The Hicksville Fire District will hold elections for fire commissioner on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Fire commissioner terms are five years. Voting for fire commissioner will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hicksville Fire Department headquarters located on East Marie Street.

At this time, three longtime Hicksville residents will vie for the one open position. While Charles Hearon and Robert Johnson are seeking to be elected to the board for the first time, William Schuckmann is seeking election to his fourth consecutive term.

The following are profiles on the three candidates:

Charles Hearon joined the Hicksville Fire Department in 1972 as a member of Company #5 and remained active for 13 years, serving as an officer and captain as well as sitting on various committees. In 1985, however, medical reasons left Hearon unable to continue as an active member of the department and he received the status of medical honorary member.

But last year, Hearon said, his gym facility privileges at the firehouse were revoked. Frustrated and unsatisfied with the board, Hearon began sitting in on commissioner meetings. When the controversy surrounding the rebuilding of Station 2 came to a head, Hearon realized he was not alone and that many residents were also frustrated with the board.

"The image of the Hicksville Fire Department is very important to me," Hearon said, adding that he is concerned about the reputation the fire district is developing as a result of their handling of residents who oppose the rebuilding of Station 2. "Even though the board was aware residents living in the vicinity of the firehouse would be at a June [2003] meeting, they were not prepared to deal with the public," he said. "I became very frustrated in my dealings with the board and now I can see that I was not the only one."

Hearon said increased public relations between the fire district and the community are long overdue. "The district should have a professional website which posts the monthly meeting minutes, [provides] information to the public about safety and the department, and allows people to e-mail opinions and questions to the district," he said. "Most districts have this. We should too."

According to Hearon, the district would also be more community-oriented if committees, comprised of residents and district officials, were formed to work toward solutions. "The current board has refused to do this," he said.

As fire commissioner, Hearon said he would not be afraid to challenge decisions that may have a negative impact on the neighborhood and he strongly believes in keeping the lines of communication open between elected officials and residents. "I want the best for the department members and the community we serve. I will serve the Hicksville community with honesty and integrity," he said. "My willingness to listen to all sides of a situation, to work toward negotiating a fair solution or compromise and the fact that I am willing to express my honest opinions even if my opinions are unpopular with some. I don't mean any disrespect toward the current fire commissioners who have given many years of service, but I think that it's time for a change."

Hearon and his wife, Cathie, have been married 22 years. They have three children, Charles, Michael and Mary.

Robert Johnson has over 38 years of fire service experience. He served in the Levittown Fire Department for 18 years and, after moving to Hicksville 21 years ago, joined the Hicksville Fire Department. Over the past two decades, he has served Hicksville as a firefighter and AMET, has been a member of the Hazardous Materials Team and has held several leadership positions as a line officer and department captain.

Johnson recently retired from the Nassau County Police Department where he held a certification of a New York State AEMT. Over the years, he has been involved in the various community organizations, including the Kiwanis Club of the Nassau County Medical Center and is presently coordinator for the Nassau County Fire Services Stress Management/Peer Support Team.

If elected fire commissioner, Johnson said he will continue to work for the fire district and the community. "My main concern is to keep the fire district and the department number one," he said. "I believe that I can make a difference and help lead the Hicksville Fire District as it continues to serve all of the people of Hicksville."

Johnson said he is the best candidate for the position because he "is reliable, dedicated and has the qualifications and ability to do the job. My experience and my background will enable me to help the fire district as well as the community," he said. "I have the knowledge, experience and dedication that will enable me to serve all the residents of Hicksville."

According to Johnson, the proposed renovation of Station 2 is the biggest issue facing the fire district at this time. "[Station 2] is going to be a big challenge for any one on the board in the upcoming years," said Johnson. "We need to expand for the safety of our members." He added, however, that there is some confusion surrounding how the district plans to renovate and expand that firehouse. "The board has merely suggested that residents who are thinking of selling their homes consider contacting the board and giving them first crack at purchasing them," Johnson said. "Never, ever was it said that the department wanted to take over homes."

Johnson and his wife, Judy, have two children, Bob and Danielle. They are active members of Our Lady of Mercy parish and school.

William Schuckmann joined the Hicksville Fire Department in 1971, rising through the ranks from lieutenant to captain of Floodlight Rescue Co. # 8 before being named chief of the department from 1986-1987. In 1988, Schuckmann was elected commissioner and is currently seeking re-election to his fourth term.

Schuckmann, the recipient of the 2002 Hicksville Fire Department's Service Award, has served as co-chairman of the department's 100th Anniversary Committee, president of the 9th Battalion Fire Chiefs Council and is a trustee of the Exempt Benevolent Association. He is also a member of the Association of Fire Districts of Nassau County, the New York State Fire Chiefs Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Schuckmann is involved with the Search and Rescue Dog Foundation and the Nassau County Firefighter Burn Center.

Professionally, Schuckmann has been employed by the Hicksville Water District for 30 years, and currently holds the position of superintendent. He is an active member and president of the Hicksville/Jericho Rotary Club and is affiliated with the Hicksville Community Council, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce and was appointed by the Town of Oyster Bay as a committee member to its Hamlet Plan to Revitalize Downtown Hicksville.

Since becoming fire commissioner, Schuckmann said he has "practiced careful fiscal planning to keep fire taxes to a minimum while maintaining the highest industry standards for fire-fighting, training and safety." Included he said, is the purchase of ambulances, defibrillators, air packs, imaging cameras, new turnout gear, in-house exhaust systems, exercise equipment for volunteers and an educational trailer to teach youngsters about fire safety.

As commissioner, Schuckmann said new programs have been introduced, including tuition reimbursement for volunteer paramedics and physicians' assistants, educational seminars for members, a response time analysis and the renovation of the dispatchers' office. Additionally, he was an active member of numerous district committees that spearheaded projects such as purchasing new trucks and rebuilding the department's Station 1 and Station 3.

If re-elected, Schuckmann said he plans to continue to practice prudent fiscal planning, while providing volunteers with the best possible equipment to help them in their fire-fighting operations with new pumpers and a new mobile cascade system part of the plan. He also intends to focus his efforts on maintaining the current tax base and finding solutions to several issues currently facing the district.

"With Nassau County now billing patients for ambulance service, for example, there has been an ever-increasing volume of calls for volunteer ambulance and rescue service," he said. "The district is seeking a viable solution to this problem as well as the overcrowding conditions at Station 2."

Regarding Station 2, Schuckmann said there are a lot of rumors going around saying that the district is looking to condemn property. "That is not the case," he said. "We went on record this year - it's in our minutes, that we would not be looking to condemn property. I live within that district, so why would I want to do that? We are looking to do some type of renovation work over there, but the department has never, nor do we have any intention of, condemning homes to do so." He added that all the fire district is trying to do is find a way to provide members of Station 2 with the same equipment and accommodations that members of the district's other houses enjoy.