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The Chappaqua Fire Department Wants your Help!

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Fire Chief’s All-Important Call for Volunteers

Photos courtesy of the Chappaqua Fire Dept.

Chief Paul Eiden spoke to The Inside Press about the continuing and pressing need for firefighting volunteers from the community. He also provided valuable suggestions as to how Chappaqua residents can get involved. Fortunately, volunteers have joined throughout the summer to help the department respond to emergencies in the area. But while volunteers of any age over 16 are encouraged to join, Chief Eiden noted that adults who will not be attending school during the academic year are at this juncture the ideal candidates.

“The adults are the key because of the longevity we hope to obtain by bringing in folks who are out of school,” he explained. For those who would like to get involved, Eiden explains that no experience is required: “The only thing they really have to provide is their time.”

“The initial training at the fire academy is long,” he went on. “It’s north of 130 hours over a period of a couple of months, but we provide residents with any kind of training they need before they go to the academy, and then any type of support they need for skill refreshers.”

Intrigued? What You Need to Know

So what does that 130-hour training process look like?

Eiden describes the time commitment as a few nights during the week as well as every Saturday. Once that training process is completed, the fire department follows the New York State Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) requirements which allow their firefighters to qualify for pension credits.

For points to be allotted to the firefighters for alarm response, volunteers must make at least 10% of the alarm calls that the department receives per year. Eiden explained that given the number of alarm calls the Chappaqua Fire Department receives, this amounts to about 45 to 50 alarm calls per firefighter in a year, or about three to four per month.

“You know that there are people who will drop whatever they’re doing to help you at a moment’s notice, and you would do the same for them. It sounds very cliche to use the phrase ‘brotherhood and sisterhood’, but it really is true.”
– Chappaqua Fire Chief Paul Eiden

However, Eiden also noted that 95% of the Chappaqua Fire Department membership far exceeds this minimum, with each firefighter responding to about 30-50% of alarms per year. This allows the department to send multiple trucks on calls and alarms, which Eiden says is a “really good feeling as a chief, to know that I’ve got these folks coming in ready to work and able to do what we need to be done when there’s an emergency.”

“The minimum standards for the amount of time you have to give throughout the course of the year is not insurmountable,” Eiden ensures. “It’s definitely manageable within the family structure, whether or not you’ve got other activities outside of the work environment. We find a role for everybody.”

Even once volunteers begin responding to emergencies, Eiden finds that it is crucial for firefighters to continue practicing their skill set and keeping on top of drills and training. He uses the expression that “these skills are perishable,” particularly because Chappaqua does not receive as many emergency calls as a department in an urban environment would. As such, it is essential to regularly refresh the basics. One such opportunity is on Thursday nights when the firehouse hosts “house duty”.

House duty offers members an opportunity to run drills, training, and check their apparatus and equipment to make sure everything is functioning and properly in inventory. People come by to have their questions answered and to see what a volunteer fire department is all about. “For instance, Thursday night we’re going to have a drill we call ‘core competencies,’” Eiden said. “There are five or six different stations that each of the firefighters will go to: connecting a hydrant, putting up a ladder, starting a chainsaw.”

Working together so often, and in such stressful conditions, makes for a unique bond between members of the firehouse. Eiden says that “it really is a very large family… so that when you walk into that building you know that the person on your left and the person on your right have your back with whatever you need–whether it’s going out on an emergency or something going on at home.”

Indeed, the camaraderie between firefighters goes beyond just their time in the firehouse. Eiden tells a story of a time he was away on college visits with his daughter and had an electrical issue at his house. He called up another member of the firehouse, who used to be a general contractor, and he came over to Eiden’s house to resolve the problem while Eiden and his daughter were away.

“That kind of feeling is definetly what we are all about,” Eiden said. “You know that there are people who will drop whatever they’re doing to help you at a moment’s notice, and you would do the same for them. It sounds very cliche to use the phrase ‘brotherhood and sisterhood’, but it really is true.”

Eiden’s daughter is now a firefighter at Chappaqua Fire Department as well, and his son does the same in Mount Kisco. The chief expresses pride not only in his children becoming firefighters, but also in the relationships they are building as they grow within their departments and become leaders themselves. Outside of its work responding to emergencies, the firehouse reaches out to the community to spread fire prevention and safety tips.

