Lakewood Fire Department To Hire 16 New Firefighters

The Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners announced today that the Fire District will be hiring 16 additional career firefighters over the next two fiscal years. The goal is to have 4 additional firefighters in place during the first quarter of 2020, with an additional 4 firefighters hired in the third quarter of the year, increasing the number of career personnel from 16 to 24.

Commencing in 2021, the Board plans to hire an additional 8 firefighters during the first quarter of the year, bringing the total of career staff to 32 firefighters. Once the full complement of 32 career firefighters is in place, the Board will have 2 crews consisting of 1 officer, promoted from within, and 3 firefighters on each crew at all times. One crew will be stationed at the Monmouth Avenue fire station and the other at the Cedar Bridge Avenue fire station, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, complementing the District’s outstanding volunteer firefighting force of 70 active members.

The Board has taken this action upon the recommendation of the District administrative and professional staff. The hiring schedule will be implemented and accomplished within the imposed fiscal restraints upon the taxpayer. The hiring plan, once complete, will have the following benefits to the community:

· Enhance the provisions of fire protection and fire suppression to the community.

· Provide immediate access to major fire routes.

· Provide for a quick response to emergency incidents considering the traffic patterns in the Township.

· Proximity to Life Hazards – senior residences, large developments, schools, “Downtown” commercial traffic and businesses, corporate buildings, large multi-family apartment buildings, Lakewood airport, industrial areas, etc.

· Proactive response to current as well as future development.

· Additional Fire Officers – implantation of a pre-planning program of residential and commercial buildings, site plan and construction liaison officer, apparatus liaison officer, administrative officer(s), supply liaison officer, training liaison officer, communications liaison officer, etc.

It is important to mention the Fire District has added 7 volunteer firefighters this year to their active volunteer firefighting force of 70 members. Furthermore, recruitment of volunteer firefighters and fire-police remains ongoing and the Lakewood Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners, along with the Lakewood Fire Department Fire Chief Mike D’Elia, Jr., continue to seek individuals who have a desire to serve the Lakewood community in one of these capacities. To attract new volunteers, the Board has become involved in the Volunteer Tuition Credit Program established by the State of New Jersey which permits volunteer fire service personnel who are active and in good standing, as well as their spouses and dependent children, to receive tuition credit to a county college, county vocational school or county technical institute. Individuals interested in becoming volunteer firefighters or fire-police are encouraged to visit the Fire District Website at lakewoodfd.org and submit the requested information expressing their interest through the “Join the Lakewood Fire Department” link.

“The Fire Commissioners and administrative staff, along with District professionals, have worked tirelessly to address fire service needs so as to efficiently and effectively maximize fire protection within the community,” the Board said. “This has been accomplished within the fiscal constraints of the taxpayers. The Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners will continue to address the changing needs of the community and its expanding population and development.”

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the two paid crews on standby and stations that are further apart? Would give them the ability to have faster response times at other sides of town.

  2. Lets all be honest here and tell the taxpayers, how much this really will cost. With this many firefighters let alone a officer on each shift the department will need a full time chief and at least one battalion chief. Stop making it sound like this is just some addition firefighters when in face it is a full scale paid department.

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