CROTON-ON-HUDSON — The Croton Fire Department headed into summer with a to-do list that paired public appearances — Summerfest demonstrations, parade season, an October Fire Fair — with the quieter work of keeping an aging fleet of apparatus on the road, according to the approved minutes of the Croton Fire Council's May 26 meeting. The council approved two applications for membership: a Harmon Engine candidate who lives in Yorktown Heights, and a Chemical Engine candidate from the Montrose side of the village, each pending an arson background check. A member's transfer from Washington Engine to Chemical Engine, already approved by both companies, was ratified, and two members received their official badges. Members also signed off on a Croton EMS Youth Corp blood drive to be held in one of the department's bays, sought in a letter from a department member, with the House Committee approving use of the downstairs fire department restrooms if needed. Summerfest ran through the chiefs' reports. The department will hold a post-incident review of its recent structure fire, and it planned demonstrations at the Grand Street Firehouse during Summerfest, with 1st Assistant Chief Chris Caterino asked to head them, a lieutenant enlisted to help if available, and ideas for the demos to stay simple and noninvasive. That report also pushed the department's Big Bucks raffle — "let's get out and sell those tickets" — and noted that parade season was coming up. A third report added that Big Bucks tickets were out and being sold, with four of the companies' contributions already in and Chemical Engine's still in the works. The raffle drawing was set for 6 p.m., "the end of SummerFest as we usually do," the minutes state. Caterino's own report centered on the fleet. Several rigs have been going out for repair: the tower ladder was out and is now back, Engine 119 is back, and Engine 120 had work done. Hendrickson, the department's repair vendor, has a new mechanic keeping unusual hours, Caterino reported, and the philosophy for the aging fleet is blunt: "The fleet is getting old so if something breaks, let's get it fixed." Repairs the village can handle will be done in-house; the rest go to Hendrickson. Training has been going very well, Caterino said, though a council member asked whether a message about a new rear LED light being out had been received. The minutes sketch a department in transition across its firehouses. Washington Engine's parking lot is just about done, Grand Street has plumbing issues, and the EMS operation at the Harmon firehouse is slowly getting out of the building — "we discovered today that more rooms are empty so there will be changes being made down there," the minutes state. A member reported that Harmon's ice machine isn't working and may need a filter, and another said the hose on the red reel on the 120 side of the bay is dry-rotted and leaking. Equipment is moving as well: the Mini Attack 33 utility vehicle was to go out June 1 for about a week to have lights installed, the boat is in the water, and the portable batteries are done and sitting on the windowsill at Washington Engine. Captains and lieutenants who need them were asked to reach out to Fire Council member John Munson with quantities; Munson had advised the chief that at least one or two more are needed for the trunk radios. In other business, a member again raised the Ex-Chiefs plaque at the municipal building, and the council voted to move forward with it. Chemical Engine, out of storage space, asked about the procedure for putting a shed behind its firehouse for storage; the chiefs are going to work with the village on it. An IAR issue that members had raised at earlier meetings was believed to be handled, though emails were still kicking back. The fall calendar is taking shape. Two inspection dates were put forward — Sept. 12 or Sept. 19 — and there is a county convention parade this year. Everyone who took the updated physicals passed, and Fire Prevention has set Oct. 4, 2026 for the Fire Fair, with a theme still to come; the old EMS closet is to become the new Fire Prevention closet. The Big Bucks raffle has a new drum. The council reported $62,392.13 in its account. Members were asked to keep two colleagues in their thoughts, one at Skyview 424 and the other on the third floor of the Springvale Inn in Montrose. The session, presided over by President Chris Colombo, was held in memory of a department member's father-in-law, and the village manager attended, relaying regrets from the mayor and the deputy. For residents, the dates to watch are the September parade and inspections — and the Fire Fair on Oct. 4.