Sebastian Tomaine stepped up and ran for fire chief in Long Branch and in the process made department history.
Pictured at the Long Branch Fire Department organization meeting Jan. 1 are First Assistant Chief Alfred Sico (l-r), Chief of Department Sebastian M. Tomaine, Second Assistant Chief Harold “Buster” Bentley. Tomaine, who previously served as fire chief in 2002, is the first Long Branch firefighter to serve as chief for two nonconsecutive terms in the department’s 125-year history.
“It is a privilege to do it twice because no other chief has done that,” Tomaine said in an interview last week. “I’m kind of filling the void and I have the once-in-alifetime opportunity to serve for a second time, which makes history in the city of Long Branch.”
Tomaine has responsibility for the entire Long Branch Fire Department, including 22 paid firefighters and 170 certified volunteers who last year responded to more than 1,700 calls.
He took over Jan. 1 at the department’s reorganization meeting at City Hall from outgoing chief Don Pingitore and said it’s important for the chiefs to work together during the transition in leadership.
“There has to be consistency from year to year,” he said. “You can’t come into office and change the world.
“You have to see what needs to be corrected and make your adjustments from there,” he added. “There has to be a transition period.”
A volunteer firefighter with Independent Fire Engine & Truck Co. No. 2, Tomaine explained that he ran for chief again because many department members are new and lack the necessary experience.
“Our company had very young guys that didn’t meet the qualifications yet, and a lot of other people didn’t want to do it, and they asked me if I would do it again,” he said. “I said, ‘Sure, I had fun the first time and I hope I have fun the second time.’
“You have to achieve the office of captain before you become a chief,” he added. “It takes about five years to do that and [the newer guys] haven’t done that yet.”
There is a three-year cycle among the hierarchy of the department, with members serving a year as second assistant fire chief, followed by a year as first assistant fire chief and finally a year as fire chief.
Also sworn in at the Jan. 1 meeting with Tomaine was Alfred Sico, of Phil Daly Hose Co. No. 2, as first assistant and Harold “Buster” Bentley, Branchport Hose Co. No. 3, as second assistant.
Long Branch Fire Marshal Kevin Hayes joked that it is rare to find someone willing to run for the chief’s appointment twice in a lifetime.
“It is very rare that someone subjects himself to three years of hell twice,” Hayes said. “It’s a lot of work for three years. I did it in ’96 and I won’t be going again.”
Tomaine said that his decision to run for the appointment was hashed out when he finished his first term as chief.
“On Jan. 1 2003, when I was done with my office and introducing the new chief I said to myself if I was ever asked by my company again would I, and I said absolutely, in a heartbeat,” he said.
Tomaine, who also serves as a Long Branch police officer, said that his goal is to get the city’s nine fire companies on the same page.
“I get to know everybody in the city,” he said. “That is my whole goal: to get everybody to work as one, and that’s the way it should be. I started it last time and now I want to finish that.”
The nine Long Branch fire companies are: Atlantic Engine & Truck Co. No. 2, Branchport Hose Co. No. 3, Elberon Engine Co. No. 4, Independent Fire Engine & Truck Co. No. 