TOMS RIVER – Mayor Kelaher presented Ex-Chief and current Fire Police Richard (Dick) Beck, Badge Number 37, with a certificate recognizing him for 60 years of faithful and continuous service to Toms River Fire Company #1. The Mayor also presented Chief Beck with a proclamation sent from the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Chief Beck started with the Toms River Fire Company #1 on March 6, 1959. He has held several positions with the company throughout his tenure. He has served as Chief, President of the company and as of late still continues to serve as an active Fire Police member.
Chief Beck also served on the Toms River First Aid Squad for many years as well as the Ciba Geigy Fire Brigade where he held many ranks including Captain and Deputy Chief.
From Toms River Fire Company #1: In his 60 years of emergencies that he was called upon to respond to, he has always kept the faith and was steady in all his decisions not matter the tasks. He has seen his share of heartache and felt the pain in the hearts of our members while being there for each and every one of us yet always has a smile and a kind word. Chief Beck remains active with the Toms River Fire Company responding to calls and protecting us as we complete our tasks daily. A member was just recently noted as stating “Chief Beck is a better man than I can ever strive to be.” No statement has ever been truer. The “old” traditions that he has passed on to us are invaluable and will be passed on as the future allows.
His time and dedication to our community and its people cannot even be calculated. The people that he has touched, the lives that he has come into contact with, and the homes and businesses saved are so vast, we cannot begin to tell the story.
Chief Beck, Toms River Fire Company #1 and the Toms River Township Mayor and Township Council salute you and thanks you for the past 60 years of dedication. We wish you many more years of active service.
 Beck, Badge Number 37, with a certificate recognizing him for 60 years){kind=link}