Frequently Asked Questions

The following is a list of typical questions we receive and our corresponding answers:

Q:  What is the distance from the Fire Department to my home?

A:  We have no record of that type of information. We suggest using Map Quest or similar website search engine to determine that distance.

The fire station is located at 439 Main Street, Amagansett, NY 11937.

Q:  What is the distance from my home to the nearest Fire Hydrant?

A:  You will need to measure the distance as we have no record of that distance. We suggest using Map Quest or a similar website to determine that distance. Use the address at the home or business located behind the fire hydrant and your home address. Please make sure it’s actually a fire hydrant and not a “fire cistern” or “fire well.” (see picture of what a fire hydrant in our community looks like at the bottom of the page)

Q: What is the difference between a fire hydrant, fire well and a fire cistern?

• Fire Hydrant: A pressurized water source for fire department use. Fire hydrants have an unlimited supply of water and are part of the Suffolk County Water Authority water system.
• Fire Well: A large pipe driven into a natural underground water supply for fire department use. A fire engine can draft or pump the water from the well via the fire department connection. Fire wells provide an almost unlimited supply of water but at a low volume (usually under 400 gpm).
• Electric Well:  This is the same as a Well except that it has a small pump that can be turned on to help pump the water up out of the ground.
• Fire Cistern: A large underground water storage tank containing a limited amount of water (somewhere between 4000 and 10,000 gallons). Again, a fire engine can draft or pump the water out via the fire department connection.
• Other alternate water sources: On rare occasions, we have been able to use swimming pools and natural bodies of water as a water source. Access is most times not available and they are not considered a year-round water sources as they are subject to freezing in the winter season.

We have installed fire cisterns and fire wells over the years in areas not provided by the Suffolk County water system. Only fire hydrants are recognized by the insurance industry - fire wells and fire cisterns typically are not.

Q. How much water to you bring to a fire?

A: We respond with over 5,000 gallons of water carried on our fire trucks.

Q:  What is the response time from your Department to my home?

A:  We have no record of that type of information. We suggest using Map Quest or similar website to determine the time necessary to reach your home.

Q:  Is the home accessible by the Fire Department year-round?

A:  We usually do not experience difficulty reaching the scene of fire or ambulance calls. However, an occasional winter blizzard can cause us some difficulty responding. A bigger problem is driveways overgrown with trees and other vegetation obstructing our fire trucks and ambulances from gaining access to homes.

Q:  What is the Fire Protection or ISO Classification for Amagansett?

A:  There are 3 fire protection classifications for Amagansett:

• If your home is within 5 miles of the fire station and 1000' of fire hydrant it is a class 4
• If your home is within 5 miles of the fire station and there is no hydrant within 1000’ it is a class 9
• If your home is more than 5 miles it is a class 10

Q: How many fire trucks and ambulances do you have?

A: Fire Apparatus

9-2-1 1500 g.p.m. Attack Truck

9-2-2  2000 g.p.m. Pumper/ Hose Truck

9-2-3  1500 g.p.m. Attack Truck

9-2-4  Chevrolet 1500 Fire Police Pickup Truck

9-2-5  4WD 500 g.p.m. Brush Truck

9-2-6  3000 gallon Tanker Truck

9-2-8  10 Man Fire Police Van

9-2-9  500 g.p.m. Rescue Truck

Ambualnce Apparatus

9-2-16  B.L.S Ambulance

9-2-17  B.L.S Ambulance

9-2-80 Full Time / Year Round Paid ALS First Responder

*Please be advised the Amagansett Fire Department is a volunteer department. Unfortunately, we do not have the staff necessary to visit specific location sites, research and answer all the requests we recieve regarding fire hydrant distribution, fire station distance to specific homes and similar questions. In an attempt to assist those individuals with fire insurance related questions, the department has put together the above list of typical questions with corresponding responses. If you need additional information, we suggest contacting your insurance agent who should be readily able to answer your specific questions.

**Please note that we have no relationship to the insurance industry. The insurance industry periodically evaluates the community for fire protection rating purposes. The rate(s) assigned depends on:

• fire department's public fire alarm and communication systems, including telephone systems, telephone lines, staffing, and dispatching systems
• the fire department, including equipment, staffing, training, and geographic distribution of fire stations
• the water-supply system, including the condition and maintenance of hydrants, and a careful evaluation of the amount of available water compared with the amount needed to suppress fires

 The above is based on what we have been able to learn over the years from that process. You should contact your insurance carrier if you have specific questions regarding issues with fire insurance and your home.

Typical Fire Hydrant found in Amagansett                                           Typical Fire Well found in Amagansett