Community Education Opportunities during Fire Prevention Month

October is Fire Prevention Month, which means that the Chappaqua Fire Department will visit the Chappaqua nursery schools to speak to the children and acclimate them to being around firefighters in case of an emergency.

And they make it fun and memorable, too. “We bring a couple of our firefighters, and we talk to the kids; the firefighters go from being in street clothes to being completely dressed including being on a tank of air where they sound like Darth Vader,” Eiden explained.

“The gist of that is so that the kids can see how they went from being just a regular person, who was talking to them and making them laugh, to being a firefighter, so that they’re not afraid if a firefighter has to come to their house for an emergency and they’re not all of a sudden intimidated by this person in weird clothing.”

As the firefighters go through the stages of getting into their gear for the children, they associate each step with things that the kids are familiar with. For example, they liken their protective clothing to hoods, raincoats, or boots one may wear when it rains. “We’ve found that really helps the kids have a better understanding of what’s going to happen when we show up,” Eiden said.

“Another thing we do is ask the teachers to emphasize when they’re doing the weekly recap note that goes out to the parents, fire drills in the home,” he went on. “In a corporate environment, we have fire drills in the office. Kids have fire drills at school. But how many families have a meeting place outside of the house in case a fire alarm goes off? Do the kids know they shouldn’t go back in to get their favorite toy or find the family dog? They have a job, and their job is to get out of the house.”

Teaching your children about what to do in case of an emergency, the location of fire extinguishers in the home, and setting up a meeting place outside of the home are key topics to discuss as a family to be prepared in case of an emergency. For more fire prevention insights, don’t miss the the Chappaqua Fire Department’s Open House, which is hosted on one of the first two weekends in October for Fire Prevention Month.

At the Open House, firefighters will start fires in a metal trough, so that residents can practice using a fire extinguisher to help put it out. Residents can also watch as firefighters use the jaws of life to cut up a car, simulating a car accident. They also offer activities for kids, including a fire hose with a nozzle on it and a spinning target which allows them to try using a fire hose.

Eiden says they also give out coloring books and “some take-home things so that if parents are really engaged, they can bring it home and extend those lessons.” Volunteer applications are available on the Chappaqua Fire Department’s website, and residents are always encouraged to get involved any way they can. Chief Eiden concluded: “What better thing to do then support your friends and neighbors in that way?”

Visit chappaquafd.org for more info.

Photos in this article are all courtesy of the Chappaqua Fire Department.

Armonk Fire Chief: “The More Volunteers, The Better”

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Photos Courtesy of the Armonk Fire Department

The Armonk Fire Department is one of a handful of fire departments in Westchester County which combine fire and EMS services into one department – which makes regular recruitment efforts indeed critical. With that dual role in mind, Armonk Fire Chief Carlos Cano stressed the importance of regularly recruiting volunteers with varying schedules to efficiently serve the town.

“The more volunteers you have, the better,” Cano said. “Then you have a variety of people that work in different fields, and their schedules are different, so it becomes easier [for the department] to cover calls.”

Already, Cano says that the department has had to hire a paid EMT to cover weekdays while most volunteers are busy with work or other commitments. This shortage of work makes finding volunteers with varied availability even more important.

For the most part, however, Cano says that the Armonk Fire Department has been faring very well as far as recruitment. The department consists at the time of this writing of over 20 EMTs including one who just joined this summer.

“We have people who come in that want to become either EMTs or firefighters, and sometimes our fire guys serve as ambulance drivers and run it as attendants and catch a little bug; they say, ‘you know what, I can do this,’ and they become EMTs,” Cano said. “Or vice versa, we have some people who come in as EMTs and go on fire calls, then think, ‘that looks like fun’ and they want to take a fire class.”

The department, he shared, sees upwards of 1,100 emergency calls per year, averaging to three or four calls per day. Cano calls it “demanding,” but the more volunteers who can respond to calls, the better.

Interested? Here’s what to do ‘Next’

How then can one become a volunteer firefighter or EMT? Cano says that there is no prior experience required for those who are interested in becoming members, and that the department provides training for whichever path volunteers choose to follow.

