Joseph DeStefano
Joseph DeStefano, a life long Pat-Med resident, attended Eagle Elementary and Oregon Middle School before attending and graduating from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1978. He went on to Suffolk County Community College, earning an associate’s degree in business management. He and his wife Linda have been residents of Medford, New York for over 50 years.
Beginning in 1980, Joe embarked on a public service career by joining the Medford Fire Department and continues to be active with the Department today. Throughout the years, Joe has served as a Fire District Commissioner, Fire Police Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant, Department Recording Secretary, Department Vice President and Department President. He has also been active with the Medford Volunteer Ambulance Company and served as District Manager of the Riverhead Fire District. Assemblyman DeStefano holds the title of Life Member with the Medford Fire Department and Medford Volunteer Ambulance Company. He has held numerous other roles including Suffolk County Fire District Officers’ Association Secretary and Treasurer, Brookhaven Town Fire District President and Regional Director, Secretary and Treasurer of the New York State Association of Fire Districts.
Under Joe’s leadership as Fire Commissioner, two new fire stations were built and a third was renovated within Medford. Joe’s accolades also include being named for the first time in Suffolk County history, “Commissioner of the Year” in 2016 as well as receiving the Louis Martines Memorial Award for outstanding invaluable service to the community, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York Certificate Appreciation, multiple awards from FASNY long with numerous citations and proclamations from local elected officials and organizations. Joe’s walls of his office, locally and in Albany, as well as his home are adorned with many awards he has received.
For 28 years, Joe has been active with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office as a Public Safety Communication Supervisor, overseeing daily operations of the dispatcher and supervising radio communications of other law enforcement functions. He has served as President of the Sheriff’s Probation Civilian Unit and was recognized for heroism, assisting a deputy to restrain a hostile visitor to the jail.
Elected to the NYS Assembly in 2018, Joe still holds that position today. Working with colleagues in the State Assembly and Senate, Joe has been instrumental in getting legislation passed, the first designating frontline emergency operators and dispatchers as “First Responders”. His support for the local library led to Joe being instrumental in the construction of the Medford branch of the Patchogue-Medford Library and he continues to find additional ways to support local libraries.
Joe is not one to stand still. You can always find him at a ribbon cutting ceremony, a concert in local parks, at Eagle/Girl Scout awards ceremonies or serving as a guest speaker at Patchogue-Medford High School. Joe sponsors events in the 3rd Assembly District to honor veterans, blood drives, car seat safety checks, bike safety boating safety, and many other fundraisers to help those less fortunate.
To Joe, public service is first and foremost, at times missing holidays and family events, because he is needed elsewhere. Joe’s dedication to public service has earned him the title, “Mister Community First”. Speak with Joe and you’ll no doubt heat him tell you how he loves what he does.