At approximaately 4:30am, the HoHoKus FD requested an engine from Waldwick to respond to a working residential fire on Ardmore Road.  Upon arrival WFD engine 631 stretched a second haandline to the rear of the building to support the HoHoKus crews.  The fire had made a good headway in the basement of the structure.  Wyckoff FD responded as a FAST Team, while Midland Park FD sent an engine and Ramsey FD sent a truck for cover up.  WFD remained on scene for about two hours.  A great job was accomplished by the HoHoKus FD and all units involved.


Pictures courtesy of Wyckoff FD

Ladder 641 was dispatched to the Wyckoff YMCA for an activated fire alarm on the second alarm dispatched by Wyckoff Command.  Enroute Ladder 641 was ordered to enter the complex and ladder the roof, at this time there was a smoke haze in the building.  Upon arrival the Truck set up on the D side of the building and put its basket to the roof.  At this time the incident was upgraded to a Haz Mat incident when it was learned that a main HVAC unit in the basement had sprung a leak of freon.  The building which was evacuated at the start of the incident, remained closed by orders of Wyckoff Comand until the freon leak could be stopped an contained.  Mahwah Haz Mat responded to assist in the containment of the leak.  Midland Park FD and Franklin Lakes FD responded an engine each, HoHoKus FD responded as a FAST Team, Oakland responded a  ladder to stand by and Alleendale sent an engine to stand by.  Ladder 641 remained on scene for approximately 2 hours utilizing a fan for ventilation.  Wyckoff units remained for several hours.

Michael, Mersch Just passed EMT school and is now 1 of 14 EMT's on the Fire Department just one more example of how dedicated the men and women of the WFD are. 
GOOD JOB  Mike

From Chief Joseph Alvarez and President Tom Giordano we would like to wish all a happy and safe 4th of july

Recently, the members of the WFD participated in the annual Ridgewood 4th of July parade.  The membership was lead by Chief Joe Alvarez and President Tom Giordano.  Engines 1, 2 Ladder 1 & Rescue 1 made up the line of march.  Due to the height of the new rescue, it joined the parade at the intersection of Franklin & Broad as the underpass of NJ Transit was too low to allow the truck to pass.

At 10:27 AM Rescue 1 along with Wyckoff TL 241 and Franklin Lakes Engine 331 filled out the box for a HAZ-MAT call in Oakland at one of the schools all hands were working along with Bergen County HAZ-MAT. The Job was placed under control within an hour Additional pictures courtesy of Oakland FD

Five (5) Hackensack, NJ firefighters lost their lives in the Line of Duty in the collapse of a bow-string truss roof at the Hackensack Ford auto dealership, 20 years ago, July 1st. CAPT. RICHARD L. WILLIAMS LIEUT. RICHARD REINHAGEN F/F WILLIAM KREJSA F/F LEONARD RADUMSKI F/F STEPHEN ENNIS On Friday, July 1, 1988, Hackensack firefighters were bonding over barbecue, getting ready for the long Fourth of July weekend. But by the end of the day, five of them would be suddenly, shockingly severed from their earthly bonds. They died fighting the fire that erupted at the Hackensack Ford dealership at 322 River St., their priceless lives lost protecting the city that they loved. And with their deaths, those who loved them began to say the long goodbye that still echoes twenty years later. from all the brother's at the Waldwick Fire Department we will not forget and our thoughts and prayers go out the HFD and the Families of our lost brothers.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT TOM GIORDANO:: On behalf of our Chief Joseph Alvarez and the entire Waldwick Volunteer Fire Department Family I would like to congratulate our firefighters Sarah Barthold, DJ Fearon, Jason Fromm, David Guy and Sean Roche on graduating from Waldwick High School. May this next chapter in your lives be filled with success and happiness. May you always strive to do and be the best you can be. As Vince Lombardi once said " The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” Good Luck and Job Well Done

As a thunder and lightning storm rolled through the Boro, Waldwick PD dispatched the WFD to a "Working" fire on Summit Avenue. Arriving units found a fire involving the plastic siding on the rear of the home. The fire was quickly extinguished as the first due units were pulling up. FD members had been on standby at Co #2 for the Graduation Ball and hit the street very quickly. The home was checked for extension, and none was found. As a precaution on the initial alarm, a FAST Team from Wyckoff, Rescue 242, and a truck company from Franklin Lakes were dispatched. Wyckoff responded in and the Franklin Lakes truck was returned.

