• FAQ

    • Q. Who should I call in an emergency?

      A. To report any emergency condition, you can dial 911. To report a fire, you can call Nassau County FireCom at 516-742-3300.
    • Q. How can we contact the fire department without calling 911?

      A. For emergencies, dial 911 or call FireCom at 516-742-3300

      The non-emergency number at the Bayville Fire Company is 516-628-1922 during normal business hours. Again, this is for non-emergencies.
    • Q. The streets in Bayville are narrow. Why do you block traffic lanes at auto accidents?

      A. We block traffic lanes for the safety of our emergency responders and to protect the patents who are in need of medical care.  Blocking a lane may keep our emergency responders safe when they go back to our apparatus to get more equipment and help protect the victims who we are trying to stabilize. Getting hit by a passing vehicle at an accident scene is a hazard that we must eliminate.  Across the US, more than 25 firefighters are killed or injured each year while working at incidents on streets and highways.  Please use caution when driving past emergency vehicles.
    • Q. Why does the siren sometime sound once and other times six times?

      A. One long siren whistle signals a rescue call. Six whistles indicates a fire alarm. The siren also sounds at 12 noon (Monday through Saturday) as a test.
    • Q. What if I smell natural gas in my home?

      A. Immediately get everyone out of the house and call FireCom or 9-1-1 from outside of the house or from a neighbor's house.  Make sure everyone leaves the house immediately.
    • Q. Why do I need to keep the area around fire hydrants clear?

      A. Please keep hydrants clear to allow firefighters access to a water supply.  Property owners with a fire hydrant should keep weeds, grass, bushes and trees at least three feet from fire hydrants for visibility and ease of access.  Hydrants should also be kept clear of snow.
    • Q. How often should I change the batteries in my smoke detectors?

      A. We recommend you change the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months, an easy way to remember is to change batteries when you reset your clock for daylight savings time.
    • Q. What should I do when I see or hear an emergency vehicle coming towards me when I'm driving?

      A. When it is safe to do so, you should pull over to the right and stop until all emergency vehicles have safely passed. If you cannot safely maneuver to the right, simply stop and stay stopped so the vehicles can go around you safely.
    • Q. My smoke detector is chirping, what does that mean?

      A. Most modern smoke detectors will chirp to alert you the batteries are low, you should replace the batteries and test your smoke detector. Most smoke detectors use a 9-volt battery.  Batteries and smoke detectors can be purchased at any hardware or large commercial department store.
    • Q. Is Bayville a paid or volunteer Fire Company?

      A. All of the firefighters in the Bayville Fire Company are volunteers.  No member is paid.
    • Q. How many members are there in the Bayville Fire Company?

      A. Currently, we have about 85 active members.
    • Q. I would like for a fire truck to come and/or for firefighters to talk to my group. Can we arrange for some a function where the fire truck can be part of our activity?

      A. We encourage all residents who want to see the fire apparatus to visit us at our Open House in the spring.  Bring the kids!  With advance notification, we can make special arrangements to visit schools. Call the Fire House at (516) 628-1922 and ask to speak with a Chief to arrange a special event. We do not offer fire trucks for birthday parties.
    • Q. Why am I not supposed to drive over a firehose?

      A. Firefighters are very concerned about running over firehoses because the hose can be damaged or destroyed.  Keep in mind that the hose is supplying water to extinguish a fire.  If a hose ruptures, the lack of water could endanger those firefighters who are inside the burning building.
    • Q. I don't want to become a member of the Fire Company. Is there I can do as a citizen to help?

      A. Yes, there are several things: 

        • Keep fire hydrants clear of vegetative growth and debris.
        • Clean street signs in your area so all police, fire and rescue personnel can read them. 
        • Make sure the house number or street address on your home is highly visible from the street.  If you have a mailbox, put the house number on both sides of the mailbox so it can be viewed from either direction. 
        • Put your address on the curb or your house but wherever your address is, make sure it contrasts with the background so we can read it. The bigger the better!
    • Q. Why do I see fire trucks coming down the street with lights and sirens on and all of a sudden they shut their lights and sirens off?

