knocked down reports came back to command that the victim was found in the dining room area, but it had been too late. 938 and 931 performed the truck company duties upon their arrival at the scene. The fire was quickly knocked down and the house was checked for extension of fire. Upon the full completion of the overhaul, the fire marshals were called to investigate the origin of the fire and the fatality. It was determined that the cause of the fire was an electrical extension cord which had been placed under the carpeting and stapled to the front staircase. There were no other reported injuries in this fire.
On Tuesday night July 12, 2006, at around 11:00 PM, the department responded to a report of a house fire on East Barclay Street. Upon arrival Bob found the second story of the house completely involved in flames. Once inside, the firefighters began to extinguish the fire and try and locate a reported victim still trapped inside the house. Upon searching the second story bedroom, firefighters found the resident on the floor and began to call for first aid and tools to aid in the removal of the victim. Upon removal from the house, the victim was transported in ambulance 9322 to NUMC with reports of 2nd and 3rd degree burns on most of his body as well as burns to his respiratory tract. It took 5 pieces of apparatus and 40 firefighters approximately 45 minutes to place the fire under control. Mutual aid was received from the Syosset, Plainview, Jericho, and Bethpage fire departments.
It was reported on July 12th that the victim of the fire passed away and that the fire was still under investigation for a cause but was deemed non-suspicious.
In the early morning hours on Saturday, September 30, 2006, the department was dispatched to a report of a building fire on South Broadway. The building served as the corporate headquarters of Diagnostic Imaging Group. The Bethpage Fire Department was on scene and Bob was the first Hicksville Chief on scene. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a fully involved fire in the rear and through the roof of the two-story commercial building. Approximately 200 firefighters and some 25 pieces of apparatus battled the blaze for over 8 hours. The entire building was destroyed and there was a partial collapse of the second floor. Damages were estimated at over $2 million. No injuries were reported.
On January 13, 2007, a blaze broke out about 3:00 AM outside Trinity Deli at 1 West Village Green. The deli is attached to several other businesses, and flames spread to Good Taste Chinese Kitchen and DiMaggios Pizzeria. The fire started in the rear of the building when a pile of flattened cardboard boxes was set ablaze. First arriving Engine 934 quickly deployed a line and knocked down a large bulk of fire before fully extending into the buildings. The fire was under the command of Chief of Department Robert Chiz, and he was assisted by Assistant Chiefs Lang, Korona & Moskos. The incident was concluded by 5:00 AM. Nassau County Fire Marshal confirmed that the fire was arson, and they are investigating to determine who started the blaze.
At around 3:00 AM, April 30 the department received a call via Firecom for a house fire at Valley Lane. Upon arrival Bob found a fully involved fire in the home's attached garage with fire extending into the home. Falkenthal, his grandmother, wife, daughter, and the family's dog were asleep inside the home at the time of the fire. All escaped safely.
About two hours later, fire department personnel finishing up at the Valley Lane home received the alarm with an overturned auto around the corner from the fire scene. Upon arrival at Jerusalem Avenue and Winding Road, firefighters found homeowner Falkenthal and his brother-in-law had helped get the driver out of the overturned vehicle and a woman out of her vehicle, which was leaking gasoline.
The driver of the overturned vehicle was not seriously injured and was transported to an area hospital by a fire department ambulance. The cause of the house fire is still under investigation; however, it is not considered suspicious.
Bob has received citations and awards for his actions at a structure fire in a garage when he sustained second degree burns along with thirteen other firefighters who also received burns or were injured, the Avianca plane crash, the Alboro Company Propane fire, and other rescue efforts. Bob was recognized and awarded by the Fire Department of the City of New York the rank of Honorary Battalion Chief for his assistance on September 11, 2001, and the days and months following.
In 1994 Bob was awarded an EMS Award, for his role in a team that resuscitated a woman in Cardiac Arrest. On September 17, 1994, at 21:08 hours the department responded to 194 9th Street for an unconscious and unresponsive female. As one of the first on scene Bob encountered a female victim in cardiac arrest and immediately began CPR. 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 Bob and the team applied their basic and advanced EMS skills and teamwork, the patient was resuscitated and survived her life-threatening ordeal.
In 1998 Bob was awarded the Hicksville Fire Department's Class 1-Henry Gebhardt Award, for his role along with other Hazardous Material Team members for their heroic actions when an 18-wheeler carrying 10,500 gallons overturned and rolled over onto its side while entering the Long Island Expressway in Jericho near Route 106/107. The crash occurred on Friday, August 21, 1998, shortly after 2:00 PM. As the truck skidded to a halt, missing all other vehicles, the driver escaped with the help of MTA police officer, John Kowalchuk. The driver suffered only minor injuries.
