Sandy's Wake: Sky Athletic Club Opens Showers to Upstate Firefighters

It's nearly a 200-mile, four-hour trip from Island Park to Pittstown, just north of Albany, but that didn't stop firefighters from the Pittstown Fire Department from coming to Long Island to help recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

The Pittstown Fire Department was stationed at the Island Park Fire Department from Nov. 5-8 to help in one of the hardest hit areas on all of Long Island.

According to assistant chief Jay LeBarron, during their stay, several members of the Pittstown FD were treated to hot showers at Sky Athletic Club, located at 310 Merrick Road in Rockville Centre.

LeBarron said that Adele Sadocha, who works at Sky Athletic Club, extended an offer to him and his firefighting "brotherhood" to take free hot showers when they needed to during the Hurricane Sandy disaster. The group was incredibly grateful to be able to use the facilities.

"Believe me the clean showers were appreciated," LeBarron said. "lt is nice to see a business think of others, especially the volunteer fire service in their time of need."

"The members of the Island Park FD made us feel right at home, fed us, ecetera -- even after all they have been through," Lebarron added.