On Monday evening, eight new career firefighters will be sworn into office, bolstering the Lakewood Fire Department’s ranks and enhancing its response capabilities. Fire Commissioner Larry S. Loigman announced the appointment, which was approved at the Board’s June meeting, and the new firefighters began serving the community on July 1.
The public is invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony, which will take place at 6:45 P.M. on July 8 at Fire District headquarters, 733 Cedar Bridge Avenue. The new firefighters, all local residents with prior training and experience, will strengthen the department’s ability to respond to the growing number of calls for service.
Lakewood’s rapid growth and development have led to an increase in calls for Fire Department services, including fires, smoke detector activations, elevator rescues, motor vehicle collisions, and downed utility wires. The added manpower will enable the full-time staffing of an additional fire company, resulting in faster and more effective responses throughout the township.
The increase in personnel was recommended by Fire Chief Jon Yahr and an independent study by VFIS, a professional consulting firm. While career firefighters are essential to the department’s operations, volunteers remain a vital component of Lakewood’s firefighting force.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should contact the Fire District office at 732-364-5151 to explore front-line and support positions, with free training provided
