Always placing the community first --- fighting a fire, rescuing a resident, or working with community outreach --- the Vigilant firefighters' new chief, Conrad D. Singer, approaches his new post with enthusiasm and a deep sense of caring for Great Neck. Chief Singer was elected by the Vigilant Engine, Hook & Ladder Co. membership at the end of June and will serve as chief for the next three years.

A longtime Great Neck resident, the chief graduated from Great Neck North in 1980, the same year he joined the Vigilants. At that time, the age requirement was 18, and he joined with a strong interest in working with the ambulance crew. Back then, there was no fire medic squad. Soon, though, Chief Singer realized that he actually preferred the firefighting side of the job. And even though he soon left for college, and then law school, and then some short out-of-town residences, he always maintained his ties with the Vigilants and tried to remain active in the department.

Over the years, Chief Singer has served the Vigilants in many positions, working as both a volunteer firefighter and as an emergency medical technician. Just prior to his election as chief, he served as first assistant chief for over a year. He has also served as second assistant chief, captain, lieutenant, trustee, recording secretary, and sergeant-at-arms. And he is now a trained New York State emergency medical technician.

It was always Conrad Singer's goal to be fire chief. As Vigilant chief, he looks forward to continuing his firefighting and rescue efforts, but now with even stronger goals involving community outreach and increasing public awareness. Plan number one involves bringing a new, possibly stronger incentive to volunteer positions that do not have the enticement of paying jobs. Chief Singer hopes to give firefighters an incentive ''to want to come to the fire house 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week ... to make the Vigilants an even stronger extension of family.'' He also hopes to find a way to involve firefighters' young children and get the whole family involved. ''In some way, I hope to make this more of a community outreach organization,'' said Chief Singer.

Plan number two involves ''bringing an awareness to the community ... to learn about volunteer fire departments ... to learn what fire departments do, what they are all about ... to see what the membership consists of ... to see what we have to offer perspective members.''

Chief Singer said that often family members, and the public, cannot understand ''what it's all about." Too often others wonder why the firefighters risk their lives to save the lives of others. ''When they actually see what we do ... when they see how we help, then they understand,'' he said. Even his own mother at first questioned his volunteer work, and then Conrad Singer was involved in rescuing the wife of a local rabbi, when the woman fell down stairs. The rabbi publicly thanked Chief Singer (not then a chief) at a temple service, and the chief's mother was proud indeed.

''I like helping people, and I love interaction with all aspects of the community, especially the elderly,'' Chief Singer stressed. ''I like helping the elderly. There are a lot of older people here.'' Not that long ago, there was a power outage in a Great Neck Plaza apartment building, a building that housed a lot of senior citizens. It was cold and the seniors needed help. It was Chief Singer who suggested relocating the group to the warm, safe second floor of the Vigilant fire house.

When asked about his most satisfying experiences as a firefighter, Chief Singer noted ''the first time I cut the cord at a childbirth,'' and another time when he had the opportunity to help an ill elderly resident. He explained that years ago hospital emergency rooms were not as professionally staffed as today, and one instance had Chief Singer, serving as an EMT, bringing an elderly nursing home patient to a hospital emergency room in the middle of the night. ''I heard the residents say they didn't have to bother much --- this was a nursing home patient.'' Chief Singer called a friend, a hospital trustee, and told him the situation. The patient then received the proper treatment.

''We must deal with elderly issues,'' stated the chief. ''The community must change its perception. Elderly parents should be treated, by their children, with the same love and caring that they gave those children.''

Conrad Singer is serious about his concern for the elderly. He received a whole host of awards for rescuing an elderly woman back in June 1997, at 2:30 in the morning. Before the firefighters could even get water on the fire, Conrad Singer ''passed the fire,'' found the woman in her bedroom, and carried her out to safety. For this, he received the Nassau County Medal of Valor, the Great Neck Vigilant Company Medal of Valor, the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company Ambulance Award (he received this award four times), the NYS Senate Citation for Heroism, the NYS Assembly Citation for Heroism, the NC Citation for Heroism, the Town of North Hempstead Citation for Heroism, the Town of Hempstead Citation for Heroism, and the Village of Great Neck Estates Citation for Heroism.

As a Vigilant firefighter, he serves as a delegate to Nassau County's Eighth Battalion, and he is a delegate to the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the NYS Fire Chiefs Association.

Locally, he is village justice for the Village of Great Neck Plaza, and serves on that village's traffic and safety committee and beautification committee. At one time he was president of a co-op board. He is also active in UJA.

An attorney with a practice in Great Neck, he always keeps his sense of community in mind. ''My practice is half commercial, half general practice, so I can maintain my community ties.''

Chief Singer is scheduled to serve the traditional three years as Vigilant fire chief, with annual reelections.