Eastport Fire Department Names New Chiefs, Including First Female Assistant Chief

The Eastport Fire Department has rung in 2023 with new leadership — including the first female assistant chief in the Union Avenue station’s nearly 110-year history.

John Dalen was elected chief, Steven Schaefer 1st assistant chief and Virginia Massey 2nd assistant chief by department members in December, marking a milestone for the fire company founded in 1913.

“I am beyond ecstatic, and humbled,” Massey said of the appointment. “I am the first woman to be elected to this position in my fire department, but I’m far from the first woman to rise in the ranks on the East End of Long Island.

“It means a lot to me, the same way it’s meaningful to every one of them and everyone who came before me. I am extremely honored that the members of our department have the faith in me to help run this department alongside our other elected chiefs and officers.”

Massey, who comes from a long bloodline of firefighters, has been a department member since she was 12 years old.

“I know it can be difficult to follow your dreams, but I hope I inspire all members of our community,” she said. “Men and women of all shapes and sizes should put their all into attaining their goals.”

Massey, who is also a firefighter on Plum Island and works part time at the Eastport General Store, was previously captain of the Mercury Hose Company. In that position, she oversaw her department’s operations on a small scale.

As an assistant chief, she is responsible for day-to-day department operations and will help coordinate resources while responding to alarms, in addition to interfacing with neighboring departments during major incidents.

Dalen said Massey has played a key role in the community for some time. “She has literally rose through the ranks and earned the respect of the firefighters,” the new chief said. “She wouldn’t have been nominated if it wasn’t for the great work that she performs and the job that she’s done.”

Massey’s father, Kurt Massey, her uncle Paul Massey and her grandfather Chester “Moose” Massey were all firefighters, with her uncle and father both serving as chief. Her father held that position when his daughter was born, and he even responded to an incident the day he and her mother, Anita, a member of the Eastport Fire Department’s Ladies Auxiliary, brought her home from the hospital at 1 week old.

“Thinking about all the Masseys that have come before me and being able to pass on this torch is an honor,” the 2nd assistant chief said. “My grandfather would be so proud of me.”

She also will carry on the tradition when she marries fiancé Matthew Haughn, a member of the East Moriches Fire Department. “I will be continuing down this road with the support of someone who also shares a passion for serving the community through local fire departments,” Massey said.

The 2nd assistant chief joined the Junior Fire Company, which she is still involved with, when she was 12 years old, working her way up to captain before being recognized as Junior Firefighter of the Year. At 17, she became the station’s fifth female volunteer firefighter, but is certainly not the last.

“A handful of females have joined on since seeing her story,” Dalen said. “But it’s not male or female anymore, it’s about a person coming in that wants to be dedicated to the community. We do not have a line of male or female. We don’t even have assigned seats like other departments. You get on that truck and everyone does everything.”

Massey was named Brookhaven Town Firefighter of the Year in 2022.

“It’s nice to know that more and more women feel empowered to pursue this work, but at the end of the day, we all put our gear on the same way and are actively helping our community,” she said. “Being able to help someone in their darkest days is what keeps me here — we all lean on each other for support.”

Dalen, a Massapequa native and 23-year military veteran, moved to Eastport 15 years ago. During his service, he enrolled as a member of every local fire department for the area he moved to.

“Filling the shoes of the chief of the department is an incredible feeling, but it’s also an incredible responsibility,” said the new 51-year-old station leader and former first assistant. “Not only do I have a duty to all of the lives of the community that we support, but every firefighter.”

He said his newest hamlet is home to a very family-driven fire department His son, Joseph, was just voted to 1st lieutenant. Schaefer has been a volunteer in Eastport for nearly 50 years.

As with those at the station, Eastport’s residents are also close-knit, and the fire department has always been very open with and connected to them. The station hosts an annual barbecue and holiday breakfast buffets from November through December, serving 200 to 300 meals every Sunday morning for six weeks straight. It also partners with local sponsors and downtown businesses for elementary school functions and school safety briefs, a Santa Run and Christmas party and tree lighting, among other events.

“It’s severe dedication,” Dalen said. “We try to stay involved not just for car accidents and fires and in an emergency. We’re there the entire year for the schools, the businesses and the community. We keep in touch on Facebook and Instagram, so everyone can always see what we’re doing, because we want the community members to know we’re here for them. That’s why we show up for every call, even at 2 a.m. We want to make sure our community is safe.”

Funds collected from various events throughout the year support the fire department — helping to pay for necessary equipment — but the station gives back half of what’s raised by donating to local charities and food pantries.

“Our community means the world to us — they are all extremely supportive,” Massey said. “All of this is made possible by our community members, which is why I love living in Eastport and being a part of something bigger than myself.”

But the road ahead could be a bumpy one, as departments not just in Eastport but all across the country struggle to recruit new volunteers.

“It’s one of our biggest problems right now,” Dalen said. “It’s hard to retain young people on Long Island. We aren’t getting the younger generation to come in and do the firefighting. If we don’t get new people in, we’re going to be in trouble.”

Eastport typically has to phone in for mutual aid — to East Moriches, Westhampton Beach or Manorville­ — depending on which department is closest to the call, because of the dwindling numbers.

The chief said for him, as he hopes it would be for others, the driving factor has always been to lend a helping hand in a time of need.

“You’re not making a paycheck — all you’re going to get is the satisfaction out of what you did for somebody else,” Dalen said. “We don’t look for thank-yous. We want to help our community, and I think that’s why our community rallies around us — because they know we’re only doing it to help them out and be better people.”