NYSAFC Mourns the Loss of Past President Carl Amato Jr.

NYSAFC is saddened to announce the loss of Chief Carl J. Amato Jr., who passed away on September 11, 2014. He served as president of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs from 1994-1995.

Amato joined the fire service in 1954 as a member of the West Hempstead Fire Department (Nassau County). He joined the Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department (Suffolk County) in 1959, where he was a life member and served as chief of the department from 1970-1972. During his tenure as chief, Deer Park formed its Junior Fire Department. Other positions with the department included assistant chief and captain and lieutenant of Engine Co. #3. He served as president of the Deer Park Fire Department, Engine Co. #3, Deer Park Exempt Benevolent Association, and Deer Park Ex-Chiefs Association. Amato was a member of board of fire commissioners for 20 years, serving as chairman for many years. At one time, he was active with the department’s racing and softball teams and band. Amato was honored with Deer Park’s "Fireman of the Year" award in 1973.

Amato was a life member of NYSAFC and joined the association in 1967. He served as a regional representative for Suffolk County throughout the 1970s. Amato was a member of the board of directors from 1984-1996. He served on numerous committees since 1973, including as a member of the Conference Committee and Constitution & By-Laws Committee and a member and chairman of the Resolutions, Personnel, Long Range Planning, Strategic Planning, and Nominations & Elections Committees.

Over the years, Amato frequently contributed to NYSAFC’s SIZE UP magazine and at one time served as editor of The Chief’s Dispatch, a newsletter for association committee members and officers. For many years, Amato was involved in the coordination of the association’s Seminar Series program in Suffolk County. He also continued to volunteer at the Annual Conference & FIRE Expo in recent years.

Amato’s fire service affiliations were numerous. He was a member and chairman of the Suffolk County Fire Advisory Board, as well as a past president and life member of the Town of Babylon Fire Chiefs Association and Fire Chief’s Council of Suffolk County. Amato was a member of the Suffolk County Fireman’s Association, where he served on the Legislative Committee, was a member and sergeant-at-arms with the Suffolk County Fire Districts Association, and served on the Suffolk County Recruitment and Retention Committee. He was a member of the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York and a life member of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York. Amato was also a life member of the National Fire Protection Association, where he also served as a regional representative and on the Technical Committee of the Fire Service Section. He was a life member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, a charter member of the IAFC Volunteer Chief Officers Section, a member of the Eastern Division of the IAFC, and a member of the National Fire Academy Alumni Association.

In later years, Amato continued his volunteer service with Hernando County (FL) Emergency Management. He was a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) team leader and led the effort to form a team in his community.