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11/22/2024
MTA Long Island Rail Road this week provided pumper tanks to help fire departments battle brush fires in Suffolk County, New York.
The LIRR’s pumper tanks hold 10,000 gallons of water and are staged in Ronkonkoma and Speonk during brush fire season. In normal conditions, the railroad uses the tankers to spray down right of ways, keeping brush moist and creating less of a fire hazard.
The tankers already had been shut down and stored for the season when a request from the Town of Southampton was received due to the threat of brush fires resulting from New York’s severe drought, railroad officials said in a press release.
The LIRR deployed the pumper tank earlier this week to spray water along the right of ways between Southampton and Speonk as a deterrent. The pumper tanks are available to local fire departments and can fill their pumper trucks when fighting fires near LIRR tracks.
“The LIRR is part of every community on Long Island, and we are happy to do our part during this challenging time to keep firefighters, our customers and local residents safe,” said LIRR President Rob Free.