Holmdel Fire Company #1 Loses Its Longtime Firefighting Role

The Holmdel Township Committee voted unanimously Tuesday night in favor of a new fire department consolidation plan that essentially puts the 97-year old Main Street Holmdel Fire Company #1 out of commission, while shifting responsibility for the whole town to the much larger Holmdel Fire & Rescue Company #2, based on Centerville Road.

Township officials said that their decision to remove its two trucks from the bays of the privately-owned fire company building in Holmdel Village and reassign them to locations at Vonage and Crawfords Corner Road was motivated purely by common-sense safety concerns and pressure from insurance carriers.   

Citing information gathered over months of meetings with the fire companies and Emergency Services Committee members, Township Committeeman Greg Buontempo stated that there were documented situations when HFC1 was unable to respond to calls and HFRC2 has to respond for them. 

Also, HFC1 members had not shown up to several "All Calls" at the hospital, schools and Parkway in recent months, he said. But more importantly, no members had engaged in formal training in the past year and a half -- which could expose Holmdel to risks related to effective emergency fire rescue, township firefighting volunteer safety, as well as insurance coverage, he said. 

In contrast, Buontempo said members of Holmdel Fire & Rescue Company #2 responded to every "All Call," and they train monthly at the academy or in county drills. 

Buontempo also said that the Committee had learned HFC1 Chief Doug Ziemba Sr. had notified surrounding towns that Holmdel would not be responsible for providing "mutual aid" or backup to other towns when they were called to fires. The mutual aid decision has been since remedied by township officials, but it too put the township at risk, said Buontempo. 

Two weeks ago, the township drove its two trucks out of the company's Main Street firehouse. Changes were made in order to exclude the Fire Company from receiving radio calls summoning members to fires. One truck and a new overnight duty crew were installed at the station at Crawfords Corner Road. The other truck is under repair, and will be parked at a temporary shed at Vonage starting Friday. 

Like others on the dais, Mayor Patrick Impreveduto expressed heartfelt appreciation for the volunteers who make up HFC1, and promised dialogue will continue between the township government and the company. But he cautioned they will "have to get their act together in regard to training" to satisfy workplace and insurance standards. 

After it was over, Fire Company 1 President Doug Ziemba Jr. said he was disappointed by the vote. "I don't think it was in the best interest of the township," he said. 

But he was hopeful the long-established company could take back its role as provider of fire coverage in southern Holmdel. "We look forward to trying to work with the township to amend this decision," said Ziemba, Jr. 

Township Administrator Donna Vieiro said that discussions could continue, but there would have to be some real changes. "We are asking for a culture change and leadership change in Fire Company Number One," she said.