The Jericho fire department arrived on the scene under the command of Assistant Chief David Ginzburg. County Emergency Services personnel arrived on the scene as did Hicksville's Hazardous Material Team and foam truck. Police and Hazardous Material Team members immediately checked the tanker for additional leaks and checked storm drains as well. Police determined that the temperature on the highway was 116° Fahrenheit. Additional foam was applied to prevent ignition of the fumes from the spilled gasoline.
Traffic was backed up in both directions on the expressway, as well as on Route 106/107. The expressway was closed until after midnight. Residents within a half mile of the accident evacuated their homes. Team members under protection of foam hose lines mounted the trailer and, working with county police E.S.B. officers using air drills and hole saws began cutting six 4" holes in the various compartments. Then using a suction tube, the gasoline was pumped through the holes and off-loaded into a second truck. The off-load was completed around 8:00 PM and the tanker was up righted at 9:30 PM. At 10:00 PM hazardous materials operation was terminated, and clean-up operations began.
Bob received a Certificate of Merit for his actions as part of a crew for his efforts on February 27, 2005. The Hicksville Fire Department received a call for a possible cardiac arrest at 355 Newbridge Road in Apt. 67. Upon arrival, Bob noted the patient to be pulse-less, not breathing and transmitted a "Code Red". The crew from 939 arrived. Firefighter Wicks and Assistant Chief Korona moved the patient to the floor and started CPR. As other members from the ambulance crew arrived, they took over CPR and assumed compressions and maintained the airway, which became difficult due to the patient's positioning in the room. While basic life support care was established, Lieutenant Farrell began cardiac monitoring and determined that the patient had an agonal rhythm. While the patient was being stabilized, the crew began to prepare for the packaging of the patient by securing the appropriate equipment from the rig. As they were using basic life support maneuvers, the patient went into ventricular fibrillation. After counter shocking, the patient resumed agonal rhythm. Following the defibrillation, the patient was packaged and moved to the ambulance and transported to the hospital when the patient's blood pressure returned to 150 over 90. The patient's status was confirmed by the Emergency Department staff, and it was noted that the patient was connected to a ventilator with stable blood pressure and in sinus tachycardia. The patient was later transferred to the Cardiac Care Unit and then to a medical floor. Within two weeks, she was scheduled to return home. The teamwork and level of skill displayed by the members of the crew on scene contributed to the patient's survival.
On May 19, 2000, the department Hazardous Materials team received a call for mutual aid from the Melville Fire Department for an 18,000-gallon propane tank leaking. The tank was located at the Huntington Quadrangle on Route 110 and the Long Island Expressway (LIE). Upon arrival, the Hazardous Materials team began conducting downwind monitoring continuously. A shift in the wind could cause a major disruption in the Friday evening rush for both the LIE and Route 110. The tank continued to vent with hand lines being used to disperse the vapors, but this procedure could take days to empty the tank. The decision was made to remove the broken fittings and replace them with caps or shutoffs. Hazardous Materials team members had to climb into the hole where the tank was and get right on top of the leak. Hazardous Materials team members Robert Johnson, John Keyer, Tim Chase, George Howard, Mike Scanlon, and Bob Chiz took turns removing the damaged pipes. Under very dangerous conditions, these members removed broken pipes and properly capped the leaks, while being supported by numerous members of the department on scene, ready to help in any way they could. After four hours, the leak stopped. For their bravery in the face of extreme danger, Chief Robert Chiz, Ex-Captain Robert Johnson, Ex-Captain John Keyer, Ex-Captain Michael Scanlon, firefighter Timothy Chase and the late Ex-Captain George Howard (posthumously) were named recipients of the Hicksville Fire Department's Class 1-Henry Gebhardt Award. Other team members who worked at the scene in a support capacity to the above mentioned Gebhardt Award recipients; each received a Unit Citation awarded to personnel whose actions involved in an outstanding fire ground or heavy rescue operation, which depended upon teamwork and cooperation resulting in the protection and or saving of human life.
On June 20, 2001, our department received a special call for mutual aid assistance for Engine 932, from the Huntington Manor Fire Department. Ex-Captain Chiz responded as part of the crew. Upon arrival at the scene, it was observed that there was a large lumberyard fire, inclusive of three structures fully engulfed with fire. Orders were given to secure a water supply and report to the front of the fire building. The crew was able to locate a water supply (hydrant) while two mutual-aid Engine Companies were able to perform change-over operations and assisted in supplying an adequate water supply through 1,400 feet of 5" hose. An additional water supply approximately 1,000 feet from Engine 932, which was also used to feed Engine 932, enabling the engine to utilize a deck-gun operation. While 932 was in operation, the crew was utilized in the rear of the building working with a 2 1/2" hose line to protect exposures, search for additional fire and protect property. Some 10 hours later, the crew was relieved and released late in the afternoon on Sunday. For their actions, the crew went above and beyond what is expected under normal conditions, and used their skills and strength to assist this mutual aid department in their time of need and were awarded Unit Citation for their work.
Bob is proud to serve alongside his son Doug and his son-law, Tom Price, who are also members of Engine Company Seven.
