Public Meeting Regarding Firehouse Is Set

The Village of Lindenhurst will hold an informational on Tuesday, , to talk about proposed plans to reconstruct the 's main firehouse.

All Village residents are invited to attend the meeting, which is set for 7:30 p.m. that night at the 's at 225 South Wellwood Avenue.

Following a community forum , Mayor Tom Brennan that consists of Village officials, fire department representatives and members of the community, to look at the state of the circa-1923 building, which suffered a great deal of damage from a major fire in 1978.

In the year since its formation the committee "has reviewed all materials, reports and the building itself, and has concluded its review of all of the options that could address the current condition of the firehouse," according to committee officials.

"The two, previously obtained engineering reports were studied at length, and an architect hired by the Village has worked with the committee and provided several options with associated costs to the committee for review," committee officials added.

Public Meeting's Focus
Now, following a second during , the Village is ready to reveal the results of its extensive review of the main firehouse.

"The meeting will focus on the condition of the firehouse, and allow residents to see the damage up close," Mayor Tom Brennan recently told Lindenhurst Patch.

For example, according to LFD First Assistant Fire Chief Mike McCloud, who was at this year's open house, residents will be able to see the rusted-out steel girders that have become so after years of water damage, and learn about the double-insulated roof that was installed following the 1978 fire that's resulted in water-logged soft spots.

There's also the brick facia that poses a threat and has required the scaffolding to keep residents safe the past few years. And the concrete block that was used to reconstruct the firehouse in 1979-80 following the fire is now pressing down on the original terracotta blocks, which have sustained decades of water damage.

Specifics, associated costs and details, along with specific actions necessary, will be presented in their entirety at the upcoming meeting.

"The actions recommended by the committee are in response to the deteriorating structure, and are being put forward so as to continue to provide the excellence of rescue/fire-protection services that our volunteer department has always provided, for the next 50 years and beyond," said committee officials.

The Mayor also indicated while many options were considered, the firehouse will most likely stay in the same location on Wellwood.

"It's really crucial to have in that location because of its central location in the Village because the ambulances run out of there," he said.

Indeed, since in recent years the LFD has seen the majority of its calls - which average about 2,500 a year - become rescue calls, this becomes especially critical, in the mayor's opinion, to keep the main firehouse, where the rescue squad is located, in the heart of the Village.

And if it does, in fact, stay in the same location on Wellwood - which is something the Mayor Brennan feels is key - then he said the option will most likely be a teardown and rebuild of the LFD headquarters, considering the state of the building.

For More Information
To learn more about the Village's proposed plans, residents are encouraged to attend the June 12 meeting.

And for more information about the meeting itself, residents could also contact Village Hall at 631-957-7500.

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