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Veteran firefighter Eugene “Gene” Perry, a longtime Patchogue resident and member of the Patchogue Fire Department, has been elected as the president of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY).
Perry’s election took place at FASNY’s annual convention, held in Niagara Falls, New York. It marks a significant milestone in his 45-year-long service career.
Perry, 66, has been an active member of FASNY since 1995, previously serving as its second vice president and first vice president. His volunteer fire service dates back to the summer of 1979, when he joined the Patchogue Fire Department’s Van Guard Hose Company #1.
“Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought that I would go on to have the honor and privilege to serve as president of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York,” said Perry, who grew up right behind the firehouse and from a young age was drawn to the excitement and responsibility of firefighting.
“Anytime there was an alarm, the siren would wail, I’d hear the doors open, the trucks start and head out to whatever the emergency was,” he said. “T knew at a very young age that I just had to be part of that.”
Perry said his tenure as FASNY president will focus on mental and behavioral health for New York’s first responders.
“Just as firefighting has evolved, so has a real need for better mental and behavioral health initiatives for New York’s first responders,” he said. “I know this because I’m part of that need. I know personally of the struggles of depression and anxiety.”
Drawing from his personal experiences with depression and anxiety, Perry has made it his mission to remove the stigma surrounding mental health issues and support the mental well-being of those in the fire service.
“My message to our first responders in the field is, don’t let a bad call or situation control you — reach out. Seeking professional help is not a weakness — it’s okay to not be okay at times,” said Perry, who will establish a FASNY Mental & Behavioral Health Committee.
Beyond his work with FASNY, Perry has been a prominent figure in Long Island’s fire service community.
The 1977 Patchogue-Medford HighSchool graduate served as vice president of the Brookhaven Town Volunteer Firemen’s Association, was a past president of the Suffolk County Volunteer Firemen’s Association, and held leadership roles in several other fire service organizations. Additionally, he is a director at large with the Brookhaven Firefighters Museum.
Perry’s commitment to public service extended into his professional life, where he worked as an emergency services dispatcher for 32 years, retiring in 2018. He worked as a dispatcher for the Patchogue Fire Department, Patchogue Ambulance Company and Patchogue Village Code Enforcement.
Perry lives with his wife Kathy in Shirley. They have two adults sons, Patrick and Christopher, who have both followed in their father’s footsteps as volunteer firefighters in the Brookhaven Fire Department.