“You can take the Firefighter 1 class at the training center in Valhalla or sign up for an EMT class at one of the different venues where it’s offered,” he explained. “For firefighting, once you become a member, we will help you or tell you where to go. You can also sign up for updates from the county, and then every time there’s a class offered, you’ll get notified via email to come in for a class. The same goes for EMTs.”

Firefighter 1, the training course for firefighters, amounts to roughly 137 hours of training. For EMTs, Cano says the training is closer to 210 hours. These are typically completed on two or three nights during the week and occasional full days on Saturday for about four months total.

To enroll for a volunteer role in the department, visit the department site, armonkfd.com, for an application. Or consider talking to representatives from the department first at one of their popular outreach events such as EMS Week or Fire Prevention Week. These are announced via posters hung up about town, and on social media.

Fire Safety Lessons in the School District

The Armonk Fire Department has also worked with some of the Byram Hills district schools to emphasize the importance of fire safety measures in the home for Armonk families. Cano says that schools will sometimes bring kids to visit the firehouse and learn from the firefighters.

“When I do those tours for the kids, I use those 45 minutes to talk to the parents and educate them about us, because a lot of people think that we’re a paid department. We tell them that we’re always looking for people, and if you want to volunteer, here we are!”

Other ways that the department reaches out to the community and promotes safety in the home is through free CPR courses on the first Thursday of each month led by H. C. Crittenden Middle School nurse Julie Gallagher. Classes take place at the firehouse from 7-9 p.m.. The classes themselves are free and it’s $22 to purchase a certification card from the American Heart Association. The email to register for CPR training is cpr@armonkfd.com.

As far as volunteer work with the department itself, Gallagher shared a similar sentiment to Cano regarding balancing outside commitments. “Although it is a volunteer position, most of our members spend between 10 to 20 hours per week responding to calls, training with other members, and cleaning and inventorying the apparatus,” she said.

“Everyone has a ‘pay job’, so it can be a very tricky balance,” she continued. “Often, the time commitment to the fire department eats into our home lives because emergencies happen at all hours of the night and day. Our spouses and family members need to be very understanding! Most EMS calls last an hour, but a working fire could keep you away from home the entire night!”

‘A Second Family’

Working together so often, and in such stressful conditions, makes for a unique bond between members of the firehouse. Gallagher feels that the relationship is like “a second family.”

“We work together helping people, their homes and local businesses and to do this, we need to work as a team,” she explained. “Firefighting and EMS are jobs that you cannot do single-handedly! No-one can lift a patient onto a stretcher or put out a fire by themselves. We truly need each other to take care of emergencies. We trust each other with our lives, because many situations that we are involved in are dangerous. When you join our fire department family, you should be open to making new friends, learning many new skills, and doing physically demanding work as a team.”

Indeed, the Armonk Fire Department emphasizes the role in protecting one’s community and picking up new skills on their website, noting that you can expect “a little hard work, a strong sense of community, the benefits and excitement of learning new skills and… a desire to help neighbors in a time of need.”

Members of the Armonk community interested in joining the department can also stop by the firehouse on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. to watch their weekly cleanup and drills and speak to volunteers and firehouse staff about what membership entails.

A Call for Volunteers at the “Relaxed, Friendly & Supportive” Pleasantville Fire Department

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Photo by Donna Mueller

Chief Madison Martineau spoke to Inside Press about the importance of getting volunteers from the community, and ways that Pleasantville residents can get involved.

While he notes that some members over the years have come and gone due to moving in or out of town, volunteer numbers have remained fairly steady over the past few years. For anyone interested in joining, Martineau reassures that no experience or prior training is required, and that all necessary training is provided by the firehouse.

“On occasion, we gain members who have prior experience, but the majority join with no experience at all,” he said.

The Training Process

Martineau explained that members who sign up to become volunteer firefighters receive free training, including education in the American Heart Association CPR, AED, and First Aid. Volunteers will also go through the department’s in-house Probationary Training Program.

