September 29, 1996 Fire reported at 1514 hours. Alarm called in by neighbor across the street. Neighbor stated that smoke was coming from the house. Commack firefighters were in quarters setting up for a fundraiser to be held later that evening. As such, the response to this alarm was immediate.
Chief of Department Larry Schneckenberger was first due and confirmed a working fire. As he was gearing up, he was advised by a civilian who stated that the occupants and a dog may be in the house. Also at the scene was firefighter Tom Cornell of the Truck Company who stated that he heard a dog crying.
When Schneckenberger approached the front door, he was forced to his knees by the heat and smoke. Larry made entry into the house and up the stairs towards the bedroom area, he encountered the burned and lifeless body of a dog about 10 feet down the hallway from the staircase. Larry was removing the dog when the fire vented out the basement door causing Larry to roll down the stairs with the dog in his arms. Larry made his way with the dog to the frint entrance where Assistant Chief John Bicocchi was waiting. Chief Bicocchi put his face piece oover the dogs face and removed the dog from the front of the house and handing it off to Tom Cornell. Simultaneous to this, the department was in the midst of battling the fire.
The dog had no pulse and was not breathing. Chief Bicocchi and Firefighter Cornell begain CPR. As a result of same, the dog began breathing again but did not regain consciousness. The dog was placed int eh back of 2-11-11 and transported to the Commack Emergency Animal Hospital on Jericho Turnpike. The dog was turned over to the staff their and a followup later in the day confirmed that the dog would survive.
The dog, Molly was released from the hospital on September 30, 1996 and is expected to make a full recovery.
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