Mineola Fire Department, 166 Elm Pl, Mineola, NY 11501, US

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.