Crime & Safety
Melville FD's Ex-Chief Fred Harrison, 88, Passes Away
He served the Melville Fire Department for 58 years.
Ex-chief and past commissioner Fred R. Harrison, 88, answered his last alarm on Friday, July 21.
Harrison served the Melville Fire Department for 58 years.
He was a firefighter since 1947 when he joined the Setauket Fire Department, following in the boot prints of his father Fredrick Harrison.
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In 1959, Harrison joined the Melville Fire Department, serving as a Hose Company No. 1 officer and eventually moving up the ranks to assistant chief. He was elected and served as chief of the department from 1972 to 1973.
Under his leadership, Melville became the first Suffolk County fire department to place an Advanced Life Support unit into operation. He was also instrumental in bringing the "Jaws of Life" rescue tool to Melville in 1973, the first Department in Suffolk County equipped with this device.
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Harrison served as the former Assistant Director of the Physical Plant at Farmingdale State College. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 and was later transferred to the Occupation Force in Germany, where he served in the Army Corps of Engineers and was discharged in 1952.
Harrison returned to Long Island and was hired by Country Gardens as their head foreman. He served 15 years with the company, supervising many large projects in the metropolitan area including the 1964 World's Fair, landscaping the Long Island State Parkway System and building of the Dix Hills Golf Course.
He was elected to the Board of Fire Commissioners in 1975 and served for 20 years. He swore-in his son James as Chief of the Department in 1994 while serving as Board Chairman.
Harrison was the devoted husband of the late Maryann Harrison. He is survived by his loving wife Carolyn, and children Catherine Moore (Raymond), James (Debra), Laurie Slade (Steven), and stepsons Matthew, Brian (Marisa), and Doug (Tricia) LoPalo. He was also the caring grandfather and great-grandfather to many.
Photo Courtesy Melville Fire Department/ Information provided by Public Information Officer Steve Silverman in a press release
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