Press Releases

Contact: Public Relations Department
Suffolk County Water Authority
PO Box 37
Oakdale NY 11769
(631) 563-0296

September 14, 2000
Water Authority Attorney Fights Fires in Montana

As much as the Suffolk County Water Authority might have wanted to, there was no way to divert this summer's excess local rainfall to areas that desperately needed it. But when SCWA Attorney John Milazzo, right, was asked to join others from New York State,

all specially trained, to help fight the 17,000 acre Ryan Gulch Fire in Montana, he was eager to go, and the WaterAuthority was happy one of its employees was able to help out. For two weeks, Milazzo and 19 other New York residents battled the flames. Milazzo is shown on a break during one of his 12-hour shifts with, from left, Roger Houck, Bruce Lomnitzer, Scott Van Laer, Abe Gadgo and Kevin Burns are employed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservations; the other two members of Lomnitzer's heroic squad are college students.

The Suffolk County Water Authority is a public benefit corporation operating by virtue of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving about 80% of SUffolk's residents, it operates without taxing power on a non-profit bases.