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Community Corner

Alex Weiss: Two-Way Life Saver

Saving lives by phone and by fire truck, a Syosset Serial Volunteer makes a difference every day.

Alex Weiss was handed a green card and an opportunity when he arrived here in America from Ukraine with his family back in 1973. 

"I was 16-years-old and signed a pact with the US government that we would not be a financial burden to the state," he said.  "We also had to prove that we had relatives in America to take us in."

But here is how his story goes from foreign world to corporate world to volunteer world:

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After his parents survived the concentration camps at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, instead of coming to America like his aunts and uncles, his parents decided to return to their native town of Galicia, a mountainous region in the Ukraine. 

"That's where they met, married, and where I was born," Weiss said.  Always hoping to one day be reunited with their family, they seized the opportunity when according to Weiss, the USSR traded 400 Eastern European families for grain during one of Russia's worst crop failure, a deal brokered by Senator Jacob Javits.

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Besides a hook and ladder, he originally climbed the corporate ladder to get to where he is now. 

"Once out of college, I dabbled in the jewelry business but got wind of an industry that felt like it had long-term potential:  Computers," Weiss said.  "I went on to become a computer programmer, working hard, and putting in many long and arduous hours." 

After achieving much success as a computer analyst and software designer, he realized there was something more meaningful he should be doing with his life. 

"My wife suggested I work at the Long Island Crisis Center, an organization that performs crisis intervention and counseling through a 24-7 telephone hot-line and live chat website. They field over 10,000 calls per year." Weiss said.  

In typical overachiever fashion, he started as an assistant counselor and worked his way up to mentor and board member. 

"As a man, I want to fix problems, but as a counselor I have to help callers help themselves in a non-judgmental and positive way," Weiss said.  

Working there for eight years led him to want for more. Then one day he saw an article in a local Long Island newspaper criticizing volunteer firemen. 

"I realized the reason for their slow response was that there was a shortage of manpower, so I thought, 'how can I fix this?' The solution:  Join them!" Weiss said. 

It's been over five years and Weiss is now second lieutenant at the Syosset Volunteer Fire Department. 

When asked what else Mr. Weiss does for others, he added with a smile, "Once a week I drive a 91-year old lady to her doctors' appointments."  She's not Daisy, but it's his version of the movie, Driving Miss Dorothy. 

He has been living is Syosset for 26 years with his wife, "My son is in medical school and my daughter is in law school.  It's the perfect fit for who they are," he proudly mentioned.  And his family is certainly proud of him.

As the interview was finishing up, suddenly a call came over the intercom at the firehouse about a man trapped in a hole several feet deep. Within seconds, Alex was flying down three flights of stairs.  Throwing on his firefighter gear, he hopped on the rig with sirens blaring, and off he went ready for another rescue.   

For more information about the Long Island Crisis Center please go to: http://longislandcrisiscenter.org

To read more about volunteering for the Syosset Volunteer Fire Department go to: 

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