Firemen's assoc. honors Narozanick's dedication

Ted Narozanick

FREEHOLD - The Monmouth County Firemen's Relief Association has honored county Freeholder Theodore J. Narozanick, of Freehold Borough, noting his "outstanding service, commitment and dedication" for the many years of support he has provided to firefighters throughout Monmouth County.

At the association's 2006 caucus meeting held Aug. 21 at the Long Branch Middle School, Narozanick was presented with a resolution that highlighted his service as liaison to the Monmouth County Fire Academy as well as his seven terms on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders.

Narozanick, himself a former firefighter and fire chief in Englishtown, addressed the 422 firefighters who attended the annual caucus meeting. He thanked them for their service as firefighters and for the assistance the relief association provides to firefighters in need.

"Our volunteer and paid firefighters are the best trained and best prepared in the world," Narozanick said in his remarks. "As firefighters, you get called at all hours of the day and sometimes in the middle of the night, and you go and you fight the fires. On behalf of the residents of Monmouth County, I would like to thank you for your dedication and service to your communities."

According to a press release, New Jersey aids firefighters and their families through the New Jersey State Firemen's Association, created 129 years ago by legislation. Its purpose is to maintain a General Relief Fund that provides burial benefits to qualifying members. It is the only association of its kind in the United States.

To qualify for full burial benefits, a firefighter must have been between 18 and 45 at the time of joining, must serve a period of seven years and must attend at least 60 percent of all alarms and drills during that time. All firefighters serving toward qualification earn credit for the burial benefits, which are provided for certain survivors according to an established prorated scale.

"Volunteerism is alive and well in Monmouth County," Narozanick said. "In Monmouth County we have 75 fire departments, 134 fire companies, 7,748 firefighters, more than 450 pieces of firefighting equipment and a top-notch fire academy that trains more than 10,000 firefighters a year."

The New Jersey State Firemen's Association has 537 local relief associations, representing 79,000 firefighters. In Monmouth County, a total of $843,900 was paid in 2005 for burial claims. Last year, another $159,528 was paid in financial assistance to local firefighters in need.

"Ted is very supportive of firemen, and we appreciate all he's done for the firemen in Monmouth County," said Wayne C. Kepler, who was re-elected as the relief association's Monmouth County executive committeeman. "He was a fire chief in Englishtown, so it's nice to do something for one of your own."