Here’s to Another 100, Amagansett

It is astonishing, particularly for those like Josephine DiSunno who were around when the Amagansett Fire Department was simply middle-aged, that it has now passed the century mark. Mrs. DiSunno, who was a charter member of the department’s ladies auxiliary, was among the many who took part in a celebratory parade on Saturday, which included delegations from departments from as far afield as Eastport and Ronkonkoma.

We have often marveled at how Amagansett serves such a demanding area. There are miles of beaches to which its ambulance company is frequently summoned, often to deal with emergencies among some of the hundreds of weekend guests at the Napeague motels and condominiums. It has responsibility for the dangerous Napeague stretch of roadway. Then there are the houses and businesses extending from Further Lane almost to Hither Hills, over Town Lane and out toward Barnes Landing. It is fitting that Montauk Highway was shut to traffic through the hamlet at the peak of the season for Saturday’s parade, an unintended but vital reminder to the summer crowds that this dedicated corps of volunteers is always on call.

Saturday’s party was a real small-town American salute at its finest, made all the more surprising coming in the middle of summer, when so many people who live and work and volunteer here are at their busiest. It was a reminder of what is important and what is special about living here or in any small town: a sense of place, knowing your neighbors, and counting on the fact that even people you don’t know have your back when you need it.

Here’s to another 100 years, Amagansett Fire Department!