By: Richard L. Smith
The Honorable Mayor Steven M. Fulop, Public Safety Director James Shea, and Fire Chief Steven McGill gave the Oath of Office to nearly a dozen new firefighters joining the state’s largest municipal fire department, the Jersey City Fire Department, Thursday morning.
Surrounded by loved ones at the ceremony, the new firefighters and officials around Hudson County gathered inside City Hall Council Chambers.
In a continuous aim to enhance public safety in Jersey City, to date, Mayor Fulop has hired over 300 new firefighters to bring the department to a historic total of 682 uniformed firefighters and superiors.
“We have a distinguished, prestigious, and proud fire department, which is visible in the heroic actions of our firefighters every single day,” Mayor Fulop said at the ceremony.
“Being a firefighter is a difficult job and I want to thank the 21 new firefighters as you raise your hand today and take the Oath of Office to join the best fire department in the state.”
Officials said the newest firefighters would be spread throughout the City’s 28 fire companies. The Jersey City Fire Department averages approximately 14,000 emergency responses per year.
“This past summer, we grew the number of Fire Companies from 26 to 28 for the first time since the 1930s, and our new firefighters will be assigned to firehouses spanning the City to further enhance fire protection,” said JCFD Chief Steven McGill.
“With every graduating class, we expand public safety and improve protection for our residents. This is a commitment we made from the start, and we continue to build on it, reaching historic levels of staffing, promotions, equipment, and the number of fire companies fully staffed every day and night.
Each of these combined further strengthens our great fire department and its members,” said Public Safety Director James Shea.
In addition to reaching historical levels -with over 300 firefighters hired since 2013- city officials said Mayor Fulop has also made notable promotions during his tenure with 16 Deputy Fire Chiefs, 35 Battalion Fire Chiefs, and 160 Fire Captains.