A family affair, both literally and figuratively

Firefighters have deep connection

By: Stephanie Brown
   JAMESBURG — Fathers, sons, brothers — family is the tie that binds the Jamesburg Volunteer Fire Company together.
   Ask any company member why he’s a firefighter and he’ll simply say, "It’s in my blood."
   The family connection was evident Oct. 16 at the firehouse, located at 82 W. Railroad Ave., as members received yearly physicals and tested their gear.
   Junior member Billy Stonaker, 16, poked around in one of the fire engines. Billy said he spent a lot of his childhood at the firehouse, tagging along with his father, and said the decision to join the company came easily.
   "Well, I’ve been here my whole life so I figured why not actually do something," he said, rifling through the truck’s storage compartments.
   It’s no surprise Billy has taken so naturally to the fire company — his father, Bill Stonaker, has been a member for 26 years and he, too, started as a junior member.
   "I love it," Mr. Stonaker said.
   Over the years Mr. Stonaker has had many memorable experiences. He and Chief Tom Cooper, who has also been a member for over two decades, recalled an interesting story that happened just this past year.
   "It was the first house fire we actually had in awhile," Chief Cooper started. "We were all getting ready to go to a funeral — one of our past chiefs passed away, Oli Soden, who owns the insurance company — and as the guys were getting on the truck, it came in that there’s a working fire."
   Because the volunteers were already at the firehouse, the chief said it took the department about 15 seconds to get to the scene and they were able to stop the fire from destroying the house.
   "We were the prettiest set of firefighters out there," joked Mr. Stonaker, referring to the firefighters’ dress uniforms.
   "The thing is," continued Chief Cooper, "Oli Soden insured the house, so we credited him with saving it."
   While many of the company’s members have been around so long that they could write a book with all of the stories they’ve acquired, some members are just beginning their tale.
   Cliff Bury, 32, is new to the company and Jamesburg. Mr. Bury moved to the borough two years ago and became a volunteer only two months ago.
   "I just wanted to do something good for the town I live in," Mr. Bury said.
   Father and son, Bruce and Jonathon Rampacek, recently moved to Jamesburg and have been members of the borough’s company for a few months.
   However, the Rampaceks — as well as Bruce Rampacek’s two other sons — have served as volunteer firefighters in North Brunswick, where they used to live.
   Bruce Rampacek has been a volunteer firefighter since 1975, and he is especially proud to see all of his sons follow in his footsteps.
   "It’s fun being with the boys, to watch the second part of the generation grow into something that their old man started, you know," he said.
   Jonathon Rampacek, 23, said he became a junior member when he was 15 years old.
   "I just wanted to help out the community," he said. "Plus, my dad was always up there so I’ve been around it all my life."
   Chief Cooper said that recent recruits, like Mr. Bury and the Rampaceks, have boosted the company’s membership from the lower 30s to 41 volunteers. The company has six officers, a chief, a deputy chief, an assistant chief, a captain, a first lieutenant and a second lieutenant.
   "We were going through a slump and then all of a sudden, the end of this year, we picked up several new volunteers," he said.
   All firefighters must take Firefighter 1, a state-approved course, which is 151 hours of general firefighting training. The course meets the National Fire Protection Association and state firefighter requirements. Firefighters also receive specialty training, like vehicle extrication and confined space rescue.
   Junior members are teens between the ages of 16 and 18. As these members reach 18 years old, they become eligible for active membership. At age 18, the Junior member is eligible to attend the Firefighter 1 to become a full member.
   To attract and retain volunteer firefighters, Jamesburg Volunteer Fire Company participates in a state-approved deferred compensation program called Length of Service Award Program. LOSAP is a state pension program that pays volunteers based on their participation. Members start accruing pensions during the first year, but do not become vested until they have volunteered for five.
   To qualify for the program’s minimum contribution of $500, a volunteer has to attend 50 percent of the training drills and 50 percent of the meetings, and answer 30 percent of fire calls.
   "It’s a lot to do for not much, but that’s not why they’re here," said Chief Cooper.
