Inside the life of New Jersey volunteer firefighters
WARREN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (PIX11) - When the tones drop, our communities' bravest go into action, not knowing what will happen or if they'll come home.
They do it anyway. And like 75% of firefighters in New Jersey, they do it for free.
"If you think about, on your worst day, who do you want coming to help you out?" said volunteer firefighter Andrew Sarna. "You want to be that person that helps someone else on their worst day possible. Do you want someone who's not going to do everything they can to come save you, God forbid, in a burning building, or would you like someone who's going to try their very best and risk a lot to save a lot?"
Sarna, 23, makes his living in private wealth management, but it's his calling to serve as a volunteer firefighter for Warren Township Fire Department's Mount Bethel Fire Company.
"Back when I was 16, I didn't know what I wanted to do with life, so I started doing EMS up in Bergen County," said Sarna, "being more in tune with emergency services, loving it more and more every day. I realized medicine was not for me, and I decided to expand out into something more exciting. Seeing all the fire guys across the street, getting out in big, shiny trucks, and loud noises, going to do cool things, and I wanted to be a part of it."
"It's a brother and a sisterhood," said Mount Bethel Assistant Chief Derek Reedman. "We are one big family."
The station is known by its moniker, "House of Aces," a nod to the very high standard it sets for training.
Volunteers run drills at night at least once a month, something members must do to maintain their status. It's how they sharpen the spear to protect the approximately 16,000 residents of the township.
"We have one of the largest sections of [Interstate] 78, so we do a lot of motor vehicle accidents," said Reedman. "We have a slew of high-risk facilities in Warren Township."
Before they get their turnout gear, each firefighter must complete more than 200 hours of training. Every drill and every exercise prepares them for when they may be asked to run into a burning building.
"You're here to help your neighbors," said Reedman. "You sign up for a job that you're not getting paid for that could kill you or hurt you seriously. The training I think helps a lot of people do what they need to do."
On top of fighting fires, departments everywhere are fighting a shortage of volunteers.
"It's really only the major metropolitan centers and bigger cities that have paid fire departments," said fire company President Peter Childers, "so volunteers are a critical part of the firefighting force in this country."
"We couldn't do without them," said Warren Township Mayor Victor Sordillo. "If we had to go to a paid department, it would cost us several million dollars, and the taxes would have to rise considerably, so we owe a lot of thanks for these men and women."
If you think you have what it takes, you're encouraged to visit your local volunteer fire company to see how you can make a difference in your community.
"It's not about a paycheck," said Childers. "It's about just being there to help."