The Garden City Fire Department, which celebrated 89 years of service in 2009, is unique in that it is one of only two departments on Long Island that have both a career and volunteer force.
At first, equipment consisted of just hand drawn hose reels and a ladder rig. But in 1899, after the Garden City Hotel fire, a regular volunteer organization staffed by village residents was formed. In 1916, residents could no longer provide essential services; this led to the formation of the Incorporated Village of Garden City. Still independent, the Garden City Fire Department officially incorporated in 1920.
Today, the department consists of five companies; four volunteer and one paid. Thirty-three career and 100 volunteer firefighters provide essential firefighting services to approximately 23,000 village residents 24 hours a day, working out of three strategically placed fire stations: Fire Headquarters is located at the west end of Village Hall (351 Stewart Avenue); Station No. 2 is located at Edgemere Road and Stewart Avenue; and Station No. 3 is located at St. James North at Clinton Road.
Career firefighters perform code enforcement and fire education; volunteers host the Fire Prevention Open House held every October.