Fire Departments Collaborate to Address Post-Irene Water Shortages

As local communities battled water woes, fire departments had a plan in place. Not only was water contaminated nearby -- though, luckily, not in South Orange -- but the water pressure was dangerously low. Residents may have seen a hose stretching between hydrants on Ridgewood Rd., pumping water from South Orange into Maplewood.

Low water pressure in any municipality spells trouble for local fire departments who are charged with extinguishment and suppression of fires. To that end, local Fire Chiefs in coordination with the Essex County Fire Coordinator, John D'Ascensio, requested mutual aid in the form of large capacity water tankers from NJ counties that typically use this type of water source.

Each day since Tuesday August 27, 2011, six large capacity tankers carrying approximately 25,000 gallons of water have been staged at the South Orange Fire Department on Sloan Street. Task force teams from Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean Counties have been assigned to this detail. The tankers are so large that many can't travel under the train trestles in South Orange; instead, they traveled other routes to arrive in the center of town.

Selected as a prime geographical location for staging as well as a location capable of serving communication and technical requirements, South Orange Fire Department is charged with bringing this mutual aid convoy to surrounding towns such as Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Maplewood, Summit and Springfield.

In addition, South Orange hosted the firefighters from other communities, most of whom are volunteers. South Orange firefighters did themselves proud, by sharing their living quarters, preparing meals, and serving local favorites. The Reservoir's pizza and Tony Salad were popular with the visitors. No wonder; the visiting firefighters brought with them not only a "reservoir" of water, but traveling goodwill.