The Jersey City Fire Department added 15 new members on the morning of January 14th during a ceremony that attracted local and national media personnel. The City Council Chambers in City Hall was standing room only as family, friends, city officials and first responders gathered to see the new firefighters sworn in by Mayor Steven Fulop and Chief of Department Steven McGill.

Among the new recruits was the son of Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen, Sam Springsteen. His parents and family members watched with pride as he was sworn in. Sam, 25, is the youngest of Bruce and Patti Scialfa's three children. Sam has previously served as a volunteer firefighter in the state.

As usual, the department's ceremony was professional in every way, leaving good memories of this important day for recruits and their families. The recruits were led into the chambers by the Fire Department Honor Guard and the Jersey City Firefighter's Pipes and Drums Emerald Society. The Springsteen rookie wasn't singled out during the swearing-in, he was just one of the new recruits.

“This is my son's day,” The Boss said after the ceremony. “We're very proud of him.”

In reference to his completed training at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy, Sam Springsteen said, “It wasn't easy.” These new members also received EMT training.

Chief McGill pointed out that the Fire Department now has its first two sisters on the job. Battalion Chief Constance Zappella stood with her sister, Francesca, as she took the oath. Francesca had served the city as a police officer for three years.

“If I hadn't seen how much she loved her job I don't think I would've switched over,” Francesca said of her battalion chief sister.

The Fire Department now has 666 members protecting the city of nearly 200,000. Mayor Fulop was proud of the fact that the city no longer has a “brown out” policy, that closed as many as five fire companies on a shift when manpower was low.

The other new appointed firefighters are: Thomas McFarlane, John Bramley Jr., Conor Keim, Shane Richeal, Jason Garrison, Omar Soto, Sean Brady, Connor Wujciak, Angel Ortez, Francis Degnan, Richard Ferment, Andrew Crilly and Luke Gibbons.