Princeton Firefighter Spotlight: Ziad Bouzaiene-Ayari

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Firefighters are among the heroes that should be recognized. They volunteer their time day in and day out to help those in the Princeton community stay safe. Especially amid the coronavirus, these volunteers continue to serve.

The Princeton Volunteer Fire Department will be sharing a series of profiles on their firefighters so the community can get to know who they are. The Department is also always looking for volunteers to help. To join visit princetonnj.gov/resources/how-to-join-the-fire-department.

• Name: Ziad Bouzaiene-Ayari
• Age: 20
• Hometown: Princeton
• Occupation: Full-time college student

What made you decide to become a volunteer firefighter with Princeton Fire Department?

For other firefighters and I, a multitude of factors has resulted in us becoming volunteer firefighters. I was originally recruited by a friend of mine at Princeton High School. He was already a member of the department. As I began to spend time at the station and getting onto the apparatus (i.e., fire engines, ladders) a few times, it was an easy sell. I think this was due to my intrinsic nature of curiosity and wanting to learn how things work in real life. As an Industrial and Systems Engineering major, I have learned how to break down complex systems and make them work in an efficient manner, and the fire department embraces the same principles. The fire department synthesizes various units and resources to solve a challenging problems to support the community and help people.

How do you manage your schedule between personal life and volunteering for the community of Princeton?

Having balance in life is important to me and the time I spend with my family. Ensuring I maintain an adequate balance of schoolwork, leisure, time with friends, and volunteering helps me keep life well balanced. It is especially critical that I prioritize schoolwork and be ahead of the curve considering emergency incidents are stochastic in nature. Building a repertoire of effective time-management techniques has been a major component in how I have been able to be a well-trained firefighter as well as reaching my academic achievements.

What has been a moment that has given you the greatest satisfaction since becoming a firefighter?

Although there have been many fire and rescue responses that have been extremely rewarding, the moment that has given me the greatest satisfaction since becoming a firefighter is when I visited Riverside elementary school as a part of a fire prevention event. I was able to show a second-grade students my firefighting gear and let them sit in one of our engines. It was a remarkable experience as it reminded me of the time the Princeton Fire Department visited my school when I was a second grader and I got to sit in the exact same engine. I was so excited and amazed with the big red engine, and it was awesome to be able to give these children the same experience.

What are some of the key things you’ve learned as a firefighter that have helped other areas of your life?

Many of the skills that are learned when becoming and now maturing as a firefighter are multilateral. Firefighters respond to more than fires. If there is an emergency and you need a team that can solve multiple emergency related challenges, you get the fire department. These emergencies range from fires, car accidents, gas leaks, swift water rescues, structural collapses, and alarm system trouble shooting. Therefore, firefighters are trained in various disciplines, where being proficient and efficient are imperative. Being able to apply these skills effectively requires problem solving and decisiveness in time-critical scenarios. Furthermore, to accomplish goals in the fire service, one must also be able to work as a team, with other firefighters (whether it be from your own department or a neighboring town). As a result, the skills I have learned as a firefighter are highly applicable in day-to-day life, whether it be working on a team-based engineering project at school, or maintenance and diagnosis of home appliances or mechanical machines.

Why should a resident of Princeton join the fire department?

Residents should join the fire department if they are looking for a new experience where they can become an integral part of the community. Being a part of the fire department allows one to get involved in the community in a unique way, ensure the tradition of volunteer firefighting continues, and ensures that we support our neighbors in their greatest time of need.