Mayor Steven Fulop welcomed 21 new firefighters in the chambers of City Hall during a fire department graduation ceremony, adding to the over 300 firefighters hired under Fulop’s administration since 2013, according to a city press release.
“We have a distinguished, prestigious, and proud fire department, which is visible in the heroic actions of our firefighters every single day,” Mayor Fulop said at the ceremony. “Being a firefighter is a difficult job and I want to thank the 21 new firefighters as you raise your hand today and take the Oath of Office to join the best fire department in the state.”
The event was live streamed and recorded.
The newest firefighters will be spread throughout the City’s 28 fire companies located citywide. The Jersey City Fire Department averages approximately 14,000 emergency responses per year according to the city’s press release.
The city also recently nominated Constance Zappella, as the first female Deputy Fire Chief, who will serve the largest municipal fire department in the state as reported by the Hudson Reporter.
Mayor Fulop has also made a number of promotions during his tenure with 16 Deputy Fire Chiefs, 35 Battalion Fire Chiefs, and 160 Fire Captains.
“With every graduating class, we expand public safety and improve protection for our residents. This is a commitment we made from the start, and we continue to build on it, reaching historic levels of staffing, promotions, equipment, and the number of fire companies fully staffed every day and night,” said Public Safety Director James
Shea. “Each of these combined further strengthens our great fire department and its members.”
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