West Babylon, NY - August 24, 2018 - Jerry Owenburg, a 48-year veteran of the fire service, has been re-elected to the Board of Trustees of the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) Firemen’s Home, a specialized residential healthcare facility for retired volunteer firefighters in Hudson, NY. Owenburg was elected at FASNY’s 146st Annual Convention in Syracuse, New York on August 12. He will continue to serve another five-year term as a Trustee.
Owenburg joined the West Babylon Fire Department in 1970 at 20 years old. He joined his father-in-law’s fire company, Rainbow Hose Co. 1, and served as Lieutenant in 1973. In 1974 he moved to Mastic, where he joined the Mastic Fire Department. He served with the Mastic FD for six years, serving as second Lieutenant in 1978, before moving back to West Babylon where he rejoined the West Babylon FD.
He then rose up the ranks in West Babylon from Chief Driver, Lieutenant, Captain and now Treasurer of Rainbow Hose Co. 1. In 1992 he became the Third Assistant Chief and then Chief of Department in 1998. In addition, Owenburg is a member of the West Babylon Rescue Squad as an EMT for 10 years.
A member of FASNY, he began with the Communications Committee and then moved to the EMS Committee. He has organized the Long Island Day at the FASNY Firemen's Home for the past twelve years, where Suffolk County and Nassau County come together to visit and honor their fellow firefighters.
Owenburg is a member of the Suffolk County Volunteer Firemen's Association where he served as President. He is also the Past President and Treasurer of the Suffolk County Firefighter's Burn Center at Stony Brook University Hospital. In addition, he is a Director from Suffolk County to the Southern New York Firemen's Association, a member of the Suffolk County Fire Safety Educators, where he is now the voice of Sparky the Fire Dog, and is the Caregivers Coordinator for the Firefighters Cancer Support Network.
He worked for the Town of Babylon Highway Department for 32 years, from a laborer to a General Supervisor.
Owenburg is married to his wife Ellen of 48 years and they have three children Jerry Jr., Shawn and Jennifer. They also have seven grandchildren; Andrew, Emily, Connor, Meghan, Jack, Abigail and Emma.
About FASNY
Founded in 1872, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) represents the interests of 110,000 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel in New York State. For more information, visit www.fasny.com.