We cannot say enough about our wonderful volunteer firefighters and the work they did at the scene of the Narragansett Inn fire on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst. Every department in the Town of Babylon, as well as the West Islip Fire Department and the Wyandanch- Wheatley Heights rescue service rushed to the scene of this tremendous blaze.

It is at times such as these that the public gets an opportunity to see these men and women in action. Their professionalism can only be attributed to the thousands of hours they devote to making sure they are up to the challenge when called upon to protect the public.

There were special circumstances that made fighting this fire particularly difficult. First its size. The Narragansett in was a large, towering building that posed a special danger to firefighters.

Second, it adjoined homes and businesses that had to be protected as the smoke rose and the embers spread.

Third, the building was constructed over an older, existing structure. This posed a unique problem in that there were layers upon layers of building that smoke and simmered and burned.

Finally, as the fire went on and the water supply dwindled, the volunteers had to laboriously lay down thousands of feet of heavy 5-inch hose to get additional water from the canal. It was a daunting task that was completed spectacularly by our volunteers.

Reports from the scene told of the dedication and heroism of individual firefighters. Some suffered minor injuries such as sprained ankles, but continued to work. Others, tired, worn and weary, stayed on the scene as day slipped into dusk and dusk into night. They know the sustaining power of fire and wanted to ensure the safety of the public.

To each of them we offer our own thanks and invite the public to join us by submitting your own personal letters of gratitude. This is a departure from our policy of not printing thank-your notes, but one we believe is appropriate at this time and under these circumstances.