What It Takes To Become A Volunteer Firefighter

mutterpearl and fisgusThinking of becoming a volunteer firefighter in Lakewood or anywhere else in NJ? The first thing you have to do, is determine if the job is for you. In Lakewood, most firefighters – including several Jewish firefighters – are volunteers. There are only a few paid firefighters in Lakewood.

Should you decide it is for you, the following are the requirements, sent to us by the Lakewood Fire Department.

Interested persons MUST:
            Be 18 years of age
            Be a resident of New Jersey
            Have a Valid New Jersey Driver’s License
            Have a High School Diploma or equivalency diploma
 
The interested person should select a fire company to join and write a brief letter of interest to that company. Most persons select a company located near their residence, but that is not a requirement. The Fire Companies are listed below. Once the fire company receives a letter, a membership committee sends a Fire District Application to the interested person. That Application is returned to the District Office. Processing of the application includes scheduling the applicant for fingerprint for criminal background check, driver history check  and drug screening. The process is a process that can take three months. After that is completed the applicant is met by the Fire Company. The final step to enter the fire company is for the applicant to get a physical by his own physician and at his cost.
 
Upon entering a fire company, the member is scheduled for training. Firefighter I is the first required training. This course is a 152 hour training  course that begins the firefighting training techniques. During this period, the member can respond to fires and drills but is considered a “probationary” firefighter and can only enter fires at certain phases and with senior members of the fire company.

Below is a link to the Monmouth Fire Academy for interested persons to visit to see the various courses offered for training.

www.monmouthcountyfireacademy.org/

Lakewood Volunteer Fire Companies:

Station 64 is on First Street
Station 65 is on Lanes Mills Road
Station 66 is on New Hampshire Avenue
Station 67 is on River Avenue
Station 68 is on Cedar Bridge Avenue

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28 COMMENTS

  1. For all you wannabe volunteers out there- just remember it’s a tremendously dangerous and teadious “job”. And the wives are also affected by it. We all get woken up in the middle of the night when that radio goes off. Think hard before you do this.

    However it is very rewarding and fulfilling. How many kids today can actually say my Dad is a fireman? My kids can and are proud of their father!

  2. The fire department is opening a new fire station on monmouth ave does anyone know when they are taking job applications? I want to be a paid fireman for the city.

  3. Im a Volunteer Firefighter in Lakewood, and have been for many years now. It is rewarding to accomplish the task of serving the community. Remember being a Firefighter is not for everyone. We are a special team of individuals that work for no money, have lives outside of our companies, have other things going on, but we do it because we love to do it. I would not change anything I do about where I do it. However, like every other town, we are struggling, volunteerism is down. Being a firefighter is a lot of work but with the skilled training of the instructors at the fire academies and your fellow firefighter brothers & sisters we do it well. It is a lot of work learning the skills and how a fire works and eats, learning basic construction, ropes & ladders, ventilation, rescue to name a few. This is something that interests you, by all means send in your letters..if not..support those of us that do it.
    Thank you

  4. Hose Company #1 Station 64 is on Monmouth Ave.
    Rescue Fire Company #2 Station 65 is on Lanes Mills Rd.
    Jr. Hose Company #3 Station 66 is on New Hampshire
    Reliance Hose Company #4 Station 67 is on Rt.9
    Hook & Ladder Station 68 is on Cedar Bridge Ave/

  5. Ocean county has 3 Fire academy’s located in Brick, Dover and waretown. I have been to all of the above at one point or another the instructors are very acommodating and will work with anyone so that you do not have to attend any classes on shaboss (saturday). Another thing to add is that you must be clean shaven so that the air mask will seal to your face and you will not get smoke inhalation. As a volunteer you are not required to respond to a call shaboss or any day of the week you just make 60% of the calls in order to remain active.
    You may also join as fire police assisting us in traffic control and crowed control. As fire police you will not have to enter any burning buildings and the training is only 12hrs. If you are interested in joining speak to a fire fighter or mail in a letter to the respective company you would like to join.

    Thank you a Lakewood volunteer Fire Fighter.

  6. To #18 in order to be hired as a paid fire fighter in NJ you must take and pass the civil service test. You will then be placed on the rooster any one who has any military experience we be placed above you and anyone who is or was a volunteer will be placed under the military personal. So unless you have been in the military or were a volunteer firefighter for a number of years I don’t suggest you even try to apply for a job as you will be placed at the bottom of the list once you pass the civil service test. Also lakewod has a 3 day rotation, you work 24hrs and you are off for 48hrs so than you would have to work every other Friday or Saturday that us the way it falls out so I don’t think it is possible for a orthodox Jew to become a paid firefighter in Lakewood.

  7. Lakewood must accomidate for orthodox purposes other wise there will be liabilities. Why is there different employers for the fire houses? Dont they get managed under police jurisdiction? I thought the fire department is volunteers? Mayor i thought you were lowering our taxes? 6 years and i never knew we pay for fire department employees? Dual governments?

  8. The township has a Paid Fire Company in town as well as Volunteers to back them up. If you haven’t noticed in 6 yrs that there is a Paid Firefighter on duty 24/7 365 then you are missing something. These guys are truly dedicated to serving a purpose..they are run the Front line trucks..Also called the Attack Pumper..getting to a fire call to assess the situation and if they need help they call for it. Fire Dept personnel are not run by the Township, they are controlled by the Fire District #1 office. The Monmouth Ave Firehouse will be manned 24/7 as soon as it is completed. That will also have a Paid truck in that house as well. This way we will have better coverage and a centrally located truck for both sides of town.
    In regards to responding to fires in Lakewood, you have to maintain a 60% of calls for the month and that will hopefully help you make 60% of the year and that is how the companies regulate their members. Its a hard job..don’t get me wrong, but if you want to do it just drop us a letter and get the process started. Yes it takes a while but with fire schools starting 2x a year, it can be worthwhile to the community and the current brotherhood that we have.

  9. to Dovid the same laws that say the fire department must accommodate the orthodox jew, ALSO says we must work side by side with a woman. You cannot choose which laws you want to obey and which ones you want to ignore.

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