Lakeview F.D. Marches to Victory Over All Nassau Departments

The Lakeview Volunteer Fire Department earned top honors from the Nassau County Volunteer Fireman's Parade and Drill Team Captain's Association at their annual awards dinner Saturday.

Lakeview took home the title of Best Appearing Fire Department for the Class A Division and the Overall Parade Award, besting 70 other departments throughout Nassau County. The awards recognized Lakeview's performance at the many competition parades the firefighters participated in throughout the summer. They were judged on their uniformed appearance, parade formation, spacing and cleanliness of trucks.

After winning the Class A division, comprised of smaller departments, Lakeview went up against the best of the bigger departments in the Class B and C divisions, beating them for the top prize.

"This is the second time in the department's 102-year history that Lakeview won the Overall trophy," Lakeview Assistant Chief Heather Senti told Patch. The first time they took home the title was in 1982, when Senti's father was chief of the department.

Thirty years later, Senti says she is proud to be a part of keeping the parade tradition alive in the department.

She added, "It’s an honor because after all of the work put into competing, including the time and energy, along with being 'the little guy' department, we were able to bring this award home as a validation of the dedication and testament of our membership."  

"They are number one in the County," Lakeview Fire Chief Michael Koppel said.  He also explained that the department's old fashioned drill team, which began competing again in 2010 after a nearly 15-year hiatus took home sixth place.