Suffolk lawmakers push new crackdown on ‘fire chasers’ accused of preying on homeowners in crisis

Suffolk lawmakers are hoping to rein in so-called “fire chasers” — private board-up crews accused of preying on traumatized families by pushing them into costly contracts before the smoke even clears.

These businesses, often arriving to the scene of a devastating fire as fast as first responders, with clipboards in hand, pressure homeowners into signing contracts to board up the burnt-out homes on the spot, according to lawmakers and fire officials.

But what’s sold as a “necessary” emergency service can leave homeowners, at arguably their most vulnerable moments, unknowingly staring down bills that often run into the thousands.

“Homeowners are absolutely pressured into having their homes boarded up because these guys present it as a ‘must,’” one local firefighter, who requested anonymity, told The Post — describing such companies as “vultures.” 

“They act like they’re doing a service to the homeowner who just lost everything.”

A new bill, sponsored by county Legislator Dominick Thorne, a Patchogue Republican and former first responder, would require board-up companies to provide written disclosure to homeowners that they are not a government-run service and there is no obligation to hire them. 

It would also create a 1,000-foot buffer zone around fire vehicles to keep crews from swarming active scenes, expand enforcement powers to county attorneys, prosecutors, fire marshals and code officers — and raise penalties from $1,000 to as much as $5,000, with repeat offenders facing up to a year in jail.

“As a first responder I know firsthand how important it is for a reputable and licensed company to handle the work necessary after a fire has destroyed a home or a business,” Thorne said.

If the bill, which has garnered heavy bipartisan support, is passed by the Legislature, Republican Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine signaled he would not hesitate to sign it into law.

“Any business in Suffolk County must adhere to the rules and regulations, and we will do all we can to protect consumers from predatory business practices,” Romaine said.

The push for stricter safeguards comes a decade after Suffolk first tried to regulate the industry with a 2015 law that required board-up businesses to register with the county. But firefighters and lawmakers told The Post the rules lacked teeth and failed to stop companies from swarming fire scenes.

Complaints about the predatory practice have spiked in recent months, with more homeowners reporting aggressive behavior and misleading tactics, according to a letter in support of the new bill from Gerard Turza Jr., chairman of the Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services Commission.

Fire Rescue and Emergency Services logged more than 5,000 possible structure fire calls in 2024, according to an April report presented to the Legislature — each one a potential opportunity for fire chasers to pressure victims into contracts costing between $4,000 and $8,000. 

Firefighters explained that the “fire chasers” sell the unsuspecting families on being liable if anyone were to break into the burnt-up home, get injured and decide to sue. 

Firefighters stressed there are better ways to secure the property — including through insurance once the dust settles.

Aside from the predatory practices, county and fire officials have also cited safety concerns with what they described as an increasingly aggressive industry. 

At larger fires, it’s not unusual for numerous companies to swoop in.

The scramble for contracts has even turned violent, with crews erupting into fights while firefighters are still battling the blaze, according to first responders. 

Mike Barry, president of the Fire Chiefs’ Council of Suffolk County, called it “critical”– at an Aug. 5 public hearing on the legislation — that these companies are no longer allowed to “take advantage of people seeing their worst day.”

Lawmakers are now expected to send the bill back to committee this month, with a full vote before the Legislature possible as early as September.