History of the Ronkonkoma Fire Department

     There is an old cliche: something good can come from something bad.  This is the case involving the establishment of the Ronkonkoma Fire Department.  A fire in 1903 at the Lake Front Hotel on Lake Ronkonkoma, which took the life of one guest and injured many others, spurred volunteers into organizing a group to fight fires.  

     About a year later, on June 15, 1904, the group became officially known as the Ronkonkoma Hook and Ladder Company #1.  John W. Cleary was the Companys first Chief.  The Company originally protected an area of five square miles, including Ronkonkoma, Lake Ronkonkoma, Centereach, Lakeland, Lake Grove, Holbrook, Holtsville and Farmingville.  Dues of 15 cents per month supported the organization as well as donations and social functions run by the company.  The firehouse, which was located on Hawkins Avenue (now Colonial Florist), was often rented to various groups who showed films and held dances. The most successful form of fund raising, however, was the Firemans Fair, which were very popular social gatherings.  The townspeople allowed the Company to purchase its first fire apparatus.  It was a horse drawn vehicle which carried one hundred feet of hose.  

     In the years to come, many changes took place within the Ronkonkoma Hook and Ladder Company.  On August 4, 1933 the Company was moved to its new building on Portion Road (whcih was in the parking lot next to the present building).  On July 17, 1933 the name of the Ronkonkoma Hook and Ladder Company was changed to the Ronkonkoma Fire Department.  On July 17, 1939 a Fire District was formed.

     Communication at the time of a fire or emergency has always been important.  In the early days of the Department, a steel locomotive drive wheel was used to alert firemen and townspeople of a fire.  This alarm was located on the southwest corner of Hawkins Avenue and Portion Road.  To report a fire, someone would come and strike the wheel with a hammer.  The sound carried for miles.  Today the community is alerted by a siren, and firemen are called by a sophisticated radio and telephone system.  

     Probably the most appealing aspect of the fire department, popular to young and old alike is its equipment.  From its very first horse drawn vehicle to the most modern fire trucks, people have always been intrigued by the Departments vehicles.  The Department now has ambulances for its Rescue Squad, a heavy rescue truck, high-pressure attack truck, Chiefs cars and a fire prevention trailer.  Through the years the equipment has been updated to serve the needs of the community.