The Wantagh Fire Department commemorated the events of 9/11 on Sunday September 10, 2023. Department members and their families gathered around the Department’s 9/11 Memorial, located on Jerusalem Avenue, for a memorial service. That evening, some members attended the Seaford Community 9/11 Memorial Service at Seaford High School, while others attended Mass at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Bellmore.
Current and former members of the Wantagh Fire Department that died in the line of duty on September 11, 2001 are: Firefighter Lee Fehling, Wantagh FD Ladder 1 and FDNY Engine 235; FDNY Ladder 3 Lt. Kevin Donnelly, past member of Wantagh Rescue 2 and Engine 4 and past WFD member of Engine 3, Timothy Haskell of FDNY Squad 18. Sadly, 2 members of the Department have died since that day as a result of exposure while performing rescue/recovery work at Ground Zero and are officially recognized as “line-of-duty deaths.” Ex-Chief Robert Nicosia of WFD Squad 1 and the NYPD Technical Assistance Response Unit, died on October 10, 2008 and Charles Cole, Jr. of WFD Engine 2 and NCPD Emergency Services Unit, died on August 14, 2011.
We remember and honor these members and all who died that day or as a result of illness from exposure during the rescue or recovery efforts and we pray for those that continue to suffer
–Submitted by Kevin Regan, PIO