Photo by Donna Mueller

“This gets people familiar with our apparatus and equipment, policies, and some basic operational strategies,” Martineau explained. “This program helps members become comfortable enough so they are ready to respond to alarms in a safe manner and handle basic tasks on scene. To become an Interior Firefighter, members must take the NYS Firefighter 1 course which is offered at the Westchester County Fire Training Center in Valhalla. There are many other NYS courses offered to members, if they wish to train in more specialized areas such as driving apparatus, vehicle extrication, water rescue, etc. Members also participate in in-house training drills on Monday evenings.”

Anyone over the age of 16 is encouraged to apply to the Pleasantville Fire Department and help their neighbors in need! Martineau explains that volunteers can also choose to work as interior firefighters, who should meet certain physical requirements, or exterior firefighters, who assist with scene support and carry out many important tasks at fires and other alarms.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PLEASANTVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT

The value in bringing more people on board is not necessarily improving response times, as Martineau explains that Pleasantville FD is fortunate enough to already have a team of dedicated members who respond quickly when dispatched, but that “they will provide more helping hands at alarms, drills, and other PFD events.”

Working together so often and entrusting one another with their lives makes for a unique bond between members of the department.

“The firehouse is a relaxed, friendly, and supportive environment,” Martineau said. “For many members, their strongest friendships have been made within the firehouse and these friendships last for years, even when members leave the department.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PLEASANTVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT

As far as balancing work and family life in addition to volunteer work, Martineau notes that “the firehouse is also very family oriented. Spouses and families are frequent visitors to the firehouse for events and functions.”

This fall, the department is offering several events and outreach for the Pleasantville community to get involved in and learn about fire safety and prevention in the home.

“Each September, we run a fire prevention program at the Bedford Road Elementary School for students in grades K-4,” Martineau said. “Early fire prevention education is an important component of keeping residents safe. We also participate in programs at the Pleasantville Middle School and Pleasantville High School. Events at Pleasantville High School also serve as important recruitment events since students ages 16 to 17 can join our Junior Corps program.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PLEASANTVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT

Martineau also encouraged members of the Pleasantville community to attend the firehouse’s biennial Open House event, during or around National Fire Prevention Week from October 9 to October 15. There, the department will provide information about home safety, fire extinguisher use, and other important safety information for Pleasantville families.

The volunteer application can be found at pleasantvillefd.com. All are encouraged to lend their time to help their neighbors in need!

For more about volunteer firefighting, please visit https://www.theinsidepress.com/our-volunteer-firefighters-tradition-sacrifice-and-rewards/ by Ella Ilan which also spotlighted volunteer efforts and other highlights of the Briarcliff, Ossining and Pleasantville Departments.

Time to Visit Chappaqua’s Bustling Downtown Dining Scene!

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After graduating college, moving to a new apartment and starting a new job all within a few weeks’ time (#adulting), all I wanted to do when I came back home for a few days was hit my regular spots with my parents and enjoy the time off. For example, it’s a requirement to go to Old Stone Trattoria for their Zucchini Fritti (a personal favorite) and if we are hosting family and friends, Le Jardin du roi BBQ catering never fails. And Bobo’s Cafe, the relative newcomer at the train station, has become a place where I simply can’t enter to get a smoothie without seeing at least five people I know.

Between those three, and Little Thai Kitchen and Waka for my occasional fried rice and spring roll cravings, and of course, Lange’s for my fiesta salad and chicken cutlet hankerings, I’m usually all set for the few days I’m home.

To my surprise, however, there were also some exciting new restaurants and several new shops which opened up since the last time I was home. But for now, let’s focus on the main event (or in this case, main course)–the food!

Sure, the sunshine brings people out of their homes and into town a little bit more and a little bit later than other times of the year. But, it was nice to drive through town on a Saturday night and see restaurants, new and old, busy!

Tables at Basso, a new Italian dining establishment who moved from midtown to Chappaqua in the late spring, were filled to the brim, with eager eaters and conversation overflowing onto the King Street sidewalk.

Meanwhile, the very newest addition, Mentor’s Mediterranean Steakhouse, had its floor-to-ceiling window doors wide open, letting in air and intriguing curious customers. A drive by alone will have you dazzled by the sleek and beautiful décor. But don’t just gawk please. A number of rave reviews about its creative menu with plenty of options for every palate (in case you are not a steak lover) have appeared on social media pages, including one from this very publisher. Needless to say, these two new spots have been added to my go to list for the next time I’m home.

