OCEAN COUNTY — First responders from throughout Ocean County, including from Bay Head, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, Brick, Mantoloking, Lavallette and other municipalities, responded to the Jones Road wildfire as part of a structural protection strike team.
Bay Head Fire Chief Andrew Welsh said, “Their combined efforts were crucial in safeguarding homes and properties from the advancing flames.”
On Wednesday, Bay Head and Mantoloking fire crews returned to continue supporting multiple agencies in the ongoing efforts, “embodying the strength of teamwork and commitment to their communities,” according to Chief Welsh.
Point Pleasant Fire Department Station 75 responded to the fire at the southern end of Ocean County on Tuesday and completed an almost 12-hour operational period with the Ocean County Forest Fire Task Force, according to a post to Facebook.
The Point Pleasant Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) were called to assist the Red Cross on Tuesday evening in establishing a northern shelter at Manchester High School.
Seven CERT members, along with the OEM shelter manager responded to set up and staff the shelter until full Red Cross support arrived. During this time, the team provided assistance to 40 evacuees.
On Facebook, the members also stated that in addition to their response efforts, many of the emergency management members wear multiple hats, with some serving in key roles at the Incident Command Post, while others were on the front lines actively fighting the fire with their respective fire department or serving within the local EMS agencies, providing medical care and assisting with evacuations.
Chief Welsh, who is also the director of Point Pleasant OEM, told The Ocean Star, “In response to the request from the Red Cross, the Point Pleasant Emergency Management and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) swiftly mobilized to establish a shelter at Manchester High School, providing safe refuge for 40 evacuees from the Jones Road wildfire. Our team’s efforts ensured immediate relief, allowing the Red Cross time to respond to continue supporting those in need.”
Brick Township Fire Department’s Breton Woods Fire Company 1, Pioneer Hose Company 1, Laurelton Fire Company 1 and Herbertsville Fire Company 1 all responded to the wildfire as a part of mutual aid.
Brick Township EMS/Rescue Special Operations Division members were at the scene and were deployed assisting in the response to a large wildfire in southern Ocean County.
Point Pleasant Beach Fire Chief John P. Pasola told The Ocean Star on Wednesday that the borough’s fire department provided protection to structures in the region.
“We do structural protection for Ocean County or any neighboring counties as well,” Pasola said. “I’ve been involved, and the other firefighters have been involved, in structural protection for past wildland fires. Myself — (chief engine) 4300 — and (engine) 4211 with a mixed crew of station 42 and station 43 responded to staging, which was at Ocean County Fire Academy. We were immediately deployed out to structure protection on Route 532, which is Wells Mills Road. We got home at 3:30 this morning.”
Lavallette Fire Chief Michael Hajisafari said that Lavallette Fire Department was also called to assist with structural protection of homes and buildings in the fire area.
“Members from Station 69, Lavallette Volunteer Fire Department were called upon (on April 22) to assist at the Jones Road wildfire,” said Hajisafari. “Firefighters responded with Rescue Engine 6911 at approximately 3 p.m. This first crew provided structure protection as part of an Ocean County Zone 1 Forest Fire Task Force. A second crew relieved the first at approximately 10 p.m. until they were released at approximately 5 a.m. this morning.”
“I am very proud of our firefighters and their responsiveness to this call to action,” Chief Hajisafari said.
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
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