March, 2023, UPS, pg. 2
DOWNS: Three residents of a Valley St. home in Newark-two adults and one child-suffered from smoke inhalation and burns, Jan. 7th, according to Public Safety Spokesperson Catherine Adams. First responders performed CPR on all three, Adams said. The adult victims were transported to Cooperman Barnabas M.C. in Livingston to be treated for severe burns.
UPS: Atlantic City will be awarded a National Park Service Underrepresented Community Grant for $50,000. The grant will fund the National Register nominations of two firehouses. They are located at Grant & Indiana (built in 1909) and Atlantic & Annapolis (built in 1907). The project involves retaining qualified historic architects to prepare nominations for the National Register. Once their buildings are on the National Register, they then qualify for funding for improvements, according to Jersey Digs.
DOWNS: Four fires, including one involving part of the abandoned Mercer Medical Center, in Trenton, kept local firefighters busy on Jan. 8th. The other fires occurred in buildings on South Broad St., Emory Ave. and Cleveland Ave. Mutual aid that assisted came from Hamilton Twp., Bordentown and Yardley, Pa.
UPS: Newly promoted fire captains in West Orange are Jason Fregans, Angelo Tedesco, Matthew Keenan and Kevin Dean.
DOWNS: One person suffered burns from a fire involving a row home on Landing St., Trenton, Jan. 10th. The victim was treated at the scene and the fire was being investigated as suspicious, according to WPVI-TV, Philadelphia.
UPS: The Insurance Services Office has give the Ocean City Fire Department a Public Protection Classification (PPC) national Class 2 rating, according to the Ocean Patch. Insurance agencies utilize the PPC class rating system to calculate commercial and private property insurance premiums.
DOWNS: One person died in an overnight barn fire on Pennsville-Pedricktown Rd. in Oldmans Twp., Salem County, Jan. 11th, according to the NJSP. An investigation was underway.
UPS: New firefighters in Teaneck are Yonah Schwartz, Michael Jost, Jonathan Bass, Khaleel Thomas and Jamir Cope.
DOWNS: Firefighters found a 69-year-old unconscious man in a burning Lambertville apartment and rescued him on Jan. 12th. He was airlifted to the University Hospital in Philadelphia, according to the Daily Voice. Six of the seventeen apartments in the South Hunterdon Apartments, on North Main St., were evacuated and relocated to a temporary shelter at Lambertville Public School. Two city police officers were taken to local hospitals for smoke inhalation and minor injuries.
UPS: The Bayville Fire Department has been awarded a $34,000 grant, through the American Rescue Plan Firefighter's Grant, to purchase new turnout gear, according to Jersey Shore on Line.
DOWNS: Four EMS workers were taken to a hospital after they responded to a hazmat call at the Creswood Apartments on Champion Ave., Collingswood, Jan. 12th, according to WPVI-TV, Philadelphia. The first responders were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
UPS: New firefighters in Camden are: B. Bakr., A. Cespede, L. Chavez, B. Gerald, N. Jones, T. Mack, D. Rodriguez, T. Desmond, Q. Watson and A. Williams.
DOWNS: Six firefighters managed to climb up a compromised basement stairs to escape a burning Ramapo Ave. dwelling in Pompton Lakes, after an explosion blew the roof off of the structure. The early-morning January14th fire was spotted by a police officer who alerted the lone resident to evacuate. Firefighters had entered the home to locate the seat of the fire when the explosion occurred, shortly after 2 a.m. Once firefighters entered the house, it was less than a minute before it exploded, according to Fire Official John Keating. The firefighters were described as doing well. Four were treated at the scene and two were taken to a local hospital with burns and later released.
UPS: North Caldwell Police Sgt. O'Neill and P.O.'s Johnson and Roszkowski entered a smoke filled Brookside Ave. home and assisted a resident out to safety on Jan. 14th, according to Caldwells Patch. The N.C.F.D. extinguished the fire within minutes of arrival.
DOWNS: While Cherry Hill firefighters were operating at a MVA on I. 295, Jan. 14th, Rescue-Ladder 13 was struck by a passing vehicle. The driver of that vehicle was trapped, requiring extrication, according to the department Facebook page. There were no injuries to firefighters.
UPS: In January, Hawthorne Mayor Lane and the Borough Council recognized Firefighter Kevin Silvestri for his 71-years of dedicated service to the Fire Department. Silvestri has served in nearly every position in the department and has given a lot of his time serving at the NJ State Firemen's Home, according to their Facebook page.
