Since 1933, the Jericho Volunteer Fire Department has had the same mission: serve Jericho and save residents’ lives. The department, now over 90 years old, is a “pillar of the community,” having responded to over 1,300 alarms in 2024. The department serves thousands of homes, representing Jericho, Muttontown, Brookville and parts of Westbury.
“We really, I think, play a pivotal role in keeping this community safe,” said Dr. Christopher Foresto, the department’s assistant chief. Foresto said he joined the department in 1990 as a junior firefighter and has remained there ever since.
Foresto said the department is completely volunteer and comprises approximately 100 members who all share the same goal.
“It’s about being engaged and being a good neighbor and helping people in their time of need,” he said.
But more than firefighting, the department is equipped to respond to various emergencies, including medical issues, hazardous materials, gas leaks, auto accidents, and flooding, among others, Foresto said. The department recently formed a water rescue team to broaden its services, he said.
Foresto said that on top of responding to a variety of emergencies, the department is responsible for aiding various demographics from young children to the area’s elderly population.
“We respond to many different addresses within the confines of the Jericho fire district,” he said.
Foresto said the department responds to calls at private residences, apartments, commercial office buildings and shopping centers. He said the demographics of a call influence the department’s response, and that if children are in schools or if elders are in nursing homes, firefighters have to be mindful of potential mobility issues or hazards.
Foresto said the department has strong relationships with the community and collaborates with other entities like the school district. He said the department attends club fairs to recruit junior members, and the schools allow the department to use their facilities like the pool during trainings.
“We’re fortunate that the Jericho Fire District is able to provide us with the absolute best in terms of equipment, facilities and training,” he said.
The department recently received a state-of-the-art 100-foot tower ladder, a truck with an extendable arm that ends in a platform or basket. According to the department’s website, the truck was assigned to Engine & Ladder Co. No. 1, and it is expected to serve the district for 25 years.
Foresto said one of the most rewarding aspects of the job is having the opportunity to help someone on “potentially one of the worst days of their lives.” He said that being able to mitigate their neighbors’ problems motivates many of the department’s members.
“I think that’s what drives the volunteer fire service, that sense of giving back,” he said.
He said the driving force behind the department is the desire to help one another and to stay engaged in the community.
“When I speak with our members that resonates among everybody…that sense of being able to help people when they’re experiencing a difficult situation.”
