Episode 78: Tom Rinelli and the Islip Fire & EMS Museum

Who knew that firehouses were such deep sources of local history? In the town of Islip, they are overflowing with trophies, photos, devices, and mechanisms going back to the 1800s. There was so much history, in fact, that a dedicated group of firefighters and volunteers spent over two decades making the Islip Town Fire & EMS Museum a reality.

Hear Tom Rinelli, the museum's historian, describe that rich history and what it tells us about life (and fires) on Long Island, the evolution of firefighting, and the unique brotherhood of people who volunteer to run into burning buildings.

Further Research.

• Islip Town Fire & EMS Museum
• Nassau County Firefighters Museum
• Brookhaven Volunteer Firefighters Museum
• American Truck Historical Society Long Island Chapter
• Association of Nassau County Fire Historians