First responder family inducts fourth-generation Cutchogue firefighter

Like a lot of people from volunteer families, the fire department runs in Luke Mauro’s blood. He joined the Cutchogue Fire Department Juniors at a young age and moved up to full firefighter this summer. Luke’s grandfather Tom Shalvey, a two-time ex-chief of the Cutchogue department and current fire district secretary, had the honor of inducting his grandson at his ceremony. 

Luke’s most vivid memory of his early days in the firehouse are from the “Stuff the Sleigh” fundraiser.  “I was really little, but I was just kind of wandering around and exploring all the different rooms, taking the elevator off to the second floor, and just messing with the buttons,” said Luke.

Luke went on to become a junior firefighter, a program his grandfather started during his first term as chief.

“In the juniors, I had the greatest exposure to the actual fire department by doing well pumping, because we pump our wells to make sure they’re working twice every year,” Luke said. “We had our own gear, but obviously we couldn’t attend any alarms or anything. I enjoy going to the alarms now.”

Mr. Shalvey’s father was also a CFD firefighter, giving their family a four-generation legacy. His experience spending time at the firehouse kicked off a 50-year membership, which he passed down to his daughter, and she brought Luke along in turn.

“That’s kind of a legacy thing. The fire department becomes almost like a second family, so a lot of people carry that on,” said Mr. Shalvey. “It’s a nice feeling that it’s continued, even if he’s only in a for a few years, even if he was to go somewhere else, like college, it’s nice that we share this with his mom.”

Mary Shalvey, Luke’s mom, is thrilled to see him carry on the tradition alongside her father. “I’m really proud of him. It’s amazing to see all the hard work he’s doing,” she said. “It’s nice to see my dad be with my son in the fire department. I always saw my dad with my grandfather in the fire department, and it’s a special bond that two of them now have.”

Mr. Shalvey has fond memories of spending time with his firefighter father at the firehouse, on calls and for the charity events the department sponsored.

“I would ride along with him in his pickup going to alarms sometimes, in my teens and even younger. I had a lot of exposure to fire department activities, like the chicken barbecue; I started working [there] when I was probably 10 years old,” Mr. Shalvey recalled. 

Ms. Shalvey carried on her father’s tradition, tagging along at the firehouse as a child, joining the department and then bringing her son along when she volunteered. 

“The firehouse has always been a part of our life. I grew up in a fire department,” said Ms. Shalvey. “[Luke] was always around in the fire department, the barbecues and things like that. He joined the juniors when he could, and then, right before his birthday, he came to me and said he wanted to join the fire department at 17. So it was really his decision.”

Things have changed in the years between Mr. Shalvey’s start and Luke’s. When the former first became a firefighter, for example, the department didn’t have its own ambulance.

“We had a rescue squad to go to car accidents and stuff to render first aid, but the ambulance [was at] the funeral home, so the ambulance would come with the priest and they would transport them to the hospital. We would prep the patient and then turn them over,” Mr. Shalvey explained.

Now, the volunteers have much more extensive required training, but this hasn’t dampened Luke’s enthusiasm. “I want to try to become at interior firefighter, but I have to go through fire school and stuff.”

Ms. Shalvey is confident the fire department is just the beginning for Luke.  “He’s a really good kid,” she said. “He’s got his head on right and he’s going to do great things.”