City of Englewood Fire Department
Chief's Message - 2006 Report

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my honor to submit the following report detailing the operations, training, alarm responses, and achievements completed by members of the Englewood Fire Department during the year 2006.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mayor Wildes, members of the city council, City Manager Cheryl Fuller, and the residents of our great community for the support given to our department over the last year.  With this support we will remain committed on our promise to become the leading community service based organization within the #1 city in New Jersey.  All of our personnel are devoted to reaching this goal as we strive to increase our standing within the community. 

Some of the community based programs sponsored during 2006 included our ongoing Smoke Detector Giveaway Program, our Good Morning Check in Program, a dynamic “Visit the Neighborhood Program”, and the hosting of our fourth annual Summer Youth Camp which included 24 Englewood Middle School students.  These and other future innovative citizen based programs such as the creation of a Citizens Emergency Response team (CERT), the sponsorship of a citywide college dorm Fire Safety program for our high school seniors, along with the implementation of a community sponsored Automatic Defibrillator (AED) placement program will form the foundation of our efforts to increase the community based services and programs we currently offer.

Alarm responses for the year 2006 totaled 2420.  This number reflects the highest run total in the 95 year history of the Department.  During the year we experienced several multiple alarm fires including (3) 3rd alarm incidents, (7) 2nd alarm incidents, (47) group responses, (5) hazardous material team recalls for a total of (62) major incidents.  Included in these responses were  major multiple alarm fires at 195 John Street, 82 William Street, and a multiple fatality rooming house fire at 79 James Street.  In addition, firefighters were responsible for saving the life of a city resident during a structure fire at the Rock Creek Apartment complex in July.  All of the members of our Fire Suppression division exhibited tremendous skill and confidence while bringing these incidents to a conclusion.  The professionalism, competency, and heroism displayed by our firefighters during the year is a testament to their dedication to duty and to the residents they are sworn to protect.

 In 2006 our department accepted delivery of a Mass Decontamination Trailer from the County of Bergen.  This trailer was provided to the city to enhance the response to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Hazardous Material incidents throughout the county and improve our department’s capability to deliver these services on a local basis.

During the year our members continued to maintain a high level of competency through several in house educational opportunities taught by the instructor staff at the Bergen County Fire Academy and our own professional firefighters.  These sessions included department wide training in standpipe operations, mass decontamination services, rapid intervention team tactics, first responder refresher protocols, confined space rescue operations, and a response to a multi-jurisdictional Weapons of Mass destruction drill at the Riverside Square Mall.  In addition, several members of our fire suppression staff attended Special Operations training conducted by the New Jersey Urban Search and Rescue Task Force.  These highly effective programs have allowed our staff to maintain our status as one of the most highly trained and efficient fire departments in the state.   

Some of our goals for 2007 will be to assist the city engineer in developing plans and managing the construction of our new Fire Headquarters, reorganize our fire suppression division, and initiate our proposed community wide AED placement program.  In addition, the Englewood Fire Department has partnered with the Teaneck Township Fire Department and in 2007 will investigate the feasibility of establishing a joint communications center for our departments.

Our members would also like to thank all of the other city agencies for their prompt and professional assistance delivered to this department during 2006.  We recognize and encourage exemplary inter departmental relationships that promote teamwork and support a competent and professional level of service delivery.

In closing, I would like to thank all of the dedicated members of this department for the support given to my office during the year.  The governing body and our residents can be exceptionally proud of all of the members of this professional, career department.  We stand committed to maintain and enhance the vital daily contributions we make to our city and the residents we are sworn to protect.

Robert G. Moran
Chief of Department