Stephen A. Feron devoted his life to combating fires and saving lives.
Firefighters are known to carry the title of being New York’s bravest. They go through extensive training to be able to do the job. These training exercises require a lot from our brave heroes, conditioning them to be prepared for all scenarios that may be thrown their way.
An ex-chief of the Hauppauge Fire Department, Feron, 49, passed Saturday, June 11, while conducting one of said training exercises with the Suffolk County Urban Search and Rescue Team. He is survived by his wife, Kelly Ann, and their two children: Anna and Stephen.
Feron’s line of duty death occurred after he suffered a medical emergency during a “use of personal watercraft in rescue operations” drill. The training took place at Smith Point County Park in Shirley.
USAR members and lifeguards administered life-saving measures before transporting him to the nearest hospital. According to the Hauppauge Fire Department, the Central Islip Hauppauge Ambulance Company then transported his body to the Medical Examiners’ Office.
As per the U.S. Fire Administration, an exact cause of death has yet to be determined.
Feron has deep roots in the Hauppauge Fire Department as a second-generation chief, serving his post from 2018 to 2019. His father, Stephen B. Feron, had served as the department chief from 1985 to 1988.
His services, held on June 16 and June 17 at Moloney’s Funeral Home of Hauppauge, were widely attended, creating traffic jams up and around Wheeler Road and Veterans Highway. Family, friends, and fellow firemen turned out en masse to pay their respects at the hero’s well-earned memorial; a testament to a great man.
“Socially, [Feron] was just a world-class guy,” stated Chief Kenneth Furuno when speaking to Patch. “He was a very outgoing, very personal, caring man. He was a good role model. He definitely was able to connect with our younger members, to mentor them, and made everybody feel welcome. He was our morale officer, if you will.”
Feron’s funeral mass took place at St. Thomas More Church on Saturday, June 18.
The Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services are dedicated to protecting and saving the lives of about roughly 1.5 million residents of Suffolk County. While they receive constant praise for their sacrifices in the name of community, they deserve even more.
We at The Messenger want to thank all the brave men and women who risk their lives without asking for anything in return. Nobility doesn’t even begin to describe it.
