Tinton Falls Fire Co. No. 1 Continues to Grow its Ranks

In just the past few months, Tinton Falls Fire Co. No. 1 has added nearly a dozen new members to its ranks of highly trained, unpaid, professional firefighters serving the borough and surrounding area.

Since December, the fire company has received 10 member applications, with two recruits recently graduating from the Middletown Fire Academy, and several more slated to enter the next academy class there.

We’ve been extremely fortunate and blessed to have never had a problem recruiting new members. When I joined in 1993, I was part of a similarly large group that joined over a six-to-eight month period. We even ran out of locker space and I had to carry my gear in my car. Fortunately, we got more lockers.

Two of Fire Company No. 1’s newer members, Joey Tietz and Tim Anderson, were part of a team of four from Tinton Falls who graduated from Middletown Fire Academy in June. Anderson served as the class platoon leader and received the prestigious Meritorious Service Award. The other two graduates from the borough, Mike Estelle and Mark Williams, serve Tinton Falls as members of Wayside Fire Co. No. 2.

When the next class starts at Middletown in August, as many as four more members of Fire Co. No. 1 are slated to be on the roster for that 14-week course. Classes run every Tuesday and Thursday evening and all day on Saturday, a testament to the dedication of recruits.

We’ve had someone in training for nearly every academy session. At times, it’s a challenge keeping everyone in gear, but we make it work. Changes in job status, relocation, retirements, etc. feed the need for new members to keep the ranks full. We’re always fortunate to be able to do that.

The fire company, formed in 1932, currently has nearly 50 members on our Active Status roster. Other members, including a man who served our company as fire chief in the 1950s, are regulars in the fire station, helping with projects and events like the annual Christmas tree sales and Memorial Day celebrations, 9-11 services at our memorial, Cub Scout and Brownie troop tours of the firehouse and other public events.

It’s an eclectic group that we have here, including accountants, police officers, federal agents, active and past military members, mechanics, engineers, students, salesmen, truck drivers and more. The wide variety of people adds value to the environment of the fire company. It’s said that firefighters are family and we certainly are, and as our family continues to grow, we will continue to welcome new members.

Brendan Tobin is the second lieutenant and chaplain of Tinton Falls Fire Co. No. 1.