Jerry Owenburg
Jerry Owenburg moved to West Babylon in 1954 at age 4.
He went through West Babylon Schools and played all sports in
school with football being his passion He was in the Marching
band where in 1967 he met wife. She was a Majorette in the
band and he was the Bass drum player. After 51 years, they
have three children and seven grandkids. In 1969 he graduated
West Babylon High School and then worked 32 years on the
Town of Babylon Highway Department.
Jerry’s Father-Law was a Volunteer Firefighter with West
Babylon Volunteer Fire Department and in 1970 asked him to join
Rainbow Hose Co. 1. In 1973 Jerry became Lieutenant of the
Company. In 1974 the Owenburgs moved to Mastic, where, of
course, he joined the Mastic Fire Department. He rose to the
rank of 2 nd Lieutenant. In 1980 they moved back to West Babylon.
Again, he joined the West Babylon FD Co 1 and the Rescue Squad and
became an EMT. Jerry rose through the ranks. In 1998 he
became Chief of the Department. After Chief he became involved in
many Firematic Associations such as First Firemen’s Assoc. of the
State of New York known as FASNY where he served on many committees.
Jerry then went onto Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn
Center at Stony Brook Hospital where he served as President. At the
same time, he was a member of the Suffolk County Fire Safety
Educators. There, at a Fire awareness Hazard House display he became
the voice of Sparky the Fire Dog at many programs in Nassau and
Suffolk. At the same time Jerry was part of the Suffolk County
Volunteer Firemen’s Assoc. where again he became President. While
there, he
fought for more training for the Volunteer Fire Service. For the
past 14 years, Jerry organized the Long Island Day at the FASNY
Volunteer Firemen’s Home. On that day Suffolk and Nassau
Volunteer Firefighters and their Families visit our Brother and
Sister Volunteer Firefighters in a Nursing Home just for Volunteer
Firefighters and Spouses and Ladies Auxiliary. In 2013 he became a
Trustee for said Nursing Home where he is now President of the
Trustees. Jerry is a member of Southern New York Firemen’s Assoc.
and serves as a Suffolk Director. One more group dear to his
heart is the Firefighter’s Cancer Support Network where he is the
Care Givers Coordinator. The Network mentors Firefighters and their
Families through the many tough times of Cancer treatments.
One Firefighter taking care of another Brother Firefighter.