The East Meadow Fire Department’s volunteer firefighters and emergency medics responded to 1,718 calls for assistance in 2025, a 3.6 percent increase over 2024, according to the Board of Fire Commissioners.
“The upward trend in call volume, coupled with fewer volunteers joining the ranks of volunteer fire and emergency medical services in East Meadow and across Long Island, is a growing concern,” Commissioner Carey Welt said in a press release shared with the Herald. “Our dedicated volunteers are essential to keeping our community safe, and their commitment inspires others to get involved.”
In 2025, the department responded to 851 fire calls, including structure fires, car fires, rubbish and brush fires, and automatic fire alarms — triggered by smoke or heat detectors — representing 3.15 percent more dispatches than in 2024. Calls for emergency medical services were up nearly 6 percent during the same period: 747 calls in 2025 versus 704 in 2024. Motor vehicle accidents were slightly down, with 120 calls in 2025 compared to 128 in 2024.
The East Meadow Fire Department has created several initiatives to boost its volunteer ranks, including publicizing the need for volunteers on electronic signs outside of each of the department’s firehouses and a distributing district-wide newsletter three times a year that contains information about joining the fire department. Several open-house recruitment drives throughout the year help interested individuals learn more about what the job entails and the benefits of volunteering.
“Volunteering as a firefighter or medic offers not only the chance to give back to the community, but can also be a springboard for a career in emergency services,” Commissioner Keith Hoffman said, who pointed at that many of East Meadow’s volunteers serve as police officers, paid firefighters, and emergency medical technicians, and transfer those skills in the performance of their service to the community and to their colleagues in the fire department. “Volunteers in East Meadow and across Nassau County are entitled to certain property tax exemptions, scholarships to the community college, a free annual health exam, a service award pension program and many other advantages in addition to the satisfaction gained knowing that you are doing something good.”
The East Meadow Fire District covers over 7.5 square miles and includes East Meadow as well as parts of Levittown and Westbury. The East Meadow Fire Department is always looking for new members to join their ranks as firefighters or emergency medical personnel; no experience is necessary.
For more information on volunteering with the East Meadow Fire Department, visit EastMeadowFD.com or call (516) 542-4565.
