45.0°,
Mostly Cloudy Like father, like sons
Firefighting a tradition in Seaford family
Former Lt. Phil Nicola, 60, has served as a member of the Seaford Fire Department for 42 years. His three sons volunteer alongside their dad. With Father’s Day just around the corner, the Nicola Family plans to do what they do every single day — be together.
“Ever since these guys were little, I would bring them down to the Fire Department to play on the trucks,” Nicola said. “It was kind of a second home for them, and as each turned 18, they took an interest in joining.”
In recent years, Nicola has been able to watch as each one of his sons, Steven, John and Michael, joined the same department that he did many years ago. Although family members are constantly running into one another at home, the scene can play out a lot differently when they’re on call.
Michael, 19, Phil’s youngest son, who has been in the department for just a year, said he feels confident in fighting fires and responding to emergencies knowing that his family is there to back him up. “My entire family was getting involved with the Fire Department, and they seemed to enjoy it, and now that I joined, I can kind of see that,” Michael said. “It’s sort of weird, because I’ll be on a call and when I turn the corner, they’ll all be there.”
The feelings are similar for 22-year-old John, a department member for four years. “It’s cool,” he said. “Dad will be driving the truck and we’ll all be in the back.”
Steven, 24, has been a firefighter for seven years, and said he hoped his brothers would follow his lead.
“I like to leave things to them and not force them into any particular occupation,” said Phil, a retired air traffic controller. “But I guess when I had them at an early age, I had it in the back of my mind to really plant that seed in their heads for them to join the Fire Department. It’s a good way to serve the community, and I’m really glad to see that they’re involved.”
Phil’s wife, Susan, does her part as well. The Franklin Square native has been active in the Ladies Auxiliary for nearly 30 years. Although she isn’t a member of the department, she offers her family support both at home and in emergency situations.
The Nicola family also hopes the tradition of joining the Fire Department will continue into the next generation. “It brings everyone closer together,” John said. “I would hope, if I had children one day, that they would want to join the department and share the bonding and memories that go along with it.”
“Even just the experience of being in for one year really brought me into a new world,” added Michael. “So I would want my children to experience that, too.”
The family plans to take it easy on Sunday, and celebrate in their own way. “Maybe for Father’s Day we can set a fire and put it out together,” Michael said with a laugh. “But seriously, I’m sure we’ll all do something as a family to celebrate.”
