25 New Firefighters Join The Jersey City Fire Department

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City officials swore in 25 new firefighters on Wednesday. This is the 72nd academy class in the history of Jersey City’s Fire Department, and the first class trained and certified as Emergency Medical Responders at the Jersey City Medical Center.

“We’re extremely grateful to our newest firefighters taking on an awesome responsibility, and also to their families who are constant support systems throughout their careers,” said Mayor Fulop. “You are joining a tremendous fire department. One that is distinguished by always fulfilling the call of duty to our 250,000 residents and doing so in a way that makes Jersey City proud.”

This year, the JCFD is celebrating its 150th anniversary of providing professional firefighting services to the City of Jersey City. Furthering the fire department’s tradition, this latest graduating class consists of multigenerational firefighters, including one recruit furthering the legacy of his grandfather and father as a Jersey City firefighter, four additional recruits following in their fathers’ footsteps, and two sets of recruits joining their brothers who are currently on the job.

“As Emergency Medical Responders, our firefighters are even more prepared and equipped to provide initial emergency care in medical emergencies, providing additional levels of aid in situations where every second counts,” said JCFD Chief McGill.

The additional firefighters have helped to fill the department gapsleft in 2013 when an average of four firehouses were put off duty every shift due to inadequate staffing levels. Today, every single firehouse is fully staffed and providing the necessary, and often lifesaving, response coverage citywide 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We continue to focus on furthering public safety, a major component of which is providing the best fire protection possible for our entire community,” said Public Safety Director Shea. “This latest recruit class was hired in the middle of the pandemic, and following all safety protocols with diligence, no recruit contracted COVID throughout the 18 weeks of academy training.”

This year has proved to be a big one for the JCPD — earlier this month officials broke ground on the city's first new firehouse in 20 years. The firehouse replaces the decommissioned 116-year-old fire station in Bergen-Lafayette, which was condemned after the floor collapsed inside the single-bay structure. It was originally built for horse-drawn fire apparatus. The new 12,000 square foot fire station will cost $5.6 million.