Garden City Park Volunteer Fire Chief Thomas Regan was laid to rest on Saturday February 19th, 2011. Nearly a month earlier he was severely injured when he fell on the ice conditions in his driveway while responding to a carbon monoxide alarm. He was quickly taken to the hospital, but critical injuries to his spinal cord and the back of his brain proved too severe to be overcome. He passed away with his family at his side early morning on February 17.
There were at first some minor issues with the services were held at the Dalton Funeral home on February 16th from 2-5 and 7-10 PM. With two locations: one in New Hyde Park and one in Floral Park, many mourners from the New Hyde Park area at first went to their local location, only to find out that the service was relocated to the Floral Park funeral home location due to additional space and parking.
The funeral at Notre Dame the morning of February 19th 2011 proved to be a local morning of mourning with hundreds attending from across the area. Besides family and his large brotherhood of firefighters; an entire community displayed an out-pour of support in honor of a man who had given back so much to others.
Thomas Regan served as a New York City Deputy Fire Chief for over 30 years. His tenure with the Garden City Park volunteer department is even longer, over 35 years. As a Chief who had fallen in the line of duty, Regan was laid to rest with full honors, and an extraordinary showing of both the FDNY and our local Nassau County volunteers.
Regan, 83, is survived by his wife Elsie, two sons (Thomas and Timothy) and daughter (Christina) as well as 10 grandchildren. Besides his long tenure with the Fire Departments, Regan was a distinguished veteran of the Korean War. His service to his country and community was greatly valued, and though he has passed he will not be forgotten by hundreds if not thousands of family, friends and neighbors.
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