68. Frank McGeough (2014-2015)
Served 2 Years
Francis McGeough was born December 6, 1974, and is the is the son of Francis and Ellen McGeough. He married Sara in 2015. Frank is employed by PSEGLI working as an overhead lineman and lives on Ballpark Lane in Hicksville.
Frank is the brother of Chief Patrick (Paddy) McGeough. Frank joined Independent Engine and Hose Company 2 in May of 1993 and was assigned badge 168. He would be elected as 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant and subsequently as their Captain in 2002 and 2003. Frank would then continue his rise through the ranks and was elected as 3rd Assistant Chief in 2008 and 2009, 2nd Assistant Chief in 2010 and 2011 and 1st Assistant Chief in 2012 and 2013. He was then elected as the 68th Fire Chief in 2014 and 2015. His Assistant Chiefs were Richard Diaz, 1st Assistant, Robert Telender Jr., 2nd Assistant and for the first time in the department’s history, the members elected a female to the position of Assistant Chief. Newly elected Elizabeth Flahavan, a 26-year member and former Captain of Company 8, would serve as 3rd Assistant.
On January 19, 2015, the department responded to the John Deere store on Old Country Road. On arrival heavy smoke was pushing out of the store and there was a fire in the garage area in the rear. While damage was kept to the rear storage area, the fire loss was considerable to the lost equipment.
Chief McGeough was saddened to learn of the untimely and unexpected passing of Stephen “Flounder” Ocuto from Independent Engine and Hose Company 2. Stephen was a 20-year veteran who got his start with Emergency Company 5 and was a Nassau County Sheriff. He left behind a wife and two small children.
Chief McGeough recognized the need to act and meet the needs of the community by addressing the emergency medical service. He created a committee to evaluate the current and future status of its EMS Service. He charged them with researching, investigating and making recommendations on how to create, establish and assign a group of members that will aid in the response of the emergency medical services within the Department. In 2015, the Chiefs Office adopted EMS Squad Rules and Regulations based on the findings of a committee overseen by the Chiefs Office to explore the potential benefit of chartering a Ninth Company to enhance the level of EMS service to the community. The Committee presented its findings and made recommendations at a Department Meeting, and the membership adopted those recommendations via a vote on the floor. This was the second attempt to reorganize the EMS service. There was a failed attempt in 1991 and in 1996 the Rescue Squad was replaced with an EMS Committee.
Multiple calls were received for a fire in the rear of H&Y Marketplace on South Oyster Bay Road on June 11, 2015. On arrival, firefighters encountered a fire in the 10x20 storage containers that extended into the rear of the building.
On August 15, 2015, a small, single-engine plane crashed onto a Long Island railroad crossing killing the pilot, injuring a passenger, and shutting down service on a branch of the nation’s busiest commuter rail line. The plane crashed at a railway crossing between the Hicksville and Bethpage stations of the Long Island Railroad around 7:45 AM The impact left a pile of metal that was burning with one of the wings torn off, and the other mangled with the body of the plane. The Hawker Beechcraft BE35 aircraft departed from Francis Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach and the pilot reported an issue and was trying to get to Republic Airport in Farmingdale at the time of the crash.
Chief McGeough responded to a school bus fire on September 2, 2015, finding a minibus fully engulfed in fire. Several children were pulled from the bus before the fire spread and taken to area hospitals.
On Wednesday, June 20, 2001, our department received a special call for mutual aid assistance for Engine 932, from the Huntington Manor Fire Department. Captain Frank McGeough 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, used their skills and strength to assist this mutual aid department in their time of need and were awarded a Unit Citation for their work.
Frank was a pivotal member of “Hicks” Drill Team from 1993 through 2008. Additionally, Frank remains a member of the Department’s Ice Hockey Team since 1995.
