The Syosset Volunteer Fire Department recently announced the untimely passing of ex-Chief Mark Mianulli. Mianulli was 51 years old and had been a member of the SFD's Woodbury Fire Company No. 1 for 21 years over the course of the last three decades, including serving as Chief of Department of the SFD from 1986 to1987.

Firefighting is in the Mianulli family genes. Growing up on Second Street in Woodbury, just two doors away from the home where he would later raise his own family, Mianulli watched as his father Mario became a member of the Woodbury Fire Company. His brother Douglas was also a member for several years. Just days after his 18th birthday in 1972 and as soon as he was eligible, Mianulli was sworn into the Company and began a long, rewarding career in the fire service. That same year, he also began working for the Syosset Fire District.

Mianulli quickly rose through the ranks in Woodbury, being elected Second Lieutenant in 1975, First Lieutenant in 1976 and serving as Captain of the Company from 1976 to 1978. In 1980, he was elected as Third Assistant Chief and advanced through the Chief's ranks to become Chief of Department in 1986.

After completing his term of office as Chief in 1987, Mianulli took a break from the Syosset Fire Department to spend more time with his family, including his son Buddy and his daughter Michele, and to focus on his new career as a Fire Alarm Dispatcher with the FDNY - a job he loved. On the morning of September 11, Mianulli was on duty at the FDNY's Bronx dispatch facility and handled numerous phone calls from trapped victims which were being diverted to other boroughs as the Manhattan dispatch facility became inundated with calls for help. As a member of the SFD, Mark also spent several days at Ground Zero assisting with the initial rescue efforts.

In 1998, Mark's son Buddy turned 18 and told Dad he wanted to join the Woodbury Fire Company. Mianulli was very proud of this third generation Mianulli firefighter and decided to once again become active with the Company as a way to share one of his life's loves - the fire service - with his son.

Buddy, like his Dad before him, rose quickly through the ranks in Woodbury and was recently elected Captain of the Company. But Mianulli's proudest moment as both a Dad and a firefighter came in December of 2003 when young Buddy was sworn in as a Probationary Firefighter with the FDNY. Mianulli was especially excited that his son was going to be working at Engine 45 in the Bronx, just blocks from the FDNY's Bronx Communications Office - the place Mianulli worked as a dispatcher. Mark's daughter Michele also picked up the Mianulli family desire to help others and now works as a medical assistant in a local physician's office.

Just weeks before his passing, Mianulli worked side by side with his son Buddy to battle a large, fast moving fire at the Hidden Ridge condominium complex. Mianulli was the Chauffeur of the first Engine company on the scene and Buddy was one of the officers helping run the operation. Mianulli also saw his son recently receive the Silver Medal of Valor - the Nassau County Fire Commission's second highest award - for his attempts to rescue a victim from a fire on Marlene Drive in June of 2004.

Mark's life was celebrated with a Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Woodbury, followed by internment at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Huntington. The family welcomes expressions of sympathy in the form of donations in Mark's name to the New York Firefighters' Burn Center, 21 Asch Loop, Bronx, NY 10475