It’s election day for the Fire Districts throughout the Smithtown area. Residents are encouraged to head to the firehouses and vote for Smithtown’s Bravest Tuesday, December 8th. While many positions are unapposed, there’s a few heated races in town that are ablaze with political puns! Smithtown Today has your guide to the Fire Commissioner Elections covered, from times and voting locations to frontrunners and competition.
Smithtown – Voting takes place between 3pm and 9pm at the Smithtown firehouse, located at 100 Elm Avenue. The current leader of the Smithtown Fire Department is running against Challenger and former fire Chief, Timothy Crafts.
The frontrunner for the Commissioner race is incumbent Padraig O’Brien. Since O’Brien’s beginnings in office, he has increased the effeciency and accountability of some 3700 alarms by 47%. Commissioner O’Brien’s organized planning and forecasting accurate budgets, has kept the Smithtown Fire Department fiscally sound in his tenure. The district has streamlined operations into modern times, which has made Smithtown Fire Department better equipped to handle the highest demands, than ever before.
St. James – Voting takes place between 3pm and 9pm at the St. James Firehouse, located at 221 Jefferson Avenue. John Young and Victor Johnston are vying for Commissioner Kaleita’s seat, who has decided against running for another term. The second seat is for the remaining four years left in Commissioner Bradshaw’s term. Marilyn Davis, William Kearney and William Theobalt are all running to fill the vacant seat for the next four years.
Many fellow business owners in St. James are in favor of William Theobalt for the second position. Theobalt has served the people of St. James for over 30 years as a fireman. He has excelled in leadership throughout the department, from Lietenant and Captain to Cheif of Department. His extensive expertise varies from Hazmat tech and Heavy rescue certified, to Fire Instructor and Safety Officer. Theobalt is a Nationally certified Firefighter and Safety Officer, with nearly 20 years of emergency medical services experience as a certified EMT. Theobalt has operated a successful business in St. James for the better half of a decade.
Marilyn Davis is a veteran of the St. James Fire Department for 27 years. She has worked her way up the ranks, serving as an EMS Critical Care technician, Fire instructor and a Hazmat Technician, to leadership roles as a Lieutenant, Captain and Chief of St. James Fire Department.
William Kearney has been a Member of the St James Fire Department for 35 years. He has served as Chaplain of the department for 15 years, Treasurer of the Department for 14 years and is a former member of the Board of Directors for 13 years.
Hauppauge – Cast your votes in Hauppauge between 2pm and 9pm at the Hauppauge fire department located at 855 Wheeler Road. While Robert Wind will be running unnapposed, the Current Incumbent, Chirstopher C. Hirsch is running against a newcomer to the Fire Department, Mark Levin.
Chirstopher C. Hirsch has served as a volunteer Fireman, in his community, for more than 60 years. The Commissioner has combined his successful business mentality with unprecedented experience within multiple leadership positions inside the Department to achieve budget stability, while modernizing the firehouse equiptment, renovations and efficency on scene. .
Kings Park – Residents can vote for the unapposed James Stewart between 3pm and 9pm at the Kings Park firehouse located at 2 East Main Street
Nesconset – Residents can cast votes for the unapposed James Goelz between 1pm and 9pm at the Nesconset firehouse, located at 25 Gibbs Pond Road