DOWNS: In January, Hillsborough Fire Chief Thomas Maruits, 54, died after contracting COVID-19. He was an active member of Fire Co. 3. “Tom was great. He always seemed so passionate about everything he did,” was a comment on Company 3's Facebook page.
UPS: On January 19th, the Fort Lee Mayor and Council honored Harold “Butch” Lyons by naming him an Honorary Chief of the Fort Lee Fire Department. He is a retired borough police sergeant, and he has served as a volunteer firefighter for 63-years. Lyons was appointed to captain in 2010. According to a Facebook post, he is one of the longest serving active members of the fire department.
DOWNS: Officials said two people were in critical condition due to injuries received when fire raced through several Garfield Ave. dwellings in Jersey City, Jan. 19th. It was reported that flames forced some residents to jump out of second-floor windows. Two firefighters were injured and hospitalized. It was also reported that a firefighter saved a pet dog, and a resident gave CPR to revive his pet cat.
UPS: Seaside Heights police were the first to arrive at a working dwelling fire on Webster Ave., Jan. 22nd. Officers forced entry and removed two occupants without any harm, according to MidJersey News. Firefighters quickly knocked down the fire.
DOWNS: Several vehicles burned in a Main Street parking lot in South Amboy on Jan. 23rd. Most of the vehicles involved were company cars for medical transportation company Galaxy Ambulance, officials said. The incident was being investigated by police and the local arson team as well as the county fire marshal, according to Fire Chief John Dragotta.
UPS: Firefighters in Bridgewater rescued a cat from a burning Sycamore Ave. home, Jan. 20th, according to the Bridgewater Patch. The fire was located on the deck of the home, according to the Bradley Gardens Vol. Fire Company. Firefighters were able to hold off the flames with water extinguishers before an attack hose line was placed into service.
DOWNS: A fire involving five electric or hybird vehicles on a car carrier, closed Route 295 between West Trenton and Ewing, Jan. 23rd, according to Ewing police Lt. Glenn Tettemer.
UPS: In January, Teaneck Deputy Fire Chief Weiss and Lt. John Annillo, a member of the department's swift water team, received additional swift water equipment from Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco and the Bergen County Office of Emergency Management.
DOWNS: A fire at a Lake Avenue townhouse in East Brunswick, Jan. 26th, took the life of a resident, according to WABC-TV. Firefighters extinguished the fire and found an unresponsive man inside the dwelling. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
UPS: Robert Munier has been promoted to deputy fire chief in Passaic.
DOWNS: Local, state and federal agencies were investigating an attempt to burn a Bloomfield synagogue, Jan. 29th. A surveillance camera showed a suspect wearing a ski mask, black hoodie and black pants, ignite a Molotov cocktail and threw it at the front door of Temple Ner Tamid, officials said. The bottle broke, but the fire did not ignite, leaving little damage.
UPS: Orlando Guzman has been promoted to fire lieutenant in Union.
DOWNS: A call was received that reported a fire between two three-story buildings at Central & Sheppard avenues in East Orange, Jan. 29th. According to News12 New Jersey, the fire extended up to the roof line of both structures. According to Mayor Ted Greene, an off duty firefighter was walking by and noticed the fire. He went inside the building to warn and evacuate occupants. There were no injuries.
UPS: In Jackson, Edward Moore was promoted to deputy fire chief. New captains are Michael Mc Lauglin and John Perrotto.
DOWNS: Debris caught fire under the Atlantic City boardwalk February 3rd, damaging the walkway, according to News12 New Jersey. One firefighter was treated for a minor injury.
UPS: New firefighters in Belleville are Anthony Cifelli, Nicholas Marques and Andrew Brenneman.
DOWNS: A 40-year-old mother died after rushing back into her Brookside Ave. home, in Hazlet, to try and rescue her 8-year-old daughter, Jan. 13th. Jackie Montanaro was a customs and border protection officer. According to a WABC-TV report, she became enveloped in thick, hot smoke. The family's dog also died in the fire.
UPS: Newly promoted deputy fire chiefs in Belleville are George Del Grande and David Silletti.
DOWNS: A 16-year-old boy was killed and two other victims were hospitalized as the result of a fast-moving fire at a Franklin Ave. dwelling in Midland Park, Feb. 2nd. According to the Daily Voice, firefighters found the boy in the front of the home, possibly his bedroom, soon after arriving. He was taken to an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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