New Hyde Park Termites Reminisce on Glory Days

As the New Hyde Park Termites racing team competed at the Joe Hunter Memorial Drill on Thursday night at Hempstead's track, retired Termites reminisced about their time on the course.

This was the first year that Neil Brogan, past president of the Nassau County Volunteer Fireman's Parade and Drill Team Captains Association, sat on the sidelines as a retired Termite cheering on his team. He noted that out of the last 10 years, the Termites have finished second behind the first place winner by hundredths of a second four times.

For the participants in these races, it's about tradition and pride.

"Most people ran down driveways with a hose trying to be like their parents," Brogan said of children whose parents would race in these competitions. He also pointed out several members of the Termites and other teams who's racing history goes back several generations.

Mike Athenas began racing with the Termites in 1977; his father was a firefighter for 38 years and Athenas is going on 34 years himself. He's been a bucketman, three-man-ladder participant and on the nozzle, among other things. For him, 1983, New Hyde Park's first win, was the best.

"It was phenomenal," Athenas said.

At the Joe Hunter Memorial Drill, the New Hyde Park Termites and Garden City Park Mustangs combined because of a lack of people. The team was not among the top five teams in the races they participated in at this competition; the Joe Hunter Memorial Drill includes some of the top teams in the state.

"We're not getting as many new people," Athenas said.

Brogan added that several members of the team retired or moved away recently.

"Thirty percent of the department at one point or another were on the team," Athenas said.

Termites team captain Anthony Scandariato noted that, "We have the equipment and the knowledge, but we lack the manpower."

Scandariato joined the Termites 24 years ago because he has always liked cars and this is one of the only competitive car competitions on Long Island.

Fire Commissioner Michael Bonura is glad that the Termites are "sticking with it."

"It's hard to get people with time commitments," Bonura said. "As long as they want to do it, we'll support them... The dedication they give is enormous."

Members of the Termites practice about twice a week on a course near Denton Avenue.