When Nicol Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steven Allan Sullivan died of a stroke days after fighting a fire, the department lost its first chief, one who had built a solid reputation as a firefighter and a leader.
The new fire chief, Gaston Wilson, said Sullivan’s death was a loss to both the department and to the surrounding community.
But his death also had wider resonance. After hearing about Sullivan’s death, a non-profit organization created in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks decided to donate a new fire truck to the department. The Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund, named after New York City firefighter and Dix Hills Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Terry Farrell, has been reaching out to fire departments in need for a number of years. Farrell himself died in the line of duty at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
