On Nov. 15, Hicksville Fire Department Volunteer Hose Company #4 celebrated the dedication and ribbon cutting of Saurer Court in memory of the late Charles Saurer, an ex-chief, commissioner and 60-year member of the department. The new street is located off of Jerusalem Avenue, opposite Spindle Road and adjacent to the Levittown border where Mr. Saurer, who passed away in 1988, worked as one of Levittown's first letter carriers.

A lifelong Hicksville resident, Mr. Saurer served as assistant chief and chief of the department during the mid 1950s. During his term in office, Hicksville experienced a large population growth as new homes sprang up all over the area. As chief, Mr. Saurer was dedicated to serving the residents through the Hicksville Fire Department. On several occasions, Mr. Saurer rescued residents from house fires, putting his life at risk. He organized the department's Fire Prevention Bureau and was elected to a five-ear position as fire commissioner by residents after his term as chief was completed.

The street dedication was made possible thanks to local builder Ed Pottick in conjunction with Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, who along with other town and fire department officials, was present for the ceremony.

"We enjoy quality of life in both the Town of Oyster Bay and Hicksville, particularly, that is second to none. It is important for us to understand that all the things we enjoy today are the direct result of the hard work and sacrifice of people like Charlie Saurer," said Venditto. "While there is nothing wrong in finding role models in sports, movies or fiction, it is people like Charlie who remind us that we have role models in people right in our backyard." He added, "I ask that as people pass the street sign, they look up, say 'thank you' and understand that it is important to remember people like Charlie and so many others like him for all they have done."

Of the street dedication, Mr. Saurer's wife, Ruth, said, "It's a wonderful way to remember him. It's hard to put these things into words but people need to understand and remember that volunteer firemen are really fantastic. You really have to accentuate the word volunteer. They put their lives on the line everyday [and are] really providing a definite service for everyone. What they do is so important."

The Saurers had four children, Thomas Saurer and Kathy Gabrielsen, who are deceased, and Charles Saurer and Judith Principe as well as eight grandchildren.