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Township of Springfield

Township of Springfield

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    Fire

    Home » Departments » Fire

    The Firefighters and Fire Officers are certified in accordance with the NJ Division of Fire Safety for Firefighter 1 and 2, Fire Inspector, Fire Officer 1 and Incident Management Systems, in addition they are certified by the NJ Department of Health as Emergency Medical Technicians. The Fire Department has specialized training in hazardous materials, flammable liquid, confined space and trench rescue. Springfield houses a 4,000-gallon foam tender as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative.

    The Springfield Fire Department has 27 Career Firefighters under the command of the Chief of Department. The Fire Department is organized into four duty tours under the operational management of the Administrative Fire Captain. The Fire Department is currently organized with four duty tours working a 24-hour on, 72-hour off, schedule. The duty tours are comprised of five career Firefighters and supervised by a Fire Captain. The Fire Department responds to an average of 2,000 calls per year.

    Mission Statement

    The Springfield Fire Department is committed to providing the highest level of public safety services to our community. We protect lives and property through fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention and public education.

    History of the Springfield Fire Department

    History of the Township of Springfield Fire Department

    Horse

    On February 3, 1906, at a meeting of the Township’s Citizens, a resolution was passed to incorporate the “Springfield Volunteer Fire Department, Company Number One”.  Citizens were very nervous about the possibility of a fire since major fires had occurred in various cities across the country. Funding for the Department was raised by selling shares or insurance policies to the various interested citizens at the initial cost of $2.00 per share. 

    The thirty-five charter members acquired its first piece of apparatus with the purchase of a hand-drawn hose reel.  Help in pulling this was done by the men, as well as citizens and at times the Morris County Traction Company would allow the Volunteers to hook the cart to the back of the trolley.

    The original firehouse was located at 295 Morris Avenue.  It remained as the Headquarters until 1921, when it was relocated to Caldwell place, in what is now the rear of Town Hall on Mountain Avenue.  This small three-bay facility was the home of Fire Headquarters until 2004 when a new facility was completed at 200 Mountain Avenue, which consists of five bays facing Mountain Avenue and three bays facing the rear of the building.  This new building is shared with the Office of Emergency Management, which relocated from the Sarah Bailey Civic Center located on Church Mall. 

    old firehouse

    Some of the original fire apparatus – the Hose Reel and a 1933 Diamond “T” Chemical Pumper are still owned by the Department and are used for parades and Fire Prevention Week displays.

    In 1929, the Township was faced with the need for increased daytime fire coverage. Many of the volunteers were business owners and others were struggling for work due to the Depression and had to venture into the cities in search of employment. This economic condition impacted the Department’s ability to provide fire protection. A small staff of full-time Career Firefighters was hired to supplement the Volunteers.

    During the period from the 1940’s until around the 1960’s a corps of Reserve Firefighters was established under the Civil Defense program. The unit supplemented the Department during the available manpower shortages caused by World War II and the Korean War.  The members of the reserves were eventually given membership as Volunteer Firefighters. In 2004 the Fire Department was relocated to 200 Mountain Avenue.

    Today, the Springfield Fire Department has 27 Career Firefighters, and three civilian personnel under the command of the Fire Chief.  The Fire Department is organized into four duty tours under the operational management of an Administrative Captain. The Fire Department is currently organized with four duty tours working 24 hours on, 72 hour off schedule. The duty tours are composed of five Firefighters and supervised by a Fire Captain.  The duty tour staffs the first-due engine with a minimum manning of four career members; the Department relies on recalled off-duty career personnel to staff the remaining units.

    Roster of Fire Chiefs

    CAREER CHIEFS

    NameYears
    Carlo Palumbo2014 to 2023
    James G. Sanford2008 to 2014
    Wayne Masiello2006 to 2008
    Donald C. Schwerdt Jr.2004 to 2006
    William Gras1992 to 2004
    Gerard P. Richelo1989 to 1992
    R.T. Johnson1983 to 1988
    Edwin Erskine1979 to 1983
    Robert Day1969 to 1979
    Ormond W. Mesker1958 to 1969
    Charles Schilling1953 to 1958
    Charles Pinkava1931 to 1952
         

    In 1929, the Township was faced with the need for increased daytime fire coverage. Small staffs of full-time Career Firefighters were hired. In 1931 the first Career Chief was appointed.

    VOLUNTEER CHIEFS

    George Sisco1923 to 1930
    George Parsell1920 to 1922
    Edward Ruban1917 to 1919
    Charles Ruby1914 to 1916
    Irving Sickley1913
    Frank Clark1912
    John Quick1910
    Ross A. Tells1910
    David Jeakens1906 to 1909
    Table of Organization
    Table of Organization 

    The Springfield Fire Department has 27 Career Firefighters under the command of the Chief of Department. The Fire Department is organized into four duty tours under the operational management of the Administrative Captain. Each tour is supervised by a Captain. The table of organization includes a Fire Prevention Bureau. The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety requires the inspections of all Commercial, Educational and Special Residential Occupancies. These life hazard inspections are conducted by the duty tours. The non-life hazard inspections are conducted by a Fire Inspector. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Fire Apparatus

    Engine 2

    Engine 3

    Ladder 1

    Rescue 1

    Foam Tender

    Hummer 1

    1933 Diamond “T” Chemical Pumper
    Selling Your Home
     

    Please see the Selling Your Home below in the Forms section. 

    Fire Safety Permit

    Please see the Fire Safety Permit below in the forms section. 

    Knox Box

    Please see the Knox Box Information below in the Forms section. 

    Fire Code Update

    Fire Code Update – Combustible Landscape Materials. Please see the Update below in the Forms section.

    Forms

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      Responsibilities

      The Springfield Fire Department provides structural fire suppression, fire code enforcement, first responder medical service, operational level rescue service, operational level hazardous materials service and public fire prevention education. The Fire Departments responds from a single station with two engine companies, one ladder company, one rescue company and a foam tender.

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      Contact Info

      Michael Mastroeni
      Deputy Chief / Fire Official
      Springfield Fire Department
      200 Mountain Avenue
      Springfield, New Jersey 07081
      Emergency: 911
      Non-Emergency: 973-912-2265
      Fire Prevention Bureau: 973-376-1740


      For timely updates and important announcements, follow the official Facebook page for the Springfield Fire Department:
      /SpringfieldFireDepartment

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      Township of Springfield

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      100 Mountain Ave
      Springfield, NJ 07081
      Phone: +1-(973)-912-2200

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