Matzilei Aish Volunteer Fire Company Is 'Rogue Group': County

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Rockland County officials are urging residents to call 911 rather than a new private firefighting group called Matzilei Aish that has set up operations in Spring Valley.

"This ‘rogue’ fire group continues to place the residents in jeopardy. This is a very dangerous situation in which inexperienced individuals with the lack of serious training will potentially result in serious injury or loss of life," said Fire & Emergency Services Director Chris Kear. "The fire departments in our county are well-trained and have vast experience in a wide range of emergency related incidents. This should be left in the hands of our professional volunteer firefighters."

County Executive Ed Day said he strongly advised residents to always call 911 in an emergency.

"While I admire & support all of our firefighters, it is critical that this fire company stops encouraging residents to call the directly and not 911, knowing full well they do not have the proper training needed to fight fires effectively. At stake in failure to do so will eventually cost us lives," said Day.

He said he and Kear have sounded the alarm for several months about the dangers the group poses to not only the Town of Ramapo but also to several state agencies including New York State Department of Labor Public Employee Safety and Health, New York State Attorney General, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Occupational Safety & Health Administration, in addition to other federal and state officials.

Matzilei Aish Fire Safety Group Inc., which according to its website is headquartered at 6 Laura Lane, says there:

Our mission is to protect lives, homes, and peace of mind. We specialize in early intervention. We understand that in the critical moments before a fire escalates, every second counts.
Our team of dedicated volunteers jumps into action at the incipient stage, ensuring that fires are swiftly and effectively contained before they have a chance to grow. We're the rapid responders, the first line of defense who courageously confront the flames when they are still manageable.
Join us in our mission to secure a safer future for all. Your involvement can help us continue to make a life-saving impact throughout our community.

On its website, the group not only offers "safty tips" in English and Hebrew but also urges people to send donations.

While there are no laws that prevent the formation of a private fire company in New York, existing laws prohibit things such as interference with a firefighting operation, county officials said. They urged local fire departments to document and report any instances of physical obstruction by this group.

In addition to the safety risk, county officials said, additional concerns include:

• No notification of utility companies for hazards observed.
• No notification of fire and building inspectors for code violations observed.
• No state fire reporting, resulting in reimbursement issues for homeowner insurance claims.

"I applaud all the local municipalities that called out this group and urged residents to call 911 for emergencies as we need this addressed before we have a tragedy. Sending untrained personnel into a fire or emergency risks the lives of people and firefighters," Day said.