Riverhead volunteer firefighters answered nearly 1,100 alarms in 2011, just four fewer calls than the record-breaking year they had in 2010, Riverhead Fire Chief Nicholas Luparella said in his annual report to the community.
The department responded to a total of 1,091 alarms last year, Luparella said. Of this total, 84 were structure fires, 82 carbon monoxide alarms, 41 alarms for reports of gas odor and 25 vehicle fires. Over half of the alarms were for automatic alarms.
"The dedicated volunteers in our department spent 10,346 hours responding to these alarms," the chief said. "Members also participated in over 15,000 hours in training, drills, meetings, work details, and other activities to maintain their proficiency in keeping lives and property safe in our community."
Riverhead vols also spent 902 hours in fire safety training with school children and at the annual open house, providing fire safety education for more than 2,500 elementary school children, Luparella said.
Luparella extended his thanks to the community for its support of the department.
"Our 180 volunteers live and work in our community and it is important that many businesses allow their employees to respond when called to protect lives and property," Luparella wrote.
Editor's note: A previously published verson of this story contained statistics from 2010, not 2011, which were sent to RiverheadLOCAL by the fire department in error.