EMFD Grabs Third at Nassau Firefighters Museum's BBQ Cook-Off

The East Meadow Fire Department took some time off from putting out fires to start one on the grill as the department took third place Friday in the Fairway Market and Nassau County Firefighters Museum BBQ Cook-Off.

East Meadow finished third after the Rockville Centre Fire Department tied with the Bethpage Fire Department for first place.

The Independence Day holiday has always been known for great food, exciting recipes and delicious barbecues. In the spirit of the holiday weekend, teams of firefighters from Nassau County competed against each other in a BBQ contest to see who makes the best barbecue ribs and hamburgers on Long Island, while reminding everyone of important barbecue safety tips.

In the hot summer sun, firefighters cooked up their best BBQ for the judges and the public. Dedicated fire department teams showed up as early as 6 a.m. in order to smoke their ribs for hours. 

“This was a great hometown event that brought together some very talented firefighter chefs,” said Angelo Catalano, Nassau County Firefighters Museum & Education Center Board President. “The firefighters did a fantastic job at the grill, and we all enjoyed some of the best burgers and ribs on Long Island."

The first-place winning teams received a $500 gift card to Fairway and a trophy from the Nassau County Firefighters Museum. The second-place team received a trophy from the museum.

In addition, the Nassau County Firefighters Museum gave all participating fire departments free smoke detectors.