The Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department recently hosted its annual installation dinner. New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo and Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon were two of the public servants on hand.
This summer will mark the 94th year the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department has been protecting families and homes in Long Island.
The volunteer fire company was established on July 4th, 1930. The reason: there were so many summer homes built with wood and a large number of brush and woods within the community.
Long before the days of fire dispatchers, cell phones, and even telephones, the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department built “fire rings” using train rails. These massive rings were placed all over town. A system similar to morse code was used to identify specific parts of town.
If a fire broke out, someone would pound out the specific code that corresponded to a specific location. That’s how firefighters would know where to go to battle a burning blaze.
The last known “Fire Ring” is still around, It stands behind Fire Headquarters as a memorial to past firefighters.
To learn more about the Sound Beach Fire Department you can visit their website at: SoundBeachFD.org