By Luke Peteley
Staten Island Advance
NEW YORK — A crew of firefighters from Engine 157/Ladder 80 in Port Richmond climbed aboard the huge, red vehicle and rolled out as they do each and every day, serving the community. Immediately, firefighters got to work, deploying the ladder to gain access to a rooftop. The men scrambled up the incline, turned around — then smiled and waved.
Hundreds of families with little ones — sporting the signature plastic FDNY helmets — looked on in awe. The demonstration was a success.
Fortunately, the only smoke firefighters would have to worry about at that moment was coming from the grill, as a feast cooked up for the more than 1,000 guests who attended an FDNY block party community event outside the Castleton Avenue firehouse Saturday afternoon.
A DJ fired up attendees with tracks and an assortment of mini-games, while inflatable bounce houses offered an opportunity for kids to have some fun. Firefighters mingled with members of the community they protect.
Across the street, a line of tents provided shelter for a caricature artist and freshly popped popcorn.
Down the block, a number of tents and tables were set up, filled with fire safety information for guests, CPR training, and a number of demonstrations meant to educate the general public.
Over by the firehouse, children clambered into a variety of emergency vehicles and eagerly awaited their chance to catch a photo with an FDNY mascot.
“The significance of these kinds of events are tremendous because what you’re doing is you’re introducing the community to the Fire Department and they see us in another light,” said Capt. Timothy Smith, one of the organizers of the event. “I mean, normally we’re behind closed doors, and they only see us in emergencies. But now they get to see us as regular people, and it becomes an opportunity for them to realize this is an opportunity they can have for a job also.”
The event ran from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and marked the culmination of a week of borough-specific social media content highlighting the work of the FDNY.
Over the course of the summer, each borough in New York City has hosted a similar FDNY community event; the Port Richmond block party serving as the last in the series.
Smith shared that these events began nine years ago for the 150th anniversary of the FDNY and continue annually to this day.
“They’ve been well received by the public, well received by the local businesses, and actually well received by the firefighters at large, because we have an opportunity, as I’ve stated, to talk about our careers and get people to understand that this is an occupation that you can take on that is truly worthwhile,” he said.
Smith said the event had fed more than 1,000 people by 1 p.m., and he estimated that by the end of the event more than 1,500 people would have stopped in for some fun with the firefighters. He also credited FDNY Director of Community Affairs Sandra Sanchez with helping make the event possible.
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