Crew members volunteer for extra work

Volunteers help cover daytime shifts.

By: Josh Appelbaum
   Two township Public Works professionals are helping to protect residents by volunteering for the Cranbury Fire Company.
   Sean O’Rourke, 31, of Allentown and Jason Marrazzo, 23, of Bordentown have completed mandatory fire training at the Middlesex County Fire Academy and are already contributing members of the Fire Company.
   The two work for Public Works from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week and are on-call 24 hours a day with the Cranbury Fire Company.
   Public Works Director Tom Witt said the pair help to fill the ranks between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., when most other volunteers are at work out of town.
   Both hold Class B drivers’ licenses, required to operate firetrucks with air brakes.
   Mr. O’Rourke, a captain with the company, has been with Public Works since April 2001, and joined the Fire Company in October of the same year. The Fire Company allows residents from other towns to volunteer with Cranbury.
   Previously a maintenance worker and a volunteer firefighter in Manalapan before joining the Cranbury Public Works crew, Mr. O’Rourke said being part of a Fire Company has been a lifelong ambition.
   "It has always been something I was interested in since I was a child. I’m just glad I got the opportunity to be a firefighter in Cranbury.
   Mr. O’Rourke, who commutes about half an hour to Cranbury from his home, said the company responds to between 10 and 20 calls per week. He said most calls are for motor vehicle accidents, carbon monoxide and fire alarms.
   Mr. Marrazzo is a new addition to the Public Works family, having started in November. He previously worked as a truck driver and volunteered with the Hamilton Fire Company.
   Mr. Marrazzo said he enjoys the diversity of work and the opportunity respond to fires and other emergencies.
   "We’ve got a great boss (Tom Witt), he lets us do it if we aren’t busy. I love it," Mr. Marrazzo said.
   Both Mr. O’Rourke and Mr. Marrazzo help maintain the company’s three engines, one tanker and one rescue vehicle. Mr. O’Rourke is an engine captain, and assists the chief engineer with vehicle repair.
   Mr. Marrazzo said working as a Public Works professional has helped in responding to emergencies.
   "You get to know people on a visual basis, and they recognize you, plus it helps to know all the street names when you are on call," Mr. Marrazzo said.
   Because Cranbury is a small town with a modest, 16-person volunteer crew, Mr. O’Rourke said, using Public Works people to respond to fire emergencies is a good way to bolster membership and aid the community.
   "Getting Public Works people to become firefighters is a good thing because the small companies definitely need help," Mr. O’Rourke said. "We are still looking for new membership, so I invite anyone to come down on a Monday night and fill out an application."