Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company

03/27/2026

Great Neck Vigilant Fire Department under the command of Chief MacDonald, received a call for heavy smoke in the building at 8:48 pm. First fire department units on scene had a 2 story Synagogue with heavy smoke on the interior, fire department located fire in a crawl space under the stairs.

Occupants of the building self-evacuated.

The fire was brought under control within 30 min.

Great Neck Vigilant FD assisted by mutual aid Fire Departments from (Great Neck Alerts, Manhasset Lakeville, and New Hyde Park) with approximately 75 firefighters.

11/26/2025

At 2:03AM the Vigilant Fire Company received a phone call for a possible house fire. Chief 838, Engine 8316 and Ladder 8312 responded. Firefighters were faced with smoke when entering the house and after investigating found a pocket of fire behind the wall. Firefighters isolated the fire, opened the wall and shut off power to the house. The fire was extinguished without extension and further damage to any property.

10/09/2025

This past Sunday Vigilant Fire Company members and participated in a MCI drill at the run by the Squad. The scenario was an explosion in the engine room of a vessel.

09/11/2025

The attack and subsequent collapse of the World Trade Center is still painful for tens of thousands of people. Husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, siblings as well as other family members were forever changed by the loss of their loved ones.
We, the members of the Vigilant Fire Company feel a similar loss.

Our Assistant Chief, Jonathan Ielpi, selflessly entered the South Tower with his brother firefighters from Squad 288. He, as well as everyone from his company were killed at 9:58AM, when the building collapsed.
Sadly, Chief Ielpi, along with 342 of his brothers were murdered while saving lives at Ground Zero.

Our thoughts and prayers will forever be with the Ielpi family as well as anyone else who lost a loved one 24 years ago today.

Never forget.

06/11/2025

Vigilant Fire Company members operating at an 2nd alarm taxpayer fire in Great Neck on Tuesday morning. Chief 838, Engine 8314, and Ambulance 8311 responded and operated on scene for just under an hour before being released.

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06/03/2025

On the morning of May 26th the Vigilant Fire Company held its annual Memorial Day ceremony. Afterwards members marched in the Great Neck and Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day parades.

05/19/2025

Saturday afternoon at approximately 3:04 PM the Vigilant Fire Company responded to a report of smoke from a house. Upon arrival, Assistant Chief Daniel Behnam discovered a working basement fire and transmitted a “Signal 10” working fire. Vigilant Engine 8314 was right behind with a full crew of dedicated qualified firefighters
they quickly got water on the fire, preventing it from spreading. The incident was brought under control in under one hour.

Thank you to our mutual aid partners for the assistance.

05/14/2025

04/21/2025

Earlier this month, Vigilant Fire Company members attended FDIC (Fire Department Instructors Conference) in Indianapolis to receive advanced hands-on and classroom firefighting training from some of the best instructors available in the United States.

03/09/2025

On Saturday, March 11th, Vigilant Fire Company members attended the 4th annual New Hyde Park Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

Featured is our 2000 American LaFrance Engine 835

02/23/2025

At approximately 3:40 PM on February 21, Vigilant Fire Co. was notified to respond to 200 Middle Neck Road for report of smoke in the building. Upon arrival, chief officers confirmed that there was a smoke condition on the first floor. Engine 8314 arrived shortly after and stretched one handline to extinguish a fire that had been contained by the building’s sprinkler system. The cause of the fire has not been determined, and is being investigated by the Nassau County Fire Marshals Office.

02/04/2025

On the morning of January 30th the Vigilant Fire Company was alerted for a water flow alarm at 67 Middle Neck Road. Engine 8316 quickly responded and when crew made entry into the building, they encountered a smoke condition. The alarm was upgraded to an general alarm and mutual aid was requested from
During a primary search of the second floor, crews encountered heavy smoke and fire coming from a kitchen window frame.
The window was removed from the wall and all visible fire was extinguished. Crews opened the surrounding walls and ceiling to be sure that the fire had not extended. The scene was turned over to the Nassau County Fire Marshal who will try to determine the cause of the fire.
No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported.