| The Jersey City Fire Department (JCFD) |
|
| Established | September 21, 1829 |
| Staffing | Career |
| Strength | 550 uniformed 50 civilian[1] |
| Battalions | 4 |
| Stations | 15 |
| Engines | 15 |
| Trucks | 9 |
| Squads | 1 |
| Rescues | 1 |
| Fireboats | 1 |
| HAZMAT | 2 |
| EMS Level | First Responder |
| Fire chief | Darren Rivers |
The Jersey City Fire Department "JCFD" provides fire protection and medical assistance to Jersey City, New Jersey.[1]
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In the spring of 1829, there were several fires in Jersey City (pop. 1,025) and public opinion demanded protection against fire. The Board of Selectmen listened to the demand but the city treasury did not have enough money for fire protection. There was also no way of raising the needed funds through a tax.
An ordinance was passed which prohibited public auctions unless the auctioneer was licensed. A total of $839.50 was collected from the licenses. This money was used to pay for the needed fire protection.
A committee was appointed to find out how much a fire engine would cost. The committee decided to order a new engine from Henry Ludlum of N.Y. for $800.00. It was delivered on August 28, 1829, along with 100 feet of hose purchased for $87.50. The next problem for the Selectmen was to organize and form a fire company. Any citizen could sign up and become one of the first firemen in Jersey City. Thirty citizens signed on. On September 21, 1829, Liberty Engine Company No. 1 was organized and the engine was placed in the stable of Hugh McCutcheon's "Farmers Hotel" at 42 York Street.[1]
The first Chief Engineer (Chief) of the fire department was Samuel Bridgart. He was appointed by resolution on February 5, 1835.
In 1870, the fire departments of Jersey City, Bergen City, and Hudson City consolidated under Chief Coyle. A volunteer force at the time was not adequate for such a large area. Because of this, the decision was made to organize a paid fire department. The working force for each company was uniformed, paid, and required to remain in the engine-house. A supplemental force known as "Buffaloes" was organized for each company . They were semi-volunteer and paid a small salary. Their duty was to respond to every alarm and perform the same fire duties as the full paid force.
Jersey City’s fire department was the only New Jersey department to receive an official call for assistance during the September 11 attacks, with hundreds of department personnel assisting in the Ground Zero cleanup effort.[2] Among the first responders who perished on that day was Jersey City Fire Department dispatcher Joseph Lovero, who was hit by a piece of debris. The Jersey City Fire Department named its fireboat after him.[3]
The JCFD operates out of 15 Fire Stations, strategically located throughout Jersey City in 4 Battalions, under the command of 4 Battalion Chiefs and a Deputy Chief. The Fire Department of Jersey City also operates a fire apparatus fleet of 15 Engines, 9 Ladders, 1 Squad, 1 Rescue, 1 Haz-Mat. Unit, 1 Light Response Spill Unit(LRSU), 1 Foam Tender, 1 Quick Response Vehicle(QRV), 1 Decon./Rehab. Unit, 1 Mask Service Unit, 1 High-Rise/Tunnel Unit, 1 Mass Casualty Unit, 1 Urban Search and Rescue/Collapse Response Unit, 1 Fire Boat, 1 Safety Battalion, 2 Arson Cars, 1 Office of Emergency Management Vehicle, as well as numerous support and reserve units. Last year, the JCFD responded to over 22,000 emergency calls.[4][5]
In early 2011, the Business Administrator reduced staffing to 20 fire companies and also had the arson duties transferred to the Police Department. In July 2011, the Jersey City Fire Department hired 63 new firefighters from a Federal grant that will pay all the new hires salaries and benefits for 2 years. In September 2011 the Fire Department staffing increased to 24 fire companies when the new firefighters graduated from the Morris County Fire Academy.
| Engine Company | Ladder Company | Special Unit | Command Unit | Address | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 2 | 160 Grand St. | Paulus Hook | |||
| Squad 4 | Rescue 1 | 582 Communipaw Ave. | Bergen-Lafayette | ||
| Engine 5 | Ladder 6 | MSU. 1, Decon./Rehab. Unit 1 | Battalion 1, Safety Battalion | 355 Newark Ave. | The Village |
| Engine 6 | Ladder 2 | High Rise Tunnel Unit | Deputy 1 | 465 Marin Blvd. | Downtown |
| Engine 7 | Ladder 3 | OEM. Unit | Battalion 3 | 715 Summit Ave. | The Heights |
| Engine 8 | Foam Tender, QRV. 1 | 16 Orient Ave. | Greenville | ||
| Engine 9 | Battalion 4 | 697 Bergen Ave. | McGinley Square | ||
| Engine 10 | Ladder 12 | 283 Halladay St. | Communipaw | ||
| Engine 11 | 152 Lincoln St. | Western Slope | |||
| Engine 13 | 152 Linden Ave. | Greenville | |||
| Engine 14, Engine 18 | Ladder 7 | Haz-Mat, LRSU | 595 Palisade Ave. | The Heights | |
| Engine 15 | Ladder 9 | 200 Sip Ave. | Journal Square | ||
| Engine 17 | Ladder 11 | 255 Kearney Ave. | West Side | ||
| Engine 19 | Ladder 8 | Battalion 2 | 2 Bergen Ave. | Greenville | |
| Engine 22 | Tower Ladder 4 | 486 Ocean Avenue. | Greenville | ||
| Marine 1 | 500A Washington Blvd. | Newport | |||
| USAR(UASI)/Collapse Response Unit, Mass Casualty Unit | 48 State St. | West Side | |||
| Car 30(Arson Unit), Car 30A(Arson Unit) | 666 Summit Ave. | The Heights | |||
| Gong Club/Canteen Unit | 244 Bay St. | Downtown | |||
| Maintenance/Hose Shop | 575 Rt. 440 S. | West Side |