06/21/24 Board Report

Fire Department

Our Volunteer Fire Department, along with other Fire Departments throughout the state have been notified that the Federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed changes to the Fire Brigade Standards (190.156) that may negatively affect many departments. These changes, on the surface, are intended to provide safer standards, however they will negatively affect retention and volunteerism in many departments. There will be unfunded mandates which will create a strain on smaller volunteer departments. The training standards will double to approximately 300 hours, making it extremely difficult for volunteers to meet them. It will change the medical screening process to a cost which may be unstainable for many departments and there will be additional mandates that will significantly increase the cost of providing fire protection to local fire departments and local governments.

Local Departments are requesting an extension to the public information process, allowing them the opportunity to have a balanced approach into consideration of the reality of each department.  Currently the comment period ends on 7/21/2024.

The Firefighter Association of New York State (WWW.FASNY.com) is requesting additional time to digest and appropriately respond to the proposed changes.

Please feel free to contact any of our local elected state officials to voice a concern on this matter. Our Fire Department needs your support on this very important issue. Ultimately, the cost of these new mandates will be paid for by the taxpayers in each community. Comments and a request for an extension can be sent to the federalregister.gov/documents /emergency-response.

Floral Park Library

The month of June is halfway over and there are lots of planned activities and events taking place at the Floral Park Library:

  • The Summer Reading Program kickoff starts on Saturday June 23rd with Petra’s Puppets and Animal Fun on the library lawn.
  • The Adult Summer Reading Club will have weekly raffles for anyone who submits a review on a book they read.  When you submit a review, you will be entered into the weekly raffle beginning Fridays from July 5th thru August 9th.  Prizes have been donated from our local merchants.  Anyone who submits at least one review will be entered into the Grand Prize raffle drawn on August 16th.  The Grand Prize is a gift card of $100 to the Harrison Restaurant.

Here are some of the save the dates for two summer concerts on the library lawn:

  • Bon Journey Concert – July 18th at 7 PM
  • Bobby Sings Bobby Concert – August 1st at 7 PM

Please remember our Library hours change in the summer time. Week day hours will remain the same but starting in July the Library will be open on Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM and closed on Sundays.

Details on these and other scheduled events can be found on the Library’s website at www.floralparklibrary.org .

 

On Saturday, June 8th, our 103 year-young local veteran hero Dominck Critelli was welcomed back to his Mayfair Avenue home after being one of 11 D-Day participants honored by the French President in Normandy for his service at D-Day.

Mr. Critelli was given an NYPD police escort, along with Veteran motorcycle groups, from Kennedy Airport to the Village of Floral Park.  Our Village of Floral Park Police picked up the escort and lead him to his home on Mayfair Avenue. Our Volunteer Fire Department, along with neighboring Departments lined both sides of street sounding their sirens welcoming him home. Many local residents and a large contingent of Veteran groups were on the street to greet him.  The owner of Nonna’s Italian Deli and Market and his son were there to welcome him back and graciously delivered free of charge, a number of pizzas and a large Italian hero for him and his family to enjoy. It was heartwarming to see this a well-deserved welcome home.

We at Floral Park want to give a huge THANK YOU to Mr. Critelli for his distinguished service to our country. Thank you to all who came to support and welcome him back to our community, as well as Nonna’s Italian Deli. Their generosity is a great example of how our local businesses support our community.