Firefighters seek recruits

Published Jul 31, 2012 at 9:09 pm (Updated Aug 1, 2012)

SUSSEX COUNTY � There is a countywide shortage of volunteer firefighters, according to Hamburg Fire Department�s Assistant Chief Charlie Zweigle. So, together with Steve Raye of the Colesville branch of the Wantage Fire Department and the breast cancer promoting firefighting group the Guardians of the Ribbon, Zweigle and the Sussex County Volunteer Firefighter�s Association decided to use the power of the County Fair to bolster volunteerism throughout the county.

�Volunteers are the backbone of the townships,� Hamburg volunteer Keith Sukennikoff said at this past Saturday�s �Dyno Day� fundraiser. In an effort to strengthen this backbone, the Hamburg Fire Department and the 26 other companies in the county have joined forces. They'll be holding a joint coalition recruitment tent at this year�s New Jersey State Fair Sussex County Farm & Horse Show. The tent will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekend of Aug. 4 and 5 as well as the weekend of Aug. 11 and 12.

The fair kicks off on Friday, Aug. 3.

According to Zweigle, this is �the first time anything like this has ever been done,� and the entire county is �trying to let people know how desperate we are for numbers.� County EMS departments, which are also low in volunteer numbers, have been invited to join the effort.

The recruitment center will be located near the fair administration building and the main bathroom facility.

It's been sponsored by Clear Channel Communications and Warren Distribution. �We couldn�t have done it without them,� Zweigle said, noting that none of the county fire departments has a budget that could have paid for the spot at the fair � especially a location as heavily trafficked as the one they now have.

Interested volunteers are encouraged to stop by the recruitment center at the Farm and Horse Show or call their local fire department for more information.