Hampton Bays - Suffolk's first responders will start getting more - Ed Moore, that is. Nominated by South Fork representative Jay Schneiderman (R-Montauk) and unanimously confirmed by the County Legislature on May 13, the Hampton Bays resident will take a seat on the Suffolk County Citizens Corps Council.

"Ed is focused, detail oriented, and results driven," remarked Schneiderman, "For as long as I've known him, he has been a dedicated community servant whose energy and experience is a boon to every organization he's involved with."

A native of Queens, Moore has spent all of his last 18 years on the East End as a member of the Hampton Bays Fire Department, where he presently serves as Sergeant At-Arms. With nearly two decades of involvement, Moore, 43, is the current president of the Hampton Bays Exempt Fireman's Benevolent Association and was the Master of Ceremonies for its 75th Anniversary Celebration in 2005. He is also a graduate of the Southampton Town Police Citizen's Academy.

Schneiderman said the goal of the Citizens Corp Council is to assist in establishing Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs in Suffolk and to maximize citizen participation in emergency response activities. According to legislative findings, when the decision was made to create the board in 2004, Suffolk County had experienced "a significant number of natural and man-made emergencies in recent years." The move grew out of the County's participation in a national initiative to recruit citizen volunteers to assist in homeland security during such situation.

"The Legislature believed that a voluntary board, representing a large cross-section of our community, was required to oversee and guide the expansion of these vital efforts," he continued. The Council consists of 18 members, five of whom are appointed by the County Executive, four by the Legislature, and the remainder are statutorily designated. Each serve for terms of three years.

With the confirmation, Moore's appointment adds to a long list of community organizations. They include the Southampton Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Hampton Bays Beautification Association, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

"Ed also has experience with the workings of local government," added Schneiderman, noting Moore's previous posts as a purchasing agent for the County's Department of Public Works, a records manager for the Town of Southampton, and his time as an aide to former County Executive Robert Gaffney. Moore was the chairman of the Hampton Bays Citizens Advisory Committee for six years and in January 2008, the Southampton Town Council appointed him to the Licensing Review Board.

Despite his commitments, Moore said he is always willing to help give back. "It's an honor to be given an opportunity to serve the community in yet another way," he said, "I am eager to begin to right away."