Fires, hard work and brotherhood at Friendship Engine and Hose

Meet Merrick’s new chiefs

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Coming off of the recent election, the Merrick Fire Department has assigned its brand new chiefs. Paul Scolieri, 58, Patrick J. Gavigan, 42, and Thomas W. Gies, 33 of Merrick have taken on the positions as chief of the department, 1st assistant chief and 2nd assistant chief respectively for 2017.

“I consider it some of the most fun I’ve had in the fire service, so when I saw the opportunity to do it again I took it” said Gies, smiling as he recalled why he ran again for the chief’s office coming off his last three years in the position. Over his 16 years with the department, he said he has made “amazing friendships” and discovered a feeling of helping people like he’s never felt before. Gies said he enjoys being the chief of a good department and that his knack for being a leader comes from watching and following his father, ex-chief Ronnie E. Gies, who passed away on Sept. 11, 2001, starting in his early childhood.

Gies grew up at Friendship Engine and Hose in Merrick and constantly went with his dad to various trainings and calls. Looking back, the assistant chief said that his father taught him all he knows about being a fireman, “I learned more from him than I did anybody else,” he said.

The most important aspect of being chief, to Gies, is having the respect of his department. Gaining that respect is not easy and requires a lot of dedication, he said, and knowing that he could lose it at the drop of a hat makes him a better leader. The workload is intense sometimes, but, Gies said, it’s some of the most rewarding work he has ever done.

Above all else, Gies said he hopes that his two young daughters, Madison, 7, and Riley, 2, see that his hard work and dedication have allowed him to be where he is today in the department. Becoming a chief was always a dream of his as a child and today , Gies said, he couldn’t be any happier.

“If they [my kids] work hard at something and stay dedicated to it, and learn as much as they can about what they want to do then they can do anything they want,” he added.

When faced with the dangers of a house fire, car accident, or rescue call the teamwork between the chiefs and firefighters is the key to success according to 1st assistant chief Patrick J. Gavigan. The highest-ranking chief present at the incident is in charge of the overall scene, while the others present will supervise the rest of the department’s work on the on the scene. Gavigan has been a volunteer firefighter with Empire in Merrick for over 24 years, and said that he enjoys every minute of it.

He specializes in fire prevention and engine operation, which essentially has to do with regulating the water flow to help put fires out. Gavigan said that giving back to the community and being part of a team filled with good individuals are some of the highlights of being a chief.

“Helping people who need it and providing service to the town is definitely the most important part,” he added

Chief Paul Scolieri got his start as a volunteer firefighter in 1988 at the Freeport Fire Department, eventually becoming captain in 1992. He was with Freeport until switching departments and joining Hook & Ladder Company 1 in Merrick in 1993, where he has been ever since.

Scolieri has been the captain of his firehouse twice now, once in 2002 and then once in 2011. He originally joined the fire department due to the number of car accidents he dealt with through his automotive business, helping people who were trapped escape their cars using the Jaws of Life.

Scolieri said that he appreciates his service as a volunteer firefighter and values working with the department and helping out his community whenever he can. Being chief, or “the man,” of the entire department, according to Scolieri, involves responding to calls no matter how simple or complicated, as well as holding meetings once every month with the chiefs and volunteers, and updating the department’s technology. According to Scolieri, the safety of every civilian and department member is his priority and requires a lot of pre-planning and critical thinking.

“Preparation and proper training within the department is key for helping us for any dangerous situation that can come up,” Scolieri added.

All three chiefs work well together, according to Scolieri, and he couldn’t be more thankful to have two “excellent and highly trained” professional firefighters alongside him for 2017.

“I can’t ask for two better guys to work with,” he said, “The titles don’t ever go to their heads, the three of us are a bunch of characters who always have good times and laughs together but also know when to get to work.”