BERKELEY – A fire chief asked the governing body to make sure that the volunteer fire companies in town had everything they need to do their jobs.
Bayville Fire Chief John McKay read a statement to the mayor and council at a recent Township Council meeting. Other fire company officers attended the meeting to support him but did not speak.
He said that the Bayville company has 60 members and responds to more than 600 calls for service every year.
“More than 600 times a year, our volunteer firefighters leave their families, their homes, their jobs, and important events and milestones behind to answer the call and assist Berkeley residents during some of the most difficult and frightening moments of their lives,” he said.
“Our firefighters continually go above and beyond the call of duty. Many of the incidents, emergencies, and accidents we respond to are experiences that stay with us forever. Every day, we wish we could forget some of the things our eyes have seen and the situations we have been called upon to handle,” he said.
“Through extensive training, countless hours of preparation, and often very little sleep, our members work tirelessly to maintain the high level of service that our community deserves,” he said. “Bayville Fire remains one of the busiest and most dedicated volunteer fire companies in Ocean County.”
“In return for this commitment, we must respectfully remind the township administration that adequate funding for our volunteer fire companies is not simply an investment in equipment – it is an investment in the safety and survival of our community. Failing to properly support and fund our fire companies puts both lives and property at risk,” he said.
“As Berkeley Township continues to experience residential and commercial growth, the demands placed on our volunteer firefighters continue to increase. More development means more structures to protect, more calls to answer, and more hours that our volunteers must dedicate to serving this community.
“We do not volunteer because we expect a paycheck, recognition or praise. We volunteer because we believe in our community and because we believe that when someone calls for help, they deserve to know that someone will answer.
“What we are asking for is simple: the resources necessary to do that job safely and effectively. Proper funding allows us to purchase and maintain the equipment, tools, protective gear, and other resources our firefighters need to protect themselves and the residents we serve.
“Our volunteer fire companies also provide an enormous financial benefit to Berkeley Township. By continuing to operate through a volunteer model, we save the taxpayers millions of dollars while still providing professional, highly trained emergency services,” he said.
“I stand before you tonight alongside my fellow firefighters to respectfully ask this administration and Township Council to make the proper funding of our volunteer fire companies a top priority,” he said. “Provide us with the resources we need to protect our firefighters, protect our residents, and continue providing the highest level of emergency service to Berkeley Township.
“We will continue to answer the call. We simply ask that our community and its leaders provide us with the support and resources necessary to answer it safely,” he said in conclusion.
Mayor John Bacchione thanked the volunteer firefighters for their service.
“We – the administration and council – hold the highest respect for our volunteer fire departments. These departments are second to none. We will make sure they are properly funded,” he said.
Bacchione noted how the fire chiefs recently informed him of their needs.
He also complimented Chief McKay and Manitou Park Chief Will Jubert who went out to fight forest fires in Montana recently.
Councilman James Byrnes mentioned how the houses in the lagoon areas of town are closer together and taller than they ever used to be. Between that and the electric wires near homes, he’s not sure that fire trucks would be able to get a good angle on spraying down a house. It could be dangerous, and the Office of Emergency Management and the Public Safety Committee should look into that.
“We should make sure the volunteers and professional responders all have the equipment they need,” he said.
Chief McKay’s comments came during the portion of the meeting where members of the public can talk about any topic. Another resident, Ross Pirrotta, said that there was an issue at his Berkeley Shores home that caused a response from the fire and police departments. Ultimately, everything was fine, but it was reassuring to know they were quick to arrive. He also complimented them on their professionality and their empathy.
