November has proved to be a busy month for Mineola rescuers. On November 1, Mineola Firefighters successfully extricated a baby who was locked in a car. The rescue was completed using an improvised lock out kit, A/K/A Political sign. Two days later on Monday November 3, Mineola was alerted for an Auto accident with entrapment. Upon arrival Chief Connolly found a two-car auto accident with one driver trapped in the vehicle. Mineola FD Heavy Rescue 1610 arrived on scene under the direction of Capt. Clark and the firefighters went to work. Lt. M. Grilo, Ex-Capt. B. Santosus and Firefighter J. Luning made sure the vehicle was stabilized as Firefighter R. Traina began making an opening for the Hydraulic rescue tool known as “The Jaws of Life”. A Medic from The Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps (MVAC) entered the vehicle to tend to the patient and keep her calm as the extrication began. The extrication team comprised of Lt. Carl Nunziata Sr., Ex-Chief S. Strauss, and Firefighter D. Franz put the tool to work deftly peeling back the mangled door to release the driver. The Driver was quickly freed and transported to the hospital by MVAC with non-life threatening injuries.

On Saturday 11/15/08 Mineola rescuers were once again called out to assist MVAC at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. En-route to the assignment Chief Connolly was advised by FIRECOM that the incident involved an Ambulance into a building. Upon arrival Chief Connolly found a Nassau County Police Ambulance had collided with another vehicle and then crashed into the front of the Chinatown Chef Restaurant located at Mineola Blvd and Second St. The initial rescue efforts focused on removing the Police medic operating this ambulance. Once the scene was stabilized Mineola Firefighters were sent into the building to evacuate the occupants until an accurate assessment of the structural stability of the building could be made. Chief of Department Scott Holliday arrived on scene and coordinated the department’s efforts with the Police Department and the Village of Mineola Building Department. Mineola Firefighters assisted the building department in removing debris so that the Village Building Inspector could make a determination as to whether the building could be occupied by its residents. Since the upper floors f the building house apartments, Chief Holliday also notified the Red Cross to respond to the scene to assist the displaced residents. The Police medic sustained non-life threatening injuries.