History of the Wading River Fire District

In 1953, there were plans being discussed within the Riverhead Fire District to dissolve the Riverhead Fire Protection District, and extend the current Riverhead and Manorville Fire Districts into these areas. The Wading River Fire Department, which had been formed in 1947, had been receiving an annual appropriation under the Town of Riverhead budget for fire protection districts (for fire protection) to the residents of Wading River. For the year of 1953, Wading River Fire Department had received $2,100.00 for fire protection.

At a meeting of the Wading River Fire Department held on May 21, 1953, fire department member Edwin Lapham suggested that this would be the ideal time to start a fire district within Wading River. He urged the volunteers of the fire department to assist with circulating petitions throughout the community. It was explained that a fire district would assist with financially maintaining the Wading River Fire Department, more so than a fire protection district which had been currently in place.

Wading River Fire Department members circulated these petitions (dated July 14th through the 18th, 1953) throughout the community to force a public hearing, regarding the formation of a fire district. The results were submitted to the Town of Riverhead and read into the minutes at a town board meeting held on July 21, 1953.  A public hearing was held at the September 01, 1953 town board meeting with no opposition to such formation. The town board gave the approval to submit the request of the proposed Wading River Fire District (as well as the formation of the Jamesport Fire District) to the New York State Office of Audit & Control.

On March 11, 1954, state comptroller J. Raymond McGovern approved the formation of the Wading River Fire District (and Jamesport). At the next Town of Riverhead board meeting held on March 16, 1954, the town board by resolution, created the Wading River Fire District and duly appointed five (5) fire district residents - Jerome Aimes, Charles Jehle, John Kalba, Edwin Lapham and Eugene Lauer to serve as the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Wading River Fire District. They also appointed Paul Guyder to serve as the first treasurer. G. Bradley Hart was appointed by the fire commissioners as the first secretary. At the first official fire district's public election in December of 1954, all five were elected and a determination was made at that time on the order of their terms of office following New York State Town Law. Of the five original board members, Edwin Lapham served the longest (from 1954-1972) and was elected as the chairman of the board by his fellow board members for his entire tenure as a fire commissioner.

The boundaries of the fire district were formed on the Town of Riverhead side and the property owners within that portion were now taxed by the fire district, so that the fire district could continue to provide fire and emergency protection. The Town of Brookhaven side remained as fire protection districts until boundaries were completed for Ridge, Rocky Point and Wading River Fire Districts June 01, 1959.

The Wading River Fire Department, incorporated on July 16, 1947 and officially organized on July 23, 1947, has provided the fire and emergency response within the area before and since the Wading River Fire District was formed.  In 1958, the Wading River Fire Department began providing a rescue / ambulance service in addition to fire protection, within the fire district.

In July of 1955, the fire district borrowed $28,000.00 on bond issue to purchase the land, building and equipment from the Wading River Fire Department, which allowed the department to pay off its indebtedness. The bond also included additional funding for an extension to the firehouse, adding one bay and a meeting room at a cost of $19,038.00.

The first vehicle the Wading River Fire District purchased for the fire department was a used 1949 White WA-22 series truck in 1958.  It was a former oil truck that the members of the fire department converted to a water tanker.  A second vehicle, a 1957 International Harvester S-125 4WD, was bought at about the same time to be used for emergency I rescue operations. It also served as an ambulance if needed. In August of 1959, the fire district purchased the first chief car for the department.

In February of 1965, an additional larger bay in the amount of $28,000.00 was added to the north side of the building, along with a brick veneer to the new and old portion of the firehouse. A larger parking area for the fire department members was also added at that time.

During the 1970’s, LILCO built the Shoreham Nuclear Plant within the fire district, which increased the tax base. The fire district received a significant increase in revenue through PILOT Payments, (payment in lieu of taxes). This also kept the resident's property taxes low. This increase allowed the district to upgrade the fire department's fleet and buildings during the 1980's. After the plant was closed, the tax base fell back onto property owners. It was also determined through a succession of lawsuits that the Town of Brookhaven had over assessed the power plant. This resulted in significantly lowering the fire district revenue. The Shoreham-Wading River School District was affected the same way.

In 1982, New York State Park & Recreation deeded property to the Wading River Fire District on Hulse Landing Rd and a second satellite station was erected. This provided the fire department to have additional equipment and quicker response to emergencies on the east end of the fire district.

In the summer of 1987, ground was broken for a new firehouse next to the site of the original station on N. Country Rd. The original portion of the firehouse was razed and a new 6 bay, two story building was finalized in 1989. 

In 1992, the board began employing a fire district manager. This position assists the board with managing the daily activities within the fire district, from working with vendors doing repairs to buildings, equipment and fleet, to ordering items for the fire department and obtaining information for future purchases. The district manager follows the orders of the Board of Fire Commissioners.

In January of 2004, a first responder I paramedic program was implemented for EMS responses, to provide the residents within the fire district with the highest level of medical care. Four responders were hired for the fire department.  It was originally a Monday through Friday daytime program. Within a few months, it became a 24/7 operation. Currently, there are five fulltime responders complemented by call-in medics as needed for coverage.

Since 1958, the fire district has purchased over forty (40) vehicles for the Wading River Fire Department to utilize in its efforts to provide emergency and fire response, in addition to numerous chief officer vehicles obtained.