Fire Department Celebrates Promotions

Hoboken made history on Thursday afternoon, as two female fire fighters were promoted to captain. Audra Carter and Maria Diaz were among 12 fire fighters who were promoted to captain on Thursday. On Wednesday, five members of the Hoboken Fire Department were promoted to batallion chiefs.

"I'm extremely honored," said Carter, 39.

"It has always been the Hoboken Fire Department that does things first," said Chief Richard Blohm, adding that Hoboken was the first town with female fire fighters, a rescue team and a rescue boat.

The promotions come after the of the fire department and roughly 38 retirements in the department over the past few years.

Blohm said that working with the women in the department is the same as working with the men. The two female fire captains did very well on the captain test, he said, coming in second and sixth on the list.

The promotions will help streamline the department, Blohm explained, by filling the open spots in the higher ranks of the department. Until now, Blohm said, fire fighters had been serving as acting captains and acting batallion chiefs.

Blohm said that the table of organization of the fire department calls for nine batallion chiefs (after Wednesday's ceremony, the Hoboken Fire Department now has seven) and 36 captains, of which the HFD now has 30. Blohm said also that the original table of organization calls for 92 fire fighters. The department currently has 67.

The city will according to an announcement from the city earlier this week.

Carter and Diaz, the two female captains, joined the Hoboken Fire Department at the same time nine and a half years ago, and the two said they are friends. Both Carter and Diaz were born and raised in Hoboken.

"We stick together," Carter said."It's a great day."

Diaz, 37, who is also the first Hispanic female fire captain in the state, said she was "excited, nervous, proud," about the promotion. "It's a little bit nerve wrecking," she added.

Diaz said she feels comfortable around her male colleagues and that she will have no problem being in a suprvising position. The only challenge, she said, may be that she's 5-foot-3, telling somebody who's 6-foot-2 what to do. When asked if her height ever complicates her job, she said it doesn't. "I get into little spaces," Diaz said.

City Hall's chambers were filled with family and friends on Thursday afternoon to support and honor the fire fighters, cheering and clapping as Mayor Dawn Zimmer called all the names. "We are making history by promoting two women to captain today," Zimmer told the enthusiastic crowd.

Blohm praised the fire fighters for their dedication and personal sacrifice they made to become captains and batallion chiefs.

Captains Mario Fini, Anton Peskens, Paul Kasley, John Cunning, Luis Moyeno were promoted on Wednesday to become batallion chiefs.

Firefighters Stephen A. DiVincent, Audra A. Carter, Danny Montoto, Joseph J. Volaric, Brian M Crimmins, Maria Diaz, Baron Ballester, Vincent C DePinto, Antonio D Tamborra, Robert F. Chaneski, Ray A. Martinez and Bernard Griletti were promoted on Thursday afternoon to become captains.

After the ceremony on Thursday, the newly promoted captains and their families celebrated their accomplishments at a private party.