Bethpage Fire Department

CPFD 1921

The Central Park Fire Department was organized in April 1910 under the name of Central Park Fire Company and was incorporated under that name in May 1911. In January 1924 it was reorganized as a department consisting of two companies, to be known as Company No. 1 and Company No. 2.

The original fire house stood on Stewart Avenue at the corner of Baldwin Place. The local firemen used a hand-drawn chemical reactor which was sometimes hitched to Mr. Gutenburger's horse and wagon. By 1915, William Burnham's automobile had been commandeered to tow the apartatus. In 1920 Charles Romscho, Sr. became the first fire chief and by 1923, the department had a motor truck.

The first alarm system was Dr. Louis A. Luttge receiving the fire call at his home on Broadway, and then, by an attachment on his telephone, he sounded the alarm atop the firehouse. Firemen would then telephone the doctor to learn where the fire was.

In 1949, BFD headquarters were built on Broadway. The building included a meeting hall, a wing for the library, an office for the water district as well as a garage to house the trucks and equipment. Substations were built in 1956. The land for the northern station located on Stewart Avenue opposite Farmers Avenue was donated by Grumman Corporation, and the fire department purchased the land on Union Avenue for the southern station.

The BFD received 600 calls in 1958 and 1,760 in 1986. In 1958 the BFD consisted of 6,700 homes and in 1986 7.600 homes. The district consists of a 7.8 square mile area.

At least 12 lives were lost due to fire. On May 25, 1978 Captain Joseph Dunn and firefighter Robert Hassett perished while fighting a blaze on Hempstead Turnpike.

Brass Bell - It was originally located inside the cupola of the original firehouse on Stewart Avenue. It is now located in front of the building.

First alarm System: Iron circle at the corner of Central and Peach Street.

Below Information taken from the Bethpage Tribune, May 13 - 19, 2005

Fifty years ago, in 1955, the Bethpage Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners began planning for a fast growing Bethpage community. Homes were quickly being built and Grumman Aerospace was busy expanding to a thriving 600 acre facility. There was a need for more fire protection on the north and south sides of the fire district. Response times were becoming too long from Broadway headquarters location.

Two new companies were to be formed from the headquarters' membership who resided in these areas. Engine Company 5 was formed on the south side of the district on Union Avenue where they still exist today. Engine Company 4 was formed on the north side of the district just south of our present location on Stewart Avenue. Engine Company 4 was established with a charter membership of 15 men and a new firehouse consisting of two bays was built on land donated by the Grumman Corp. In 1970 a new addition was added to accommodate a ladder truck and a new mechanics shop.

Time, age, larger fire apparatus and growing membership forced the Board of Fire Commissioners to make plans for a new building for Engine Company 4. The plans for the new building started in 1996. After much planning, construction began in March 2003 and was completed in April 2004.

	Bethpage Fire Department Chiefs 1910-1999
Year	Name
1910	John Kunz
1911	George Baldwin
1912	George Benkert
1913	Henry Rudolf
1914-16	Alfred Guerin
1917-19	Frank Linn
1920-22	Charles Romscho
1927	Chief: Charles Romscho First Assistant Chief: Louis Damm Second Assistant Chief: Fred W. Lauman
1928-29	Fred Laumann
1930	Fred Benkert
1931-33	Frank Eales
1934-35	Charles Keuchler
1936	James Dimeto
1937-38	Corbett Osworth
1939	Louis Donolli
1940-43	Sal Greco, Sr.
1944	George Seitz
1945-47	Eugene Albertson, Sr.
1947-49	Edward Thorn
1949-52	Robert Gillespie
1952-53	Harold Looney
1953-54	George Ludwig
1954-56	Edward Schaaf
1956-57	Gustave Bernhardt
1957-58	Michael Greco
1958-59	Edward Cava
1959-60	Michael Manicini
1960-62	Henry Suhr, Sr.
1962-64	Dom Mancini
1964-65	Eugene Albertson, Jr.
1966-68	Franci Pendl
1968-70	Louis Kunzig
1970-72	Andrew Steinmuller
1972-74	Arthur Reichardt
1974-76	Sal Greco, Jr.
1976-77	David Nathan, Sr.
1978-79	Vincent Monaco
1980	James Emken, Jr.
1981-82	Albert Castaldi
1983	Micheal Croan Sr.
1984-85	Francis DeBobes
1986-87	Robert Wright
1988-89	Peter L. Hance
1990-91	F. Brian Durr
1991-93	John Fitzwilliam
1993-95	Anthony N. Mancini
1996-97	Gary P. Hearn
1998-99	Peter A. Bianco
2000-01	John Sullivan
2001-02	Brian Wall
2003-04	James L. Baudille, Sr.