Volunteers end training
at county fire academy

HOWELL — The Monmouth County Fire Academy held a graduation weekend recently with 69 firefighters graduating in two separate ceremonies. Most firefighters came from Monmouth County, but eight firefighters came from as far away as Manchester Township in Ocean County and South Amboy in Middlesex County. Firefighters from neighboring counties are trained at the academy if their fire companies have mutual aid pacts with Monmouth County fire companies.

Among the graduates were four women who successfully completed the 120-hour course at the facility.

According to a press release from the county, there are some 140 fire companies in Monmouth County. The fire academy and the training is provided by the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders. There is no charge to the firefighters or the fire companies for the educational services at the academy.

The firefighter training program offered through the fire academy, which is on Route 33, was created to provide a means of training men and women in the art of firefighting and emergency medical procedures. The purpose of the program is to help meet the needs and increase the ranks of the volunteer fire companies in and around Monmouth County. When the men and women complete the training they will have qualified for state certification as a firefighter.

Freeholder Theodore J. Narozanick was the principal speaker at the graduation ceremonies. He commended the graduates for their civic pride and their willingness to volunteer to come to the aid of their neighbors in times of misfortune. Narozanick exhorted the firefighters to "follow in the grand tradition of the men and women of the emergency services in the great county of Monmouth that have come before you."

Graduates from the area are: Bradley Bland, Adelphia; Michael J. DeLuca, Frank J. Gadot and David A. Mann, Colts Neck; Ian L. Schonfeld, Jacob Brichkin and Justin R. Rublowitz, Englishtown; Matthew F. Giejda, Farmingdale; Dominic V. Otero and William J. Anderson, Freehold Borough; Gordon R. Prochnow III, Freehold Township; Scott M. LaRocca, Stefan Roman and Douglas R. Varca, Howell; John D. Nappi, Kevin R. McGinn and Michael J. Yasuk, Jackson; Edward J. McDonald, Peter M. Eadicicco, Joseph R. Grecco, Jordan Helmer, Anthony J. Pompeo and Michael R. Schubert, Manalapan; Brian Borden, Dan J. Cappola, Ryan S. Powers, David K. Stattel and Josue Romero, Marlboro; Mehul Patel and Frank X. Tansey Jr., Millhurst; and Timothy J. Baltadonis, Todd S. Entel and Travis M. Lamberson, Morganville.