Uniondale fire station unveils new Engine 753 at celebration

Manor Engine Company 3, a fire station in Uniondale, unveiled its new engine, 753, with a big celebration on Sunday.

One of the Uniondale Avenue station’s old fire engines was showing its age, prompting the station to take the necessary steps to replace it.

“In order for us to really support the quality of service that we put out to the community, we started to pursue a new engine,” Olena Nicks, Manor Company 3, 2nd Lt. said.

The application process and waiting time can be long for a new truck, Nicks said, and 753 took even longer than usual due to roadblocks because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It was a very lengthy process because we started this right before Covid,” she said, “and due to some supply issues and production and things like that, it took much longer than any of our previous apparatus in the past.”

But 753 finally made its way to the fire station and is officially in use now, bringing Manor Company 3’s engine count back to two. The sister station, Brookside Engine Company 2, also has two engines that service Uniondale.

The dedication comes just as the Uniondale Fire Department prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in September.

The engine dedication celebration drew in a crowd of local residents and supporters of the fire department, as well as firefighters from surrounding stations and Rep. Anthony D’Esposito of the 4th Congressional District.

“Today is a part of the Uniondale Fire Department’s history, and it’s one that should be remembered,” D’Esposito said. “I pray each and every day that everyone that boards this (engine) gets back and forth safely.”

Honorary Chief Ron Seibert christened the engine with a champagne bottle, and it was sprayed with water as it drove across the department’s firehouse site.

People cheered on the new engine, ate burgers and other foods provided by the station, and danced to the DJ’s tunes. Kids jumped in an inflatable bounce house, went down the slide, and played in a bubble machine. Branded merchandise, including T-shirts and mugs, were available for purchase, drawing a line of supporters eager to buy them and showcase their Uniondale Fire Department pride.

Nicks said she was happy to share the engine dedication with the community and show the residents what the fire station has to offer to keep Uniondale safe from fire damage and during other emergencies.

“We want them to know that we always have their best interest in mind and that, as we are riding through calls, this is what the community (and) their support has allowed us to build,” she said.