The Great Neck Alert Junior Firefighters recently visited the Nassau County Firefighter’s Museum in Garden City to hold their October meeting and have a tour of the museum.
One of the museum’s guides, Rich Weigele of the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Company, greeted the young junior firefighters and showed them around the museum after their monthly meeting.
At the 9/11 Memorial wall, the Juniors paid tribute to Jonathan Ielpi, a former Great Neck Alert Junior Firefighter, Assistant Chief of the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company and New York City firefighter who perished in the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center.
In addition, the group learned about the history of firefighting in Nassau County through hands-on exhibits that featured antique and contemporary fire apparatus and gear. Weigele explained the history of the Nassau County Fire Service going back to the days of hand-drawn and horse-driven apparatus up to more present-day gas and diesel-powered fire engines and ladder trucks.
The group was very appreciative of the presentation and left the museum with a better understanding of the volunteer fire service in Nassau County.
A major goal of the Museum and Education Center is to educate and inform the public about fire safety and fire prevention and to display the proud history of volunteer firefighting in Nassau County. For more information about the museum, please visit: www.ncfiremuseum.org
