I am writing in response to the front-page article in the Jan. 15 edition about the Syosset Fire District and the allegations of financial misconduct.

The state auditor's report cites problems that you state "basically fall into two categories - those caused by insufficient record keeping and those involving exorbitant expenditures." The article then cites examples from the state report. Most are procedural faults that are not unique to the Syosset Fire District, but common in both the public and private sector. As a taxpayer I am also concerned about areas of mismanagement and exorbitant expenditures. I put my trust in my elected officials to provide me with the best possible service for my tax dollar and like all others I would like to see my property taxes lowered.

After reading the article I felt compelled to let the taxpayers and residents of the Syosset Fire District know that they are getting the best possible service for their dollar.

I am currently the first deputy chief of the Syosset Fire Department. This is an unpaid position and I, along with three other chiefs, am responsible for providing fire protection and emergency medical service for Syosset, Woodbury and parts of Muttontown, Jericho, Oyster Bay Cove and Laurel Hollow. The Syosset Fire Department answered 1,800 calls for service in 1998, such as house fires, auto accidents and ambulance calls. Not only does the Syosset Fire Department respond to emergencies in our community, we also have sent equipment and firefighters to the Westhampton brush fires, the ice storms in northern New York State, the Avianca plane crash, and high-angle and building collapse rescues in Farmingdale, Port Washington and New Hyde Park. We also promote fire prevention and fire safety in our schools and have a fire prevention open house each October. All of this is performed by unpaid professional firefighters who are as highly trained as those in New York City.

The state audit cites fire district spending for repair and maintenance of two "racing trucks" and a trailer used to transport these vehicles. The state audit states, "There is no express authority for the acquisition of equipment and vehicles for the utilization by the fire department in competitive events, nor is there express authority for fire department personnel to participate in such events at fire district expense." The drill team trucks are not used in daily fire fighting operations, but they indirectly affect those operations. The team promotes training, teamwork, camaraderie and recruitment of new volunteer firefighters.

The state audit also probes the annual installation dinner at cost which amounted to $74,000, further stating, costs relating to this affair were considered wasteful, such as $9,000 for souvenir pens, a photographer's fee of almost $3,000 and an $11,000 band. This annual dinner is the only way the fire district can say thank you to the 120 unpaid professional firefighters in the Syosset Fire Department. Firefighters who risk their lives every day to protect you. For $74,000 or roughly $600 a firefighter, you, the community can also say thanks to my members who unselfishly give up their time away from their families on holidays, during snowstorms and hurricanes, in the middle of the night or just during dinner with their wives and kids. Is that wasteful? Countless lives have been saved and millions of dollars in property protected annually.

The fire district is not without its faults and many of these have already been corrected. I want the community to know that we are here for you. Visit our firehouses, see what we have to offer you. Heck, why not volunteer and become a firefighter?