Bond of Brotherhood: Florham Park Fire Department actively recruits new members

 The Florham Park Volunteer Fire Department has been proudly serving the community for 125 years but staffing shortages have strained their ability to provide this essential service.

They last welcomed a new member to the fold in December 2020. Since then, they lost two members to retirement and relocation. 

“It was the same case in 2021 — we lost two,” says Assistant Chief Jeff Zuendt. “We didn’t supplement so our ranks continue to dwindle.”

For those who considered becoming a firefighter, but were hesitant to take the next step… Zuendt says they are normal people. Interested in joining?

"Have a conversation with us, message us on Facebook, Instagram,” Zuendt says call them (973-377-3241), fill out an application at florhamparkfiredepartment.org or stop by the Firehouse, at 315 Brooklake Road on any Monday night after 7:30pm.

Florham Park doesn’t have any female firefighters. But the assistant chief says they hear from guys attending fire school that there are more females involved in classes now.  And they encourage anyone (male or female) who has the zeal to go for it.

“I’d take 15 female firefighters, if they want to show up today,” says Zuendt. “(When it comes to) strengths and weaknesses — because not everyone will go on a roof, and is comfortable crawling down a dark hole — we’ll figure those out and put your talents to use.” 

Besides responding to over 400 calls a year, fire alarms and training; the department is everywhere. 

 “We’ll deliver the Easter Bunny, we are part of the Little League parades, baseball opening day, the (big) Fourth of July ceremony,” says the assistant chief. “There’s a lot of different aspects to what the fire department does and how it supports the community.”

And they have activities used to strengthen the department. 

Drill nights are Mondays with the exception of holidays. 

According to Zuendt, they drill on vehicle extrication, to structural fires, to search and rescue, to ventilation and roof activities; all aspects of the fire service.  

“We were (also) doing once a month social gatherings; in January we had our awards dinner, in December Christmas dinner, in November Octoberfest — and that’s part of team-building,” he says. “You get to know who you’re working with.”

The bravest are treated to a few perks, according to Zuendt… free pool membership, free pet membership and the camaraderie is a huge benefit. 

The best firefighters have the commitment and itch to do the job.  

“It’s the desire to be a fireman; you have to have a love for it — to help other people,” says the assistant chief.  “You do it for free, a lot of time goes into this.”

Zuendt does. He’s been a volunteer firefighter for 20 years. 

“I grew up in Mahwah and a sign said they’re actively recruiting junior volunteers 16+. I was 16-years-old (at the time) and thought, ‘this is a good idea,’” he says he fell in love with it and built a brotherhood and friendships. 

He works full-time in the financial industry while volunteering an extra 15 to 20 hours a week with the department, which requires him to come up with training drills.  And he says there are people who put in more than that.  

The most rewarding part of the job: the assistant chief says you show up at the worst moments of people’s lives and the ability to help them, serve them and give back is an incredible feeling. 

“Since we are a volunteer department, (it’s all about finding balance between) work/family life and putting time towards this,” he says that includes managing time to spend with his newborn. "It’s difficult but you can find a way.” 

New Jersey offers some small scholarships to college students. 

“We ask all recruits to take Fire 1, which is over 240 hours and then we encourage them to continue to take classes. There’s Fire 2, Fire Officer, Incident Command System (ICS), Vehicle Extrication,” says Zuendt. “In Florham Park we also do an Ice Rescue specialty — our guys learn to rescue victims when they fall through the ice or on weak ice.” 

In the nine-year span the assistant chief has been with the department they have not lost anybody to a house fire.  

“We’ve seen one to two house fires a year and three to four close calls a year, meaning: a chief or police officer put out something burning on the stove that extended to the cabinets,” he says.  

According to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), July is the peak month for grill fires. About half of the injuries involving grills that land people in the emergency room are thermal burns.

Their safety tips: *Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors. *The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches. *Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area. *Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill. *Never leave your grill unattended. *Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.

Florham Park Fire is hoping to stay a volunteer organization amid the nationwide struggle to get volunteers.

“It’s expensive to live in New Jersey, so people focus on their careers and don’t have time to take from their families for Fire 1. But once you take Fire 1, you're a fireman for life,” Zuendt says they recently had a gentleman in his 60s go through Fire 1… he wanted to do it and he’s one of their best members nowadays.  

Since 1897, the department has been staffed by a diverse group of community volunteers — including bankers, teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, financial professionals, contractors, students, retirees and business owners. 

These 40 dedicated members protect Florham Park each moment of every day. 

The problem is they need your help to continue to safeguard the town, so please consider volunteering.

“As long as you have passion, we will teach you everything else you need to know,” says the assistant chief. 

To learn more, visit florhamparkfiredepartment.org.