Memorial Day Weekend

On the ground at the air show

Wantagh F.D. prepares to protect Jones Beach

Posted

Between 300,000 and 400,000 people are expected to look to the skies over Jones Beach on May 27 and 28, marveling at the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team and other elite military pilots as they twist and turn their planes at the Bethpage Air Show. 

While the aerial stunts will command the attention of throngs of Long Islanders and visitors, Wantagh Fire Department volunteers will be at work on the ground, making sure spectators have a fun and safe time at the Memorial Day weekend spectacular. 

Jones Beach State Park is in the Wantagh Fire District, which includes all of Wantagh, Seaford Harbor and parts of Levittown, East Meadow and Bellmore. First Assistant Chief Joe Gross III said that dozens of volunteers from Wantagh-Seaford began planning fire, rescue and emergency medical services for the air show — one of the largest events oif any kind on Long Island — in February. 

Kevin Regan, the Fire Department’s public information officer, said that it’s challenging to be prepared to respond to all fire, rescue and EMS incidents for all 6.5 acres of the park — in addition to helping the U.S Coast Guard on the water — throughout the year. Nassau County Legislator Steve Rhoads, who has volunteered with the department for 24 years, said the demands are amplified during the air show. 

Rhoads, a Bellmore resident who grew up in Wantagh, has worked with his fellow firefighters on the scene at the air show. He explained that they have to be ready to handle all manner of emergencies, from extreme incidents — like a plane crashing or an attempted terrorist attack — to putting out brush fires, helping with water rescues and providing emergency services to people who pass out in the heat. 

“I always tell kids who are just joining the Fire Department that we are the backup plan,” Rhoads said. “When people are in trouble, whatever the incident may be, they call us. There is no question that, without the work of the Wantagh Fire Department and neighboring departments, the air show wouldn’t happen.” 

Gross, who has been a department member for 22 years, leads the safety preparations for the air show. He explained that five chiefs and volunteers meet with representatives of the Coast Guard; the state parks and police departments, as well as the office of emergency management; and members of 15 or more fire departments across the region throughout the winter and spring to coordinate coverage of the event. More than 80 firefighters and medics are on hand both days of the air show. 

Regan said that the Wantagh Incident Management Team helps Gross and the chiefs prepare a comprehensive plan that includes organization, safety, communications, resource management and logistics schedules and reports. The plan helps coordinate and synchornize the efforts of the departments and support agencies that assist Wantagh volunteers during the event, Regan added, such as the state’s National Guard Civil Support Team and Office of Fire Prevention and Control Hazardous Materials Team.  

Because of the complexity of the crowds and traffic congestion, the park is divided into sectors, each with its own leadership and resources. The Field Communications Unit assigns emergency response teams to incidents based on their location. 

Wantagh and other departments have specialized all-terrain vehicles that are equipped for fire suppression and EMS response, Regan explained, and can be deployed rapidly to areas large trucks cannot reach because of the crowds. Wantagh’s Marine Unit and Dive Team is also on patrol during the air show. 

Gross said that the operation requires constant communication. In the last five years that he has commanded the air show volunteers, he has seen trash fires, water rescues and scores of beachgoers pass out in the sun or hurt themselves falling down. But the Fire Department also has to be prepared for disasters of a larger scale, he said. 

“In the climate that we live in today, we have to be prepared for all types of criminal activity,” Gross said. “We always keep that in the back of our minds.” 

After every air show, Regan said, the Fire Department reviews its plans and adjusts them as necessary. He noted that Wantagh fire leaders are grateful for the relationship they have with the many agencies they have worked with for many years at the event. 

Rhoads commended his fellow Wantagh firefighters for protecting people at an event that he noted is important for the local economy. Rhoads, whose legislative district encompasses parts of Freeport, Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh and Seaford, said the air show is a boon for business owners on Merrick Road in particular. 

“Jones Beach has millions of patrons that come to the park on a seasonal basis, and the Fire Department has to respond to a variety of calls,” he said. “It’s a tremendous responsibility, and we are extraordinarily grateful.” 

The show begins at noon on both days.