   The Chief the whole company operates on a strict budget, which is set by the Board of Fire Commissioners.
   A Board of Fire Commissioners, comprising five elected officials, governs the company. Board members are elected to three-year terms. Officers are the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer and assistant secretary/treasurer and are elected by the commissioners.
   The Board of Fire Commissioners sets the fire district’s budget, which is separate from the municipal budget.
   In 2006, voters approved a $387,117 budget, with $356,000 raised from taxes. The borough’s 2006 fire tax rate is 15 cents per $100. Under that rate, the owner of a house assessed at the borough average of $123,319 would pay about $185 in fire taxes.
   "The commissioners try to give us what we need to make sure we get the job done without putting too much of a strain on the taxpayers," said President John Walker.
   In addition to the money the district receives from taxes, the company also holds fundraisers throughout the year. The fundraisers, Chief Cooper said, are held more for the community’s benefit than for any financial benefit.
   He said fundraisers, like pancake breakfasts, usually isn’t aren’t worth the cost and time spent organizing the event, "but the town likes it — that’s why we still do it," he said. "This is a very old-time, old-town environment here."
   The members said they take pride in their volunteerism, and noted the benefits associated with a volunteer department.
   Chris Ryan, a safety training officer who is line to become president next year, said the volunteers are extra careful not to cause any unnecessary damage to the house or furniture.
   "They’re our neighbors and we want to make sure everything is saved," Mr. Ryan said. "I’m not saying that doesn’t happen in paid districts, but it’s very strong here.’
   Chief Cooper added that volunteers — each with their own career background — bring diversity to the company that a paid district does not have.
   "There’s a real diverse bunch here, which is what you want," said Chief Cooper.
   He said that the members bring with them their experience and expertise in various career fields. When the department receives a call about a smoking light switch, for example, one of the members who is an electrician may be able to diagnose the problem at the scene.
   "No one’s really just a fireman," Chief Cooper said.
   Lenny Hibbits, who will become the chief in 2007, is a South Brunswick police officer. Mr. Hibbits said being a firefighter is a lot like being a police officer.
   "With both, you’re out there helping the public," he said.
   The Monroe resident joined the Jamesburg volunteer company in 2000, but has been a volunteer firefighter since 1982.
   "I grew up in East Brunswick, where my dad was a fireman, and my grandfather was a fireman," he said. "It’s kind of in my blood."
   The soon-to-be chief said he is looking forward to his new position.
   "A lot of time is involved," he said. "I’m up for the challenge and I’ve got some good officers under me."
   Many of the volunteers, like Mr. Hibbits, are Monroe residents, which Chief Cooper said is not surprising considering Jamesburg Volunteer Fire Company used to be the first responder for fires in Monroe.
   For over two decades, the borough covered the northeast section of Monroe. In return, Monroe paid the borough’s fire district about $7,500 yearly, he said.
   The chief and company President John Walker said that Monroe’s paid firefighter staff responded to a lot of alarms — "smells and bells," Mr. Walker called it — and it was putting a strain on the borough’s volunteer firefighters.
   "You get up at three in the morning a couple times during the week just to walk in and do nothing — it was killing them," the chief said.
   As a result, the company started to lose some of its volunteers.
   Eventually Jamesburg gave up its contract with the township. The chief said Helmetta’s Fire District now has that contract with Monroe.
   "The $7,500 that they were throwing us wasn’t worth it to us to burn our people out," the chief said. "Helmetta, who works strictly on donations — that $7,500 is a good piece of change to them."
   Now, Jamesburg only goes to Monroe if called in for back up, Chief Cooper said.
   The overall number of calls the borough receives, however, remains the same because of the district’s two mutual aid agreements.
   Borough firefighters respond to calls in towns such as Hightstown, Monroe District 2 (Applegarth), Englishtown and Cranbury.
   "What we’ve lost going to Monroe, we’ve picked up going to Monmouth County, Mercer County," Chief Cooper said.
   In 2005, the company received 191 calls. Thus far in 2006, the company has received 135 calls.