The Vigilant Fire Company (often known as The Vigilants) provide fire protection and emergency medical services to the Village. Organized in 1904, the department is comprised of all volunteers. The original firehouse was in the building now occupied by Riverside Nassau North Chapels on North Station Plaza in the Village of Great Neck Plaza. In 1957, the fire company moved to their new firehouse on Cutter Mill Road. This building was expanded in 1980.

Emergency ambulance service, for the community, was made available to the citizens of Great Neck in 1937. In 1984, a Firemedic squad was formed to provide personnel for an increased call volume, which averages about 1500 calls a year community wide, and to help meet increased training requirements mandated by the New York State Department of Health.

In addition to firefighting and emergency medical services, the Vigilant membership responds to various types of rescues and emergencies, such as hazardous materials incidents and environmental emergencies.

In the mid-1980's, serious environmental damage to the marshlands at the west end of the Village was averted when Vigilant members diked a major oil spill and prevented it from entering the storm water drainage system. The Vigilants represented the residents of Great Neck when they responded mutual aid to the Avianca air crash in Oyster Bay Cove on January 25, 1990, the Sands Point nursing home fire in Port Washington in 1990, and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

The Vigilants are one of 71 volunteer fire departments in Nassau County. At major incidents, fire departments help each other through what is known as mutual-aid. This system is coordinated by the Nassau County Fire Commission, which is comprised of the chairpersons of each of the nine fire battalions in the County. The fire departments of Great Neck, Manhasset, Port Washington, Plandome, Albertson, East Williston, and Williston Park belong to the Eighth Battalion of Nassau County.

The Vigilant Fire Company operates one 2000 gallon per minute pumper, two 1,500 gallon per minute pumpers, a 750 gallon per minute 4-wheel-drive low profile pumper, a 100 foot aerial ladder, a 95 foot tower ladder, a heavy rescue truck equipped with "The Jaws of Life" and other technical rescue equipment, as well as three ambulances. The Vigilants also have two antique pumpers: a 1932 American LaFrance 1,000 gallon per minute pumper which served the community until 1964, and a 1951 Mack 1,000 gallon per minute pumper which remained in service until 1979. The membership consists of over 80 men and women who live or work in the Great Neck Community and volunteer their time whenever an emergency occurs.

Report fire and emergencies directly to the fire dispatcher at 482-5000 or by calling the GNE police at 911 or 487-7700. For non-emergency calls, and information, including how to become part of this vital and rewarding community service, ca11 487-1086.