Just minutes before they expected to lead Garden City High School's annual Homecoming Parade last Saturday, more than 40 volunteer and six career firefighters responded to an apartment blaze at 365 Stewart Avenue.

"The initial report came in as an automatic alarm in the building," Garden City Fire Chief Larry Nedelka said, "but then was given additional information from Lt. Lou Mira that multiple calls for smoke in the building were received."

Quickly, firefighters changed from the blue coats of their dress uniform to their tan turnout coats, bunker pants, gloves and helmets. Assistant Chief Tom Foley reported heavy smoke on the third floor with residents still inside. Firefighters proceeded to advance hose lines to the fire floor and rescue occupants safely from the building. From the outside, Lt. Mira, ex-Captain Brian Gallo and ex-Chief Tony Adams entered the building through a window of an adjacent apartment.

"This allowed us to better communicate the exact location of the fire to the hose teams," Nedelka said, "which was a great asset in our ability to confine the fire to just one apartment, saving the rest of the building from serious damage. The firefighters did a great job."

Several fire departments and ambulances gave mutual aid assistance, called in as a precaution and to "give our guys a breather," Nedelka said.

Although firefighters missed out on the parade, where they were going to be honored for their ongoing efforts, Nedelka said "it would have been nice but we had to forgo the tribute for the duty."