History of The Islip Town Chiefs Council

JUNE 24TH, 1954 THE ISLIP TOWN FIRE CHIEF’S COUNCIL  WAS FORMED AT BAY SHORE FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS ATTENDING,  BAY SHORE, BOHEMIA, BRENTWOOD, EAST ISLIP, GREAT RIVER, LAKELAND, ISLIP, SAYVILLE,  AND WEST SAYVILLE.

THE PURPOSE OF THE FORMATION OF THE COUNCIL WAS TO BRING FRIENDSHIP AMONG THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, OBTAIN LISTS OF VARIOUS EQUIPMENT THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAD, LISTS OF OFFICER’S, RADIO SYSTEMS AND SIGNALS USED. PLAN FOR PUBLICITY, LOCATION OF WATER SUPPLY’S UNUSUAL FIRE HAZARDS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY A STRONGER VOICE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

THE FIRST ACTING PRESIDENT (CHAIRMAN) WALTER SCHUTTE OF BAY SHORE FD WAS TEMPORARYLY INSTALLED AND ASST CHIEF JOHN STECKLER OF ISLIP FD AS TEMPORARY SECRETARY.

GUESTS CONSISTED OF PAST CHIEF WILLIAM STRAND OF SMITHTOWN, WILLIAM HALL OF ST JAMES AND MARTIN KUEPP OF BRENTWOOD ATTENDING.

THE CHIEF’S OF BRENTWOOD, SAYVILLE,ISLIP, AND LAKELAND WERE APPOINTED TO BRING A SET OF BYLAWS TO THE COUNCIL. THE FIRST READING WAS ON JULY, 20TH, 1954 AT BRENTWOOD AND THE SECOND WAS ON AUGUST 17TH, 1954 AT BOHEMIA WHERE IT WAS SECONDED AND APPROVED.

ON SEPTEMBER 21, 1954 THE FIRST OFFICER’S WERE ELECTED  PRESIDENT CHIEF SCHUTTE OF BAY SHORE, 1ST VICE PRESIDENT CHIEF MOLZAN OF SAYVILLE, 2ND VICE PRESIDENT ASST CHIEF SCHULTZ OF BRENTWOOD, TREASUER, ASST CHIEF BANTA OF BAY SHORE AND SECRETARY, ASST CHIEF STECKER OF ISLIP.

IN 1956 BAY SHORE FIREMAN LARRY WALKER MADE THE FIRST TONE ACTIVATED FIRE RADIO FOR USE IN THE HOMES OF FIREMAN SO THEY HAD A RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT OF WHAT AND WHERE THE FIRE WAS. THIS RADIO WAS THE FIRST IN THE STATE AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE COUNTRY AND WAS FOLLOWED LATER ON BY BIGGER COMPANY’S SUCH AS PLECTRON.

THE CHIEF’S COUNCIL HAD THEIR HAND OR VOICE IN THE FORMATION OF RADIO SIGNALS, FOAM BANK, BURNING PERMITS, FIRE TRAINING, MUTUAL AID COOPERATION, FIRE ADVISORY BOARD, FIRE MARSHAL’S.   AND NUMEROUS OTHER ITEMS OF FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

AS YOU READ THRU THE MINUTES FROM 1954 TO TODAY IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE FACED THEN ARE STILL THE SAME PROBLEMS WE FACE TODAY, 56 YEARS LATER.

Click Here for the Past Presidents of the Islip Town Chief Council