Honoring a longtime Malverne firefighter

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Longtime Malverne firefighter Richard Lang Sr. was sworn into membership of the Norwood Hook Ladder and Hose Co. for the Malverne Fire Department on April 5, 1971.

Lang, who was commonly known as Dick, quickly climbed up through the ranks first serving in the position of department mechanic, lieutenant, captain, second assistant chief and first assistant chief. In 1985, Lang was elected chief of the Malverne Fire Department and served that position from 1984-1986. In 1987, Lang was elected as a warden in the fire council and was appointed as treasurer of the fire department, in which he served at both positions for many years.

Lang also served on many committees, one of them being the new fire truck committee. He was a fire apparatus chauffeur and a New York State Certified First Responder. Lang was also a member of Malverne Fire Department Exempts Benevolent Association and a member of the Malverne Muster Club.

Lang was a member of many firematic organizations that included the Fireman’s Association of the State of New York, Nassau County Fire Chiefs Council and the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, among others.

In 1995, Lang had a vision to reorganize the Malverne Fire Deparment’s Marching Band. Lang, who was also a musician, was able to enlist both members and nonmembers of the fire department for the marching band, so the fire department’s marching band was reorganized.

The unofficial name of the band was the Tone Deaf’s. The band performed for the Malverne Fire Department at parades and other events. They also performed for other fire departments for their parades and events. It should be noted that Malverne’s band received many trophies for first place as the best performing band.

One of the happiest and proudest times for Lang was when both of his sons were elected chief of the Malverne Fire Department: Richard Jr., from 2008 -2010, and James, from 2015-2017.

He will be certainly be missed by all.

It was both a honor and a privilege for me to have had the opportunity to know Dick as my friend and brother firefighter. Our condolences to Richie, James and the Lang family.

Respectively submitted,

 

David Weinstein,

Village Historian