After a brief thunder and lightning storm, with hail and heavy down pours, WFD handled 11 calls for assistance. All involved trees and electrical wires. Some trees hit homes while others hung in PSE&G wires. FD units remained in service for approximately 2 hours.

Chief Joseph Alvarez presented Ex-Chief Joesph Agugliaro with the dedication plaque from the old Rescue 2 (aka 633, 642, R3, don't ask) during the opening ceremonies of the Wetdown for our new Rescue 1. It has been a tradition with the WFD to present the old plaques to the Chief who purchased the old truck. Chief Agugliaro was in office in 1983 when the old Rescue was purchase. The truck serve this Department very well over its 23 year run. Good Job Joe!

On a day that started hot and sticky and ended with thunder, lightning and a down pour, did not quench the celebration for the new Rescue 1. The enthusiasm was there, the music by Last Minute had the crowd jumpin, the food, the refreshments, Everett's DJ, all made the day great. The WFD would like to thank the many residents, friends, brother and sister firefighters who came to welcome this truck. We also thank Ho-Ho-Kus, Saddle River and Wyckoff FD's for covering us. The many Departments who wetdown the new truck such as River Edge FD for being the first, Oradell & Haworth FD for foaming down the truck, Roxbury for coming the furthest, and Allendale FD (north Waldwick) for officially using their new engine for the first time. President Giordano and Chief Alvarez congratulate the Ladies Auxiliary, members of the WFD and our friends for making this day a huge success!

Approximately 9:37am, WFD was dispatched for a school bus fire at The Forum School on Wyckoff Avenue, arrving units found a mini van used to transport children engulfed in flames in the front of the school building. Engine 2 arrived first and began the attack with 2 1 3/4" handlines. Engine 1 arrived and assisted with its manpower. The vehicle was a total loss. Two minutes after the initial dispatch, Wyckoff Communications request Ladder 1 to respond mutual aid to The Christian Health Care Facility for reported smoke in the building. Ladder 1 responded and found that a malfunction of a washer/dryer had caused the smoke. All units returned to service within 45 minutes from both alarms.

At approximately 15:44, the WFD was dispatched for a structure fire on East Prospect Street. While en route to the scene PD advised that this was a working fire with a person trapped on the second floor. Engine 2 arrived first due and began an aggressive attack with 2 1 3/4" handlines. Engine 1 arrived and dropped a 5" supply line to feed Engine 2. Interior crews found a fire in a second floor bedroom with the victim inside the home. The victim was removed from the area, and brought to a Paramedic unit where the victim succumbed to her injuries. Ladder 1 took a position in front of the structure and put its ladder to the roof. The fire was knocked down in a matter of minutes. When the fire was declared out, the home turned over to The Bergen County Prosecutors Office for an investigation. A complete story can be found in the June 11th issue of "The Record" We would like to thank all the units that assisted us on scene and as cover up were Saddle River Engine 1131, Midland Park Engine 533, Allendale Engine, Ramsey FD Bus 451 for rehab and Ramsey Tower 442, Franklin Lakes engine, Wyckoff Rescue 242 Fast Team. BLS units from Waldwick, Allendale and Ho-Ho-Kus treated about 20 firefighters for heat related stress and rehab. Other units included Mahwah Engine 117, Wyckoff Tower 241, and Midland Park 533 which relocated from the scene. The Law Enforcement investigation lasted well into the early hours of the morning making this about a 12 hour incident. WFD crews were rotated through out the night. A powerful storm also rumbled through the area, but no additional calls for assistance for the very tired FD members. Chief Joseph Alvarez who was in command of the event, congratulated all the firefighters and said that they did an excellent job in handling this call. He is proud of every man and woman who responded in keeping this event from escalating to an even worse scenario. The Men & Women of the WFD send our thoughts and prayers to the family involved in this incident.

Waldwick Police dispatched the WFD for a working structure fire on Sycamore Drive around 1:30pm in the near 100 degree heat. En route, the Police Desk notified all responding units that PD on scene reported that the fire was contained to the range top and Patrolman Troy Siefort had extinguished the fire. Engines 1 & 2, Rescue 1 and Ladder 1 responded. FD units checked for extension in the cabinetry above the stove. The utilities were disconnected from the unit and the home was ventilated. It was determined that a combustible item was left too close to the stove top which ignited from the heat of the flames. WFD reminds all residents to check for any item that is near the stove which might catch fire, and remove that item.