32 Teams Compete at Varese Extrication Tourney

Eighteen area fire departments sent 32 teams to the Fourth Annual Chuck Varese Extrication Tournament held at the 's training facility and fairgrounds in Steers Pit Saturday.

The tournament is named for the son of ex-Northport Chief Robert “Beefy” Varese. Not long after his father became chief, Chuck was killed while riding his motorcycle to work on Route 25A April 16, 2008. Chuck’s uncle was then chief of the Centerport Fire Department, as well, and was one of those who responded to the scene.

The first annual tournament was scheduled for that year, Beefy said, and becasue competing in these types of fire department skills tournaments was one of Chuck’s passions, it was named for him.

“He was he was quite proficient in using the tool,” Beefy said of Chuck and the so-called 'jaws of life' used to cut vehicles open in emergency situations. “We were already doing this [tournament] when he was killed so a friend of mine decided we should name it after him.”

A Commack Fire Department team took top honors this year, but the general sentiment seemed to be that everybody wins. The public wins because firefighters become more proficient and the firefighters win because they get to nourish a sense of fellowship.

“The camaraderie is fantastic,” he said. “The training is second to none. All these guys are learning some new concepts today. And they're honing in on their skills because they want to be good enough for the competition. It’s a motivator and they get to know each other [in a non-emergency situation].”

Current Northport Fire Department Chief John McKenna said he agreed that the tournament is both skill- and team-building.

“We don’t get a lot of chances to have departments come together for a good reason,” McKenna said. “Usually if we have this many fire departments together it’s a major catastrophe so this a great time to build relationships and camaraderie.”

Although Gershow Recycling donated dozens of cars to use in the tournament, a special car was rolled out for use by one of the Northport Fire Department’s competition teams.

It was a beat up green Chevrolet SUV owned by Chuck at the time of his death.

“We didn’t do anything to this truck to prepare it except take the glass out of the windows,” Beefy said. “This is just the way the man liked to drive it.”

Each team consists of five members: a cutter, a spreader, a safety officer, a lube man and a pump operator. Firefighters and chiefs from various districts judge the contest and there are a plethora of safety rules that must be followed. For example, all the tools have to remain outside the vehicle and the car must be stabilized at all times. If the competitors violate these rules, they face time penalties.

Commack’s first place time was 14: 29. East Northport took second with 20:12 and Cold Spring Harbor took third with a time of 20:23.

Centerport, Cold Spring Harbor, Commack, East Northport, Eaton's Neck, Garden City Park, Halesite, Huntington, Huntington Manor, Greenlawn, Nesconset, North Babylon and Northport.