WMC Childrens "Mini-Firehouse" Unveiling

[x635 4,066]

Today, I had the pleasure of attending the official unveiling for the WMC Childrens Hospitals "Mini Firehouse", located in the Heroes wing.

This room is mostly known for the firetruck cab, made possible by the Tegtmeir Foundation and Ray Nichols. This actual E-One engine cab is fully wheelchair accesible, and has working lights. The children of the hospital love it.

A while ago, two forces, Jim and Gina Arena, and the Greenburgh Uniformed Firefighters Assocaciation Local 1586 (The Firefighters of Hartsdale, Fairview, and Greenville) decided to kick up the room a notch.

Jim and Gina Arena, who are parents that had a sick child that spent many hours in that fire engine, among other things, collected helmet shields from each department in the county and got them hung up in the room.

The Greenburgh Uniformed Firefighters Association IAFF Local 1586, of which I'm a proud member of, led by Vice President and Hartsdale FD Group 3 Firefighter Chip Nanko, raised the funds (with some help from the brothers in Rye), coordinated the effort, and worked with a muralist to make the room look like a realistic firehouse.

The muralist, Lisa Samalin ( http://www.deerstooth.com/ ) did EXCELLENT work!!! The room looks colorful, cheery, and like an actual firehouse. I liked many of the details, since they're generically replicated from my department's Station 1. I also loved the mural of the turnout gear for Jimmy Boy, which signified a lot about this room for me.

Hartsdale Group 1 firefighter and GUFA Trustee John O'Reilly scratch-built a wooden childrens table with a maltese cross inlay. It's a beautiful addition to the room, as we all know every firehouse needs a kitchen table.

Jim and Gina Arena signify what this room is all about, and their spirit brings a lot of life and hope into this hospital and room.

The Farreris made this hospital happen. The Tegtmeirs started this room off.

It's times like this where I'm proud to be a member of IAFF Local 1586....the men who lead this union truly look out for the best for both their men and their community. Thanks Chip and all GUFA members.

In closing, the photos do not do this room justice. It is BEAUTIFUL, amazingly detailed, and something that will bring some relief to suffering children. You have to see it for yourself. I'm sorry if I'm forgetting anyone, but this is just what came to mind.

I hope I did an OK job with the photos....it was hard to get everything as one with all the people floating around.

Here are the photos:

http://www.x635photos.com/thumbnails.php?album=75

Addendum:

Rye FD IAFF has been invovled with the hospital since 2000 raising and donating money every year ,to date close to $40,000 (thats from a 16 man local). This year alone we presented the hospital with a $11,000 check which was to be used solely for the FD room.  In addition to our fund raiseing efforts we also spend at least 1 day at the hospital with the childeren giving out stuffed animals and making friends

. Edited December 8, 2006 by x635

[ajsbear 11]

Great shots Seth. Sorry I could not make it.

[x635 4,066]

Here's a close up of one of the murals, with a story behind it.

This is the TV in the "firehouse". The firefighter pictured is Hartsdale FD Group 3 Firefighter Chip Nanko, testing out a brand of escape ropes at Greenvile Fire Training Center that GUFA Local 1586 secured a $60,000 grant from State Senator Nick Spano for all the Greenburgh firefighters to be equipped with

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Again, beautiful work by the muralist, and all involved in the project!!!

FOR MORE PHOTOS, VISIT:

http://www.x635photos.com/thumbnails.php?album=75

Edited December 7, 2006 by x635

[x635 4,066]

Here's another one of my favorite parts about the room, Jimmy Boys turnouts.

The only thing I notice, notice Jimmy Boy wears rubber boots, yet the guy next to him wears leathers. And judging by the color of his gear and the rest of the "firehouse", JB's a career Hartsdale Firefighter. Yet the only inaccuracies is that we don't wear red helmets (yet), and we don't drive E-Ones, lol

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[x635 4,066]

Michael Arena, Jimmy Boy's Brother making one of his first public appearances for the J.I.M.M.Y. foundation

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[x635 4,066]

Of course, as mentioned in the other thread, a red Engine 170

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[x635 4,066]

Here's a childrens table, with a Maltese Cross inlay, made by Hartsdale Group 1 Firefighter John O'Reilly, a very skilled carpenter.

