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A Brief History
This is a brief history reprinted from an archived report.
About the Department
At a meeting of the Point Lookout Civic Association, during the summer of
1931, the advantages of an adequately equipped Fire Department were pointed
out. As a result of this meeting, a group of interested citizens got
together and organized the Point Lookout Fire Company, Inc.
The following officers were elected and the Company started on its way:
Foreman Frank Van Der Veer; Assistant Foreman George Plate; Financial
Secretary Fred Harknett; Recording Secretary William A. Coyle, Jr.;
Treasurer W. Howard Arrighi; Sgt. At Arms A. Schwab; Trustees-Joseph J.
Scully; George Clodfelter and W. C. Cashiopp.
In September of 1931 the company, with the assistance of residents,
purchased the first pumper from the North Bellmore Fire Department for
$400. Shortly thereafter the first firehouse was built by the members of
the company at the foot of Cedarhurst Avenueand Bayside Drivein Point
Lookout. That house was used by the company until it was purchased by the
newly formed Board of Fire Commissioners on behalf of the fire district on
November 25, 1932 and moved to its present site at the corner of Hewlett
Avenueand Lido Boulevardon a 60 x 100 foot plot.
During the summer of 1933, under the leadership of Chief Joseph J. Scully,
a movement was started to construct a hall, to be available for public
meetings and social gatherings on the balance of the plot owned by the fire
district. Construction was completed and the building was dedicated on July
6,1934.
In 1936 a bond issue was approved by the taxpayers and the district
acquired an American La France, 300-gallon-per-minute pumper, together with
a thousand feet of hose.
During the period of World War II, the United States Government converted
the Lido Golf Course into a naval base, which contained its own, Fire
Department. After the close of the war, and, coincident to the conversion
of the naval base into a veterans' housing project, the government loaned
the fire district all equipment which had been formerly used by the Navy.
Simultaneously, the fire commissioners formed a veterans' volunteer fire
company. In the late 1940's it became apparent that the development would
eventually become abandoned and that more ample protection of the swiftly
developing Lido section would be needed. In the early 1950's, having been
unable to purchase the existing firehouse from the authorities, the fire
district acquired the present site of the Lido firehouse by condemnation.
Thereafter, the Lido firehouse was erected and dedicated on September 27,
1957. Progress from this date on has been very rapid.
This brief history would be incomplete if mention were not made of the
valuable services rendered by Col. Thomas S. Sherman, who served as
secretary and treasurer of the Board of Fire Commissioners from the date of
its organization until his passing in 1944.
Special thanks are due to Ex-Chief Scully and Former Commissioner
Clodfelter for their assistance in the preparation of this history.
Respectfully submitted,
Harold T. Gates
Today the Point Lookout - Lido Fire Department is a modern Fire Department that operates 1 Truck , 3 Engines, 2 Ambulances and a Fire Police unit out of 4 stations throughout the district.