Beyond the Flames — Area Departments Answer Call For Assistance after Hurricane

While Cape May County was spared some of the worst of Hurricane Sandy’s wrath earlier this month, areas directly to our north were not as fortunate. Several of the county’s fire departments, that had utilized personnel and resources in advance of this record-setting storm, were able to assist areas that weren’t as fortunate.
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety enacted the Fire Service Resource Emergency Deployment Act, said Cape May County Fire Coordinator Art Treon. The act creates a formal structure that allows counties in need of additional resources following major events to request assistance from other areas of the state.
“We received a call almost immediately after the scale of devastation north of here was discovered,” said Treon. “Overnight, we were able to assemble a strike team of apparatus and firefighters to deploy the next day.”
Serving shifts anywhere from 16 to 24 hours, firefighters departed Cape May County in the early morning hours of Nov. 1-4, reported to a staging area step up by emergency management officials, were split into task forces, and given assignments in the affected areas.
Cape May, Cape May Court House, Dennis, Erma, Goshen, Ocean View, Rio Grande, Stone Harbor, U. S. Coast Guard-TRACEN, Villas, and West Wildwood fire departments sent personal, apparatus, or both to assist in Ocean County over the period, Treon said.
These firefighters worked hand-in-hand with the local fire departments of Long Beach Island, responding to emergency calls for service including structure fires, downed wires, and dewatering assignments, among others.
In addition to emergency response, companies also assisted in inspections and debris clearance of the islands’ roads and homes, checking for the stability, safety, and livability of the many damaged buildings.
Many of the firefighters who attended the call for assistance were in awe at the amount of devastation an area so close to Cape May County had sustained. The Stone Harbor Fire Department’s Facebook page had a number of photos uploaded following their deployment showing the devastation in Seaside Heights, with captions noting that “Stone Harbor was lucky,” while an update on firefighters from West Wildwood Fire Department stated that firefighters were “all well but saddened by what they are witnessing in Seaside Heights.”
But the relief effort wasn’t all heartbreaking. Goshen’s firefighters said that during their time on Long Beach Island, the deployment meant more than just firefighting, however. Goshen Fire Company was one of many departments to send assistance, and had their Engine/Tender 7440 stationed in Ship Bottom, for over 72 consecutive hours, with firefighters manning rotating shifts throughout the duration of the deployment, said Goshen Chief Frank Svitak.
“While our crew was there, they became part of the Ship Bottom fire family,” said Svitak. “They developed a very strong friendship with the members during their time there, and we would hope that will continue for some time to come.”
Knoll, 20, of Eldora, can be contacted by email at beyondtheflamescmc @ gmail.com. He is a student at Rowan University.