RFD's New Command Center
By John Stefans
Phil Kenter likened the apparatus to a Swiss Army knife for fire departments.
"It's got everything," said the former captain of Riverhead's Fire Police Patrol Company #1 as he led a reporter and photographer on a tour of the company's newly acquired command truck.
The 36-foot vehicle was designed to transport as many as 16 firefighters and included a full emergency medical treatment galley, satellite communications, internet access for monitoring weather conditions, a searchlight mounted on a 30-foot tower, a video camera for surveying an incident from a distance and a restroom.
Connie Kwasna, the company's immediate past captain at the time, joined Mr. Kenter during the tour. Both served on the committee that helped design the vehicle to meet the company's operational needs.
The apparatus cost approximately $492,000 and was funded through the Riverhead Fire District's capital fund without requiring a bond issue. It was custom-built by Saulsbury Fire Equipment in Ocala, Florida, where Ms. Kwasna and Mr. Kenter traveled during its construction.
According to Ms. Kwasna, the department elected to spend an additional $90,000 to construct the apparatus body using stainless steel rather than aluminum to provide increased protection.
The decision followed the tragic Route 25 accident in Aquebogue that claimed the lives of Riverhead emergency medical technicians Heidi Behr and William Stone. The ambulance in which they were traveling was constructed with an aluminum body.
"We thought of Heidi and Bill and decided we wanted the extra protection," Ms. Kwasna explained.
According to Mr. Kenter, the truck was intended to respond to department incidents regardless of which company was operating. Its first major response was a large fire involving a hay-filled barn at Wells Farm on Sound Avenue in Northville.
Members of Fire Police Patrol Company #1, who were trained in first aid and CPR in addition to their firematic duties, remained at the scene throughout the night.
"Because our district is so huge, we need a truck in which we can literally carry with us everything firefighters may need," Mr. Kenter said.
The apparatus was designed to carry the equipment needed to support firefighters during prolonged operations, including 64 replacement air cylinders and a 40,000-watt generator used to power lights, fans and other equipment.
At the time of the article, Mr. Kenter described the Riverhead Fire District as covering approximately 48 square miles, including portions of the towns of Brookhaven and Southampton. Fire Police Patrol Company #1 also provided support to incidents involving the Riverhead, Flanders and Manorville ambulance districts.
