Monday, August 21st, 2023
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At 12:13 hours, Hasbrouck Heights Fire Command requested a ladder truck to respond to 120 Prospect St. for a basement fire. Chief Cribben and T904 responded and assisted the HHFD with ventilation as ...
Wednesday, August 9th, 2023
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At 18:36 hours, Hasbrouck Heights Fire Command requested a ladder truck to respond to 123A Berkshire Ct. for a kitchen fire in a garden apartment. Chief Berta, T904 and E901 responded and assisted the...
Saturday, July 22nd, 2023
At 22:11 hours, the WRFD was dispatched to the intersection of Columbia Blvd. and Valley Blvd. for a reported car fire. Firefighters arrived and found the engine compartment of the vehicle on fire. ...
Wednesday, July 5th, 2023
At 07:02 hours, the WRFD was dispatched to 108 5th St. for a activated carbon monoxide detector. Firefighters recorded 43 ppm of CO on the meters and determined the source to be the kitchen stove. Th...
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It is with deep regret we announce the passing of Exempt Association Member FF Edward Sullivan, 95, on August 12, 2023. Eddie served with the WRFD from 1959-1965 and again from 1974-1983 and wore bad...
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It is with deep regret we announce the passing of Retired Ex-Chief Robert Concato, 80, on August 12, 2023. Bob wore badge #22 and served the WRFD for twenty five years retiring in 1995. He was Chief ...
Monday, July 10th, 2023
At the July meeting, Chief Schulz appointed Kesley Saul to a one year probationary firefighter period and assigned him badge #15. Good luck Kesley!
Friday, June 16th, 2023
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Congratulations to the WRHS Class of 2023 and our very own Probationary FF Tommy Burniston and Junior FF Tyler Napolitano!
WRFD Emergency Squad

 

www.wrems.org

CLICK THE LINK ABOVE TO ENTER THE WOOD-RIDGE  EMERGENCY SQUAD WEBSITE

 

At the April 2021 Wood-Ridge Mayor and Council meeting, Ordinance No. 2021-7 was passed establishing the Wood-Ridge Fire Department and the Wood-Ridge Emergency Squad as separate organizations.  The Wood-Ridge Emergency Squad is no longer a branch of the Wood-Ridge Fire Department.

 

 

The Wood-Ridge Fire Department Emergency Squad was a branch of the WRFD and had been providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the borough of Wood-Ridge and surrounding communities since 1937.

The WRFD Emergency Squad utilized two ambulances (EMS 906 & EMS 907) to answer medical calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using an all-volunteer force and responded to over 700 EMS incidents a year.  Firefighters were members of the Emergency Squad and were trained to Paramedic, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) levels.  The WRFD also had EMS only members who are certified EMTs.

 

Emergency Squad History   

The Wood-Ridge Fire Department Emergency Squad was organized in February, 1937 when a group of firemen began taking first aid classes under the guidance of Everett Shorter of Carlstadt.  Upon completion of this course, they proceeded to raise funds with which to purchase an ambulance. After considerable hard work, they secured an old Pierce-Arrow ambulance which they renovated and painted and then turned over to the borough.  The first call was answered that very day.

The first election in February, 1937 resulted in the following slate of officers:  Captain - William Fowler; 1st Lieutenant -  Ernest Rohlfs; 2nd Lieutenant - John Scott; Secretary/Treasurer - William Kour.

In 1940, the ambulance began to show considerable wear and a request to the borough for a new ambulance was made.  The question of purchasing the new ambulance was placed on the ballot and the people voted for this purchase by a large margin.

In 1941, the Emergency Squad received a new Cadillac ambulance which was equipped to carry two patients, if necessary.  In 1955, a new Cadillac ambulance was purchased to replace the 1941 Cadillac.  This unit had a four patient capacity. 1967 saw the third Cadillac ambulance placed in service, replacing the 1955 Cadillac.

In 1975, the first modular ambulance (906) began serving the borough. The unit was a Horton modular unit placed on a Chevy chassis. In 1986 this unit was completely refurbished.  The modular unit was redone and placed on a new Chevy chassis.

In 1991, a new Ford / P&L Custom modular ambulance was placed into service (906).  In 1997, a used 1989 Ford  / P&L Custom modular ambulance was placed into service as second rig (907).  This unit was replaced in 2000 with an American LaFrance / Medic Master ambulance.

January 2005 saw the retirement of the department's last Type III ambulance with the second American LaFrance / Medic Master Heavy Duty Type I ambulance (2004 model)  taking its place.

In 2019, the Emergency Squad took delivery and placed into service a 2019 Ford F-450, Road Rescue Type 1 ambulance and retired 906 due to mechanical issues.  This left the department riding with two "907s".

At the April 2021 Wood-Ridge Mayor and Council meeting, the Wood-Ridge Fire Department and Wood-Ridge Emergency Squads became separate organizations with the passage of Ordinance No. 2021-7.  The Emergency Squad had been a branch of the Fire Department for 84 years.

 

WRFD EMERGENCY SQUAD

PAST CAPTAINS

 

William Fowler1937John Morreale1984
Ernest Rohlfs1938Zachary Freda1985
William Fowler1939-1940Eugene Tatur1986-1987
William Kour1941-1942Thomas Sarracino1988-1991
John Scott1943William Tyrell1992-1993
Ernest Rohlfs1944Jeffrey Cosgrove1994-1995
Richard Klein1945Robert Jones1996-1997
Frank Norton1946-1947Gregory Gorab1998-1999
John Scott1948Elizabeth Ferry2000-2001
John Molitorris1949-1950Gregory Gorab2002-2003
Philip Algozzini1951-1952Dennis P. Kronyak, Jr.2004-2005
Fred Roes1953-1954Andrea Maloney2006
Kipp Waterhouse1955Dennis P. Kronyak, Jr.2007
Thomas MacDonald1956-1957Richard Keller2008-2009
George Sesselman1958Frank Materia2010
Robert Pierce1959-1960Gregory Gorab2011-2012
Edward Sullivan1961Eric Yaple2013-2014
William Pinckney1962-1963Anthony Pennisi2015
Robert Brehm1964-1966Dennis P. Kronyak III2016
Allen Andersen1967Eric Yaple2017-2018
Rudolph Pettineo1968Dennis P. Kronyak III2019-2021
Harold Fink1969-1970  
George Adelung1971-1972  
Ronald Phillips, Sr.1973-1974  
Norman Pettersen1975-1976  
Robert Van Horn1977  
Bernard Drake1978  
Stephen Sarracino1979  
John Cherichella1980  
Timothy A. Sullivan1981-1983  

 

 

© 2023 Wood-Ridge Fire Department