logo
Google Play App Store
Log In subscribe and/or renew Eeditions
  • Home
  • E-Edition
    • This Week Newspaper
    • Archives
    • Local Shops
    • This is Westfield
    • Search the Archives
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Sports
  • Community
    • Life Events
    • Community Calendar
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Classified
  • Legals
  • Advertise
    • Advertorial
    • Paid Political
    • Sponsored Content
  • subscribe and/or renew
  • Contact
    • Home
    • E-Edition
      • This Week Newspaper
      • Archives
      • Local Shops
      • This is Westfield
      • Search the Archives
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Sports
    • Community
      • Life Events
      • Community Calendar
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Obituaries
      • Submit an Obituary
    • Classified
    • Legals
    • Advertise
      • Advertorial
      • Paid Political
      • Sponsored Content
    • subscribe and/or renew
    • Contact
  • Home
  • E-Edition
    • This Week Newspaper
    • Archives
    • Local Shops
    • This is Westfield
    • Search the Archives
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Sports
  • Community
    • Life Events
    • Community Calendar
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Classified
  • Legals
  • Advertise
    • Advertorial
    • Paid Political
    • Sponsored Content
  • subscribe and/or renew
  • Contact
    • Home
    • E-Edition
      • This Week Newspaper
      • Archives
      • Local Shops
      • This is Westfield
      • Search the Archives
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Sports
    • Community
      • Life Events
      • Community Calendar
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Obituaries
      • Submit an Obituary
    • Classified
    • Legals
    • Advertise
      • Advertorial
      • Paid Political
      • Sponsored Content
    • subscribe and/or renew
    • Contact
Garwood Leadership Responds To Fire Department Concerns
Main, News
By KATIE MOEN on
April 10, 2024
Garwood Leadership Responds To Fire Department Concerns

GARWOOD — Over the course of the past several months, Garwood residents have been taking to social media to call the borough’s volunteer fire department to task for allegedly failing to maintain certain mandated safety certifications. Last week, borough representatives sat down with The Westfield Leader and Union County HAWK in an attempt to clear the air.

“There is a whole list of certifications that you need to be a firefighter and then there is a separate list of things that you need to have if you want to be an officer,” Garwood Mayor Jen Blumenstock said, adding that the minimum requirements to join any department — whether paid or volunteer — are established at the state level.

Last year, after hearing concerns from several residents, the borough council voted to adopt an ordinance intended to further codify the roles and responsibilities of the department and to make sure that all of its members were in compliance.

“When we put this ordinance into place, we worked with the state to get [the list of requirements for each position] and then started working with the department to make sure that everyone had all of their necessary paperwork,” Mayor Blumenstock said. “Now, we have a cross-check system in place. The department holds all of the certifications, but now we have records of them at city hall as well.”

Councilman Vincent Kearney, who served as the borough’s fire commissioner, said the ordinance represented “necessary modernizations” to the local fire code, which was last updated at some point in the 1980s.

“Our intent was not to impose a higher standard than the one established by the state. We just wanted to make sure we were in line with everything that they were telling us that they needed,” Mr. Kearney said.

Once the ordinance was adopted, the borough discovered that several of the department’s firefighters, especially those who either held or wanted to be considered for officer positions, would need to obtain additional certifications.

Two officers were demoted to the rank of firefighter and one firefighter was temporarily remanded to the auxiliary squad as a result of the borough’s inquest.

Mr. Kearney said he believed that the firefighter who was demoted to the auxiliary squad likely does possess the necessary certifications but simply never filed them with the state.

“You cannot graduate the fire academy and become a firefighter in the State of New Jersey without passing the requisite exams,” he said.

Residents also have expressed concerns regarding the amount of time that it took for the borough to intervene.

“There was a lot of paperwork and administrative back-and-forth that had to be handled here,” Mayor Blumenstock said. “We have over 30 members on our department, and everything had to be checked and crosschecked. It wasn’t something that we could rush.”

Last month, the mayor received an email from Steven Dyl, the region state fire coordinator for the state’s Urban Area Security Initiative, stating that all of the department’s current officers and firefighters “appear to be in compliance” with all mandated state-level regulations, but noted that several officers were missing certain certifications related to Hazardous Material Incident Command (HMIC), a high-level certification that needs to be obtained in order to oversee dangerous spills or incidents.

“It is important to note that Fire Chief Scalzadonna and Deputy Chief Gregory took a pro-active approach and made contact with the Division of Fire Safety prior to my receiving the complaint,” Mr. Dyl wrote in his letter. “I met with both of them and they were receptive to my recommendations.”

The necessary HMIC course currently is not being offered through any of the state’s accredited fire academies, Mayor Blumenstock said, but the borough will be requiring any officer who does not already possess the certification to obtain it as soon as the class reopens in May or June.

And while the local-level certifications will be taken care of as quickly as possible, Mr. Kearney added that the borough will continue to partner with the Union County Bureau of Hazardous Materials to ensure proper protocol.

“All of those folks, plus all of the county coordinators, have higher level certifications even than this, so we are now and always have been fully covered in the event of an emergency,” he said.

ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Most Read
Ice Rink Plans Face Environmental Opposition
Main, News
Ice Rink Plans Face Environmental Opposition
By KATIE MOEN 
Thursday, August 28, 2025
COUNTY — Environmentalists from across the area are pushing back against Union County’s plans to remove approximately 60 mature oak trees from Warinan...
this is a test
Lawsuit Challenging Westfield Cell Tower Is Dismissed
Main, News
Lawsuit Challenging Westfield Cell Tower Is Dismissed
By FRED T. ROSSI 
Thursday, August 21, 2025
SCOTH PLAINS/WESTFIELD – A Superior Court judge last week dismissed a lawsuit filed by several Scotch Plains residents seeking to block the installati...
this is a test
Participants Relate Experiences At Babe Ruth 14U World Series
Sports
Participants Relate Experiences At Babe Ruth 14U World Series
Prepared by DAVID B. CORBIN 
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Special thanks to Coach Marcus Mattielli who got all the quotes from the participants.Once in a lifetime opportunities rarely occur but the Westfield ...
this is a test
St. Justin 6th Jars St. Francis In Third Round Playoffs, 7-1
Sports
FAZIO GRAND SLAM; MARINELLO & SARNA RULE ‘D’
St. Justin 6th Jars St. Francis In Third Round Playoffs, 7-1
By DAVID B. CORBIN 
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Defensive acrobatics and very effective pitching performances kept both teams on edge when St. Francis hosted St. Justin in the third round of the St....
this is a test
St. Bart’s Oldtimers Men’s Softball Final Standings & Playoff Results:
Sports
St. Bart’s Oldtimers Men’s Softball Final Standings & Playoff Results:
Thursday, August 21, 2025
FINAL STANDINGS: TEAM W L T St. Ignatius 17 4 St. Anthony 13 8 St. George 10 9 2 St. Wolfgang 10 10 1 St. Vincent 8 11 2 St. Francis 8 13 St. Justin 8...
this is a test
This site complies with ADA requirements

© Copyright The The Westfield Leader

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy
This site complies with ADA requirements

© Copyright The The Westfield Leader