Mount Kisco resident Garry Playford wonders why no one in Sleepy Hollow acknowledged the passing of his uncle, a former North Tarrytown Fire Chief. Sleepy Hollow’s current Chief says they are planning to on Memorial Day, but Playford and his family have found the gesture insufficient.
The following excerpt is taken verbatim from a letter written by Playford of Mt. Kisco and sent to Mayor Ken Wray recently.
Dear Mayor Wray,
On Friday, February 8, 2013, my Uncle, Mr. Glenn Amesbury, passed away. Glenn was an Ex-Chief of the North Tarrytown, now Sleepy Hollow Fire Department. Glenn had no children and as such, appointed me his power of Attorney and sole beneficiary on all legal documents.
In an attempt to notify his fire department of his passing, I asked my son-in-law (also an Ex-Chief in this county), to contact the Sleepy Hollow Chief, William Ryan. After leaving several detailed messages on Mr. Ryan’s cell phone over a 24-hour period and receiving no response, my son-in-law requested that the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services page the Chief. This was done over their emergency frequency. He was hesitant to do so, but felt this was the only way to get a timely response. Chief Ryan then called my son in law immediately and was requested to call me for information on final arrangements for my Uncle.
My conversations with Chief Ryan were very positive. He assured me that there would be some sort of detail dispatched to the Firemen’s Home in Hudson, NY where the services for Ex-Chief Amesbury were to be held the following week. Much to my surprise, on the afternoon of Friday, February 15th, at THEIR Ex-Chief’s service, there were no representatives from the Sleepy Hollow Fire Department. This includes, NO message, NO flowers, not even a card. This not only shocked me, but also deeply saddened my family, some of which are current or former firefighters themselves.
Secondly, there was a life insurance policy that Glenn had that was paid for by the fire department. When I asked Chief Ryan about this policy he said it was given to the firemen’s home, in accordance to their policy. Whose policy? The Fireman’s Home? The FD’s? How can a life insurance policy be given to ANYONE other than the beneficiary? If I was the beneficiary, it should have gone to me and I would then have to sign it over to the Firemen’s Home. I require and therefore request a further explanation on this, as I have no knowledge of how this policy was transferred. As the beneficiary of this policy, I deserve that.
Thirdly, I would like to know what the Sleepy Hollow Fire Department policy is as it pertains to the death of an Ex-Chief. What ceremonial occurrences is policy? For example, is there a 30-day period of mourning? Is the flag flown at half-staff during this mourning period? Does the department hang mourning bunting outside the firehouse to signify that they are indeed in mourning? I assure you that fire departments around the country do these things out of respect to ANY deceased member, let alone an Ex-Chief. Look at the firehouse right now, there is NO bunting and the flag is at full staff. I assure you that my Uncle is rolling over in his grave knowing that the department he not only loved and respected, but was in many ways his LIFE, is now disrespecting him so upon his passing.
In conclusion, I want to make sure that NO other family of a Sleepy Hollow Fire Department member has to be disrespected in such a manner. These firemen are willing to give their lives to their fellow neighbors and ask for NOTHING in return. They leave their families at all hours of the day and night, missing meals, and family events, dropping everything whenever the call comes out to serve. They do this because they love their community and their neighbors. This is an incredible commitment on their part and it takes an incredible human being to make such a commitment. The least their community, but most of all their own fire department, can do is show a little respect when they answer their final call. I look forward to your response, Mr. Mayor and I am truly sorry that I had to write this letter to you today.
Respectfully,
Garry Playford, Mt. Kisco
In response to this, Chief Billy Ryan, surprised this had come in the form of a letter to the Mayor, said Amesbury was “very highly regarded.”
First off, any insurance policies for Amesbury were paid out as they always are stipulated, he said. As far as attending the funeral, Ryan said he asked around and tried to get people to go but was pressed to find anyone who could take two hours each way when “we all have two to three jobs” and “most people hadn’t met him.”
Ryan himself said he had met Amesbury about six times. Had Amesbury lived here, then of course, “we’d have 75 guys” at a funeral, he said. “We have very limited resources,” said Ryan, citing the “lowest fire department budget in Westchester.”
He and department members are “doing the best we can do," Ryan said.
Sleepy Hollow firefighters plan to honor Amesbury at their Memorial Day ceremonies coming up. “We had planned on honoring his memory then,” he said. “We hold him in the highest regard.”
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