      A. In most cases, what this means is that after the firefighters were notified of an emergency and they began to respond to the call, they were disregarded by a Chief who arrived on scene prior to that fire truck's arrival. Sometimes you will see fire trucks parked with emergency lights on.  This is done to increase visibility and warn drivers that firefighters are working around a piece of apparatus. If you hear our sirens that means we are responding to an emergency call of some sort.  The only exception to this is when use our emergency lights when backing into the Fire House or when we are in a parade or taking Santa Claus around town during the holidays.
    • Q. How do the volunteers get notified of a fire call?

      A. Each volunteer in our department is issued a voice pager. This device is portable and alerts the firefighter to an emergency by sounding an audible alarm followed by a dispatcher with information about the call including what type of call we are responding to and where the call is located.  Text messages are also sent to the firefighters phone and the siren will sound (except at night) to alert firefighters of an emergency.
    • Q. Does the Fire Company offer CPR training for citizens?

      A. No.
    • Q. Does the Fire Company offer any type of training to residents or business owners?

      A. Yes, The Fire Company will offer fire extinguisher training to area businesses that request it. We offer the same type of training at our open house in the spring.
    • Q. Does the Fire Company fill fire extinguishers?

      A. No.  The Bayville Fire Company is not equipped to fill fire extinguishers.
    • Q. Can I burn leaves in my yard?

      A. No. You cannot burn leaves, brush, or branches in Bayville, Centre Island or Mill Neck.
    • Q. Can I have an outdoor fire?

      A. Generally, outdoor burning is prohibited in Bayville.  Go to the Village of Bayville web site to see the ordinances that apply. According to Bayville ordnances, it is unlawful for any person to kindle, build, maintain, authorize, use, allow or otherwise permit any bonfire or other open fire on any beach, street, road, land, including property privately owned, or on public grounds within the jurisdiction of the Village of Bayville, where such fire may endanger other property or create an unreasonable risk of harm, air pollution, and is otherwise unhealthy and unsafe except as follows:

        • Outdoor picnic and barbeque fires on residential property in equipment with a total grate area not exceeding 10 square feet and designated to use charcoal or equipped with gas burners;
        • Outdoor noncommercial picnic and barbeque fires in equipment provided by and located in Village parks where such fires are permitted by appropriate Village agencies;
        • Official fires used for the training of fire brigades or similar purposes by persons or corporations requiring such training, but only with the approval of the Fire Marshal;
        • Fires used for special effects for the purpose of television, motion picture, theatrical and for other entertainment productions, but only with the approval of the Board of Trustees.
    • Q. How can I join the Bayville Fire Company?

      A. If you are interested in becoming a firefighter, please call one of our Chiefs and make an appointment. The Chief will explain the process to you.
    • Q. Will I have to pay for my training?

      A. No. You’ll receive your training free of charge, from experienced professionals at the Nassau County Fire Services Academy.
    • Q. Will I have to pay for anything else?

      A. No. Everything you need, from your uniform and equipment to your medical physical, will be provided at no cost to you.
    • Q. If I am a member of the Fire Company, how many hours a week will I be serving?

      A. A lot.  The average is 3 – 4 hours per week but it can be more depending on training schedules, the number of alarms and other Fire Company events and activities.  Firefighters have two meetings each month and at least one training session a month (usually more).  Firefighters also gather at the Fire House on Sunday mornings to check equipment on the fire trucks to ensure a high degree of readiness.  We also conduct fundraisers and community events like our open house that members are expected to participate.
    • Q. What is the minimum age to be a volunteer firefighter?

      A. The minimum age is 18.
    • Q. Do you have junior firefighters?

      A. Not at this time.
    • Q. Who can I contact for more information?

      A. Contact any member of the Bayville Fire Company for more information about the organization. You can also call the Fire House at (516) 628-1922.