Robert Szczepanik has spent much of his life serving others — in the military, as a postal worker and, for the past half-century, as a volunteer firefighter.
The Riverhead Fire Department honored Szczepanik Tuesday night at fire department headquarters, celebrating his 50 years of service with Red Bird Hook and Ladder Company No. 1.
Szczepanik, 78, a lifelong Riverhead resident, joined the department on June 21, 1975. He served as captain of Red Bird Hook and Ladder and as the department’s safety officer. Over the years, he was named firefighter of the year three times and was the department’s top responder 16 times.
“The best thing about being a firefighter is saving lives,” Szczepanik said. “I enjoyed the work of a ladder man. I enjoyed serving the community and the camaraderie of other firefighters.”
Department leaders described Szczepanik as a dependable presence at emergencies, particularly when the ladder truck was needed.
“We knew when he would get there, things would settle down,” Chief Baycon Fideli said. “Bob would get that truck up and running.”
Fire commissioners, department chiefs and representatives of state, county and town government presented Szczepanik with proclamations and certificates recognizing his service. He was also honored by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York and the Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Association.
Szczepanik graduated from Riverhead High School in 1965 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age 17. He served for four years, including deployments to Italy and Japan, and later continued his military service in the Air National Guard. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he worked at Ground Zero with the Guard.
He also worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 34 years, making him a familiar presence throughout the Riverhead community.
Szczepanik was married to Sandy Szczepanik, who died in January 2025. His daughter, Suzanne McLoughlin, and his four grandchildren attended Tuesday night’s celebration.
A man of few words when called to the microphone, Szczepanik offered a simple response after the presentations.
“Thank you,” he said. “I appreciate it. I really do.”
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti
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