Stephen Derenze was elected commissioner of the New Hyde Park Fire District on Tuesday, defeating incumbent Michael Dolan by a more than a 2-to-1 margin.
Derenze received 372 votes, while Dolan received 149 votes.
“I’m happy and thankful to everyone who supported me,” Derenze said.
Dolan, who sought his second term as commissioner, denied to comment on the election.
In a letter sent to Blank Slate Media by his daughter Deirdre Dolan, Dolan cited among his accomplishments his role in obtaining smoke detectors from by the Nassau County Firefighters’ Museum and Education Center at no cost to be donated to senior citizens and defended his handling of them after the purchase.
Dolan, who served in the Vietnam War, and his son, Michael Dolan Jr., were arrested in July 2012 for allegedly stealing 65 smoke detectors from the department.
The charges were later dropped by the Nassau County District Attorney’s office. Nassau County Supreme Court Judge James McCormack said there was no evidence that Dolan had taken the 65 smoke detectors from the fire department for his own personal gain and eventually returned most of the smoke detectors to the museum.
Derenze, who is currently a New York City Police Department officer living in Floral Park, said last week that the New Hyde Park Fire District is not living up to its potential.
“I don’t think everything is being done that could be,” he said. “More mobile technology should be implemented, information on-hand such as computers for chiefs to help them when they’re on calls.”
Derenze said that he believes the district is paying too much for its water and plans to change that going forward.
“I want to redo the rates the district has to pay,” he said. “It’s too high.”
Derenze has worked in the New Hyde Park Fire Department for 32 years and has worked in EMS since 1982 and as a part-time paramedic since 1991.
“I think my experience in the fire department, working with emergency medical services and the police department brings me the education I need to serve as commissioner,” Derenze said.
The New Hyde Park Fire District covers certain portions of New Hyde Park and its commissioner terms are for five years.
