Hashagen served with Manhattan’s Rescue Company 1 — one of the most elite assignments in the U.S. — while also leading as chief of the Freeport Fire Department in Freeport, New York. After a 25-year FDNY career, including 20 years in Rescue 1, he retired in 2003.
Retirement from the firehouse was not the end of Hashagen’s firefighting story. In many ways, it was the beginning of a new chapter. Today, he continues to have a strong presence in the fire service through training, writing, historical preservation and online storytelling.
Like many firefighters, Hashagen didn’t stumble into the profession, he was drawn to it. He began his career in the 1970s, working in various FDNY firehouses before joining Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan.
“The temperature of fire is exactly the same in California or Florida as it is in New York City,” Hashagen said. “I knew what people meant when they would say, ‘We’re not as busy as you’ or ‘things are crazier in the city,’ but the reality is fire is fire. No matter where you are, you’re doing the same job — and it’s a dangerous one.”
During this time, Hashagen also served as the chief of the Freeport Fire Department on Long Island.
“During my time off from the FDNY, I was still going to fires with the Freeport Fire Department,” he said. “I was always in on the action. Never a dull moment. During my time off from the FDNY, I was still going to fire with the Freeport Fire Department.”
“Our firehouse was close to the crash site,” Hashagen said. “They’d already been submerged for about three minutes before the call was made, but we got there quickly. I was in the water within five minutes — and this was before cell phones or instant communication.”
Hashagen, a certified diver, plunged into the water and pulled both the pilot and Dornacker from the wreckage. The pilot survived, while Dornacker sadly did not.
“It’s a crazy story because she had been in another helicopter crash just six months earlier,” Hashagen said. “The reason she almost drowned then was because of her seatbelt, so this time she wasn’t wearing one. If she had been, she most likely would have survived.”
The crash quickly made front-page news across New York City.
“The story was everywhere,” Hashagen said. “I even became friends with the mayor at the time because of how high-profile it was.”
For Hashagen, it became one of those calls he’ll always carry with him as a reminder of both the lives saved and the ones that couldn’t be.
“You can’t save everybody,” he said. “All you can do is your absolute best in every situation.”
When Hashagen retired from active firefighting in 2003, he wasn’t even close to being ready to walk away from the fire service. Instead, alongside his friend and fellow Rescue Company 1 firefighter, he began traveling across the country, training fire departments on rescue techniques and firefighter survival.
From Long Island to Texas and everywhere in between, the two shared lessons learned from one of the world's busiest and most demanding fire departments. “We had a great time on the road, and we met a lot of great people I’m still friends with today.” he said.
But over time, another passion began to take shape. Drawing from his years in the FDNY, Hashagen began pairing his love of firefighting with a passion for history and writing.
“I’ve been able to help people find out things about their relatives — grandfathers, uncles, sons,” he said. “I know so many names and have so many photographs. I want this information out there for people to see and learn about. It’s my way of making sure these legacies and stories live on. They’re important.”
Outside of his published work, Hashagen has built an online presence with help from his daughter, Elizabeth Hashagen, a former news anchor with a strong social following, and the encouragement of his five grandkids. He uses short videos and posts to share stories, lessons and reflections from his decades in the fire service.
He admits some platforms aren’t his style, but welcomes connecting with younger firefighters. “My grandkids love TikTok,” Hashagen said. “I think it’s a bit much. I prefer Instagram because it’s not as wacky.”
“I saw someone use an AI-generated image for a fire history story,” he said. “There are real photos of those moments with real people. Why make fake ones? Be careful. My advice on social media: don’t believe everything you see.”
Even so, Hashagen sees social media as a powerful way to stay connected.
“It’s a great way to reach the younger generation,” he said. “Firefighting is a brotherhood, and social media keeps our connection strong. If my advice helps someone, it’s worth it. It’s been fun.”
Will any of Hashagen’s five grandkids follow in his footsteps and the firefighter legacy? “It’s up to them,” he said. “This job isn’t just a career, it’s a vocation. I think they’re interested, but it has to be a calling.”
Want to hear more of Hashagen’s stories and lessons from the fireground? Follow him on Instagram and check out his published books.