Ice cream and frozen yogurt lovers of all ages are also grateful for Frannie’s which had families pouring in for an after-dinner treat, ranging in all ages. It has been years since I was in middle school and went to get frozen yogurt at Frannie’s after seeing the Lego movie or Frozen at the movie theater in Mount Kisco. Even though my stomach was always full with buttery popcorn and blue raspberry slushies, everyone knows that there is always room for dessert.

And that still rings true. After eating dinner my parents and grandma and I went to satisfy our sweet tooth–it runs in the family. Sitting outside on a bench eating my frozen concoction (which consisted of more toppings than yogurt) was peaceful and I realized there was nowhere else I would rather be on a Saturday night than right there.

I saw someone I went to high school with there with his family along with much younger families who I hope continue to get ice cream together as the years pass. After all, you’re never too old for ice cream (or family time). Here’s to the new bustling downtown scene for the 914 food lovers!

Chappaqua based restaurants mentioned who are also 2022 Inside Press Sponsors:

Le Jardin du Roi
lejardinchappaqua.com

Mentor’s Mediterranean Steakhouse
mentorssteakhouse.com

Old Stone Trattoria
oldstonetrattoria.com

We can keep these stories coming thanks to merchant and reader support. Please visit ‘Advertise’ or ‘Subscribe’ at insidepress.com

–Grace Bennett, Publisher & Editor

Armonk’s Pizza Scene Surprises

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Pizza, although a simple dish, can be cooked in a variety of ways. The essentials usually remain the same: marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pizza dough. Universally loved, pizza is ubiquitous fare in many corners of the world.

 In our corner called Armonk, we’re lucky enough to have multiple pizzerias within our small hamlet. From Nick’s Pizzeria to Broadway Pizzeria, each restaurant has their own recipe for the same dish–a regular slice of pizza.

 I, being the investigative journalist I am, ventured out into the streets of Armonk in hopes to find the perfect slice of pizza. On my journey, I came across remarkable slices that were just waiting for someone to review them, and that is where I come in.

 To begin, the first pizzeria I flirted with was Nick’s Pizza and Ice Cream. For $4.16 per regular slice, the individual slice of pizza is ginormous; it’s also a firm slice, which I happen to prefer when eating pizza. Sometimes, when a piece of pizza is too flimsy, it immediately reveals to the consumer the amount of grease in the dish.

 Happily biting into my firm regular slice, I am met with a balanced combination of marinara sauce, cheese, and oregano. The sauce was sweet with a distinct flavor that separated this slice of pizza from the rest. The crust was crunchy, yet soft, which is a very important quality to look for. Bonus points for the air bubbles in the dough; they’re delicious and my favorite part of a slice.

 The next Pizzeria I visited was Amore Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen. This restaurant has called Armonk a home for years. Originally located in Armonk Town Center, they relocated to Main Street and revamped their aesthetic. At Amore, a regular slice goes for $3.94. The cheese and sauce complemented one another nicely. The crust offers a generously saucy bite and adds to the overall flavor combination, leaving the consumer with yet another positive pizza eating experience. Additionally, the slice was a big one, which surprised me. I didn’t realize how often the idea of giant slices of pizza had been visited, but at least you get more out of your purchase that way!

 The grand finale of my town-wide hunt for the perfect slice of pizza ends with Broadway Pizzeria, the heart of Armonk’s Main Street. This slice of pizza, to everyone’s surprise, is yet another successful preparation of a plain slice of pizza., Broadway’s pizza is a cheesey delight–the cheese to sauce ratio is weighed heavily on the cheese side, which can be seen in the lighter coloration of the pizza. The crust was a refreshing reminder of my Italian roots, reminding me that Nonno isn’t the only one who can make a magnificent pizza. Their crust, as always, is light and fluffy. A satisfying finish to a satisfying meal.

 With my research concluded, I can confidently determine that these slices don’t have a clear winner. Each slice of pizza provided a different experience than the last; in Armonk, I did conclude, you can never go wrong with which pizzeria you go to; they’re all delicious!