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Please note that no real firehouse kitchen uses Ragu (with the exception of some liberal roofer), as pictured on the kitchen counter.

[x635 4,066]

Well, I'm out of time to share the rest of my favorite photos from today, which would basically be all of them- so check them out at x635Photos.com

http://www.x635photos.com/thumbnails.php?album=75

Each and every photo has a story behind it.

Edited December 7, 2006 by x635

[mpm5 2]

This hospital is an amazing place and they treat their patients in the childrens section so well. You will never know or understand on how cool of a place it is for a kid to be since they make it so that you don;t even feel like you are in a hospital at all just a really neat Hotel room. I have been in there as a patient and it was the best hospital ever to be in cause how many can say they have a fire truck in it, a train in it, computer rooms and a mini golf course and so much more

Nice Job everyone involved with the project you will make kids stay in a hospital alot better.

[Guest]

room looks great. great job with the table Johny O and the rest of group one. great job by all invilved. the guys that represent the local 1586 really are a great group of guys and this room shows how awsome those guys are. great job done by all.

[efd184 59]

god bless the guys who made this happen

[Remember585 815]

I'm not easily "wowed" by things - but this really, truly is fantastic!

All of those involved in creating not only this beautiful and amazing wing, but those that helped make the Children's Hospital happen should be proud of themselves. This facility is one of the coolest and most awesome things I have seen - and it's even cooler knowing it is here in Westchester!

God bless all of you involved, especially the Arenas and Fire Departments that made it happen!

[GFD70 4]

Great job by all who worked on this.

Nice tribute to both FF Billy Malone of Fairview FD & FF Santo Giampapa of Greenville FD who passed away this year as well.

Edited December 7, 2006 by GFD538

[ja3kfd 34]

First of all THANK YOU to everyone that donated money and Helmet Fronts, some are missing,as we do not have them all yet, so we will be reaching out to you. It is great to see this part completed, the muralist spent countless hours working on it, it is truly amazing the detail that was put into it. After spending countless hours walking around the Hospital, it was always the room I found myself drawn too. Know that it is Completed I could see myself and Jimmy being drawn there even more. It will bring joy and fun to a place that is not usually that, It was an Honor to have my son Jimmy,Imortalized in the Mural, It was hard to see it in one sense and it makes me proud all at the same time. As well it was great to meet and work with Jimmy and Chip on this project as well as the Foundation. John and Brenda Fareri did a fabulous job on pursuing and getting the Children's Hospital Built. The Tegtmeirs for starting that room off in Memory of a Husband and Father lost to soon.

All in all I am proud of everything that was done and proud to be a Firefighter in this area.

[x134 46]

My daughter has also spent a good amount of time at the Childrens Hospital in Westchester. The room was great before with the engine , now it looks like a station. Great job guys , I am sure the kids will love it. It serves as a distraction and if the kids can forget why they are there for just a minute it is all worth it. Just being able to see the very sick children have a good time and see those lights come on its great.

[JustSomeGuy 0]

All I can say is Bravo to those who made this happen, good job guys you made everyone proud, and most importantly the children will benefit. It's nice to see fire deparments giving back, especially when it extends beyond their district, again job well done!!!

[x635 4,066]

To add, I recieved some additional information this evening informing me of the following:

Rye FD IAFF has been invovled with the hospital since 2000 raising and donating money every year ,to date close to $40,000 (thats from a 16 man local). This year alone we presented the hospital with a $11,000 check which was to be used solely for the FD room.  In addition to our fund raiseing efforts we also spend at least 1 day at the hospital with the childeren giving out stuffed animals and making friends

.

So a great thanks also goes out to Rye FD in making this room possible as well!!!

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

AMAZING is all i have to say

and wow...they really went all out on that room....im glad that even kids in wheelchairs and on I.V.'s and such can take time for the #ell they are going thru and have some fun with the fire station room

and the truck comes with a fedeal....I wonder if it works

[ex-commish 490]

What an incredible work of art. Congratulations to those who worked on this. God bless those children.