Firefighter Parade Draws Large Audience

Hundreds of people lined the streets of West Islip on Saturday to get a glimpse of local firefighters as they made their way through town, sirens blaring, in the first Town of Islip volunteer firefighter parade in ten years.

"We came because our younger son is a big fan of firemen," said Jennifer Held, of West Islip, who attended the parade with her husband, Kevin, and their two sons. Her youngest son was dressed in his very own firefighter uniform.

The parade - which started at 6 p.m. and lasted about an hour- began at Udall Middle School, traveled down Udall Road, then Higbie Lane before turning down Union Boulevard to stop in front of the firehouse.  As the hosts, West Islip's firefighters led the parade followed by Sayville, West Sayville, Bay Shore, East Islip, Brentwood, Islip Terrace and Bohemia. A few departments outside of Islip appeared including Deer Park and Babylon.

Brentwood residents Tara Allen and Amy Renison, and Holbrook resident Lisa Allen and their children were there to cheer on their husbands who are members of the fire departments in their towns.

"I have been to many parades, I can't even count them," Tara Allen said.

Marching bands and color guards were also part of the festivities, roaring down the roads playing musical numbers including two salutes to New York including "Give My Regards To Broadway" and "New York, New York."

Each company's chief held flowers in a straw horn as they marched, symbolizing a salute to the past. "That's how they used to call the firefighters in the old days, with a megaphone," said Bob Coppola, co-chairman of the parade.

West Islip Historical Society President Carolyn Agenjo was in attendance, enjoying the music and the crowd with her husband, Bob.

"This is the first time in ten years they've had a parade," she said.  "It's so nice to see the community give them such a nice turn out."

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