Veterans Young and Old Continue to Serve in Local Fire Departments

Though many younger local military veterans are either still on active duty or have moved away from the North Fork after service, veterans young and old still make up a large percentage of local fire departments.

member Bob Malgraff, a World War II veteran who is now in his 80s, still goes out with department members on calls to direct traffic.

“He helped direct traffic in a fatal fire recently,” said Southold Fire Department . “He was there the whole time, four houses away.”

Byrnes said that the Southold Fire Department includes members who served in World War II, Vietnam, Desert Storm and a few, like Southold resident Michelle Salmon, who served in recent campaigns in the Middle East,

Over in Orient, Fire Department Commissioner Andy Ruroede said that many World War II veterans continue to be involved in the , thought not many go out with the younger members on calls.

Younger military service people are joining up less frequently than they had in the past though, he said.

“I don’t know if many people from Orient have entered the service over the last 15 years or so,” he said.

Ruroede added that Orient Fire Department member Jimmy Reeves, who is in his 20s, was an active firefighter until he joined the Merchant Marine Academy about seven years ago. Reeves is still on active duty.

Byrnes said that he believes that involvement in local fire departments is a natural next move for military men and women — no matter what generation.

"We have an honor roll sign hanging here from World War II," he said. "You can see the names of about 50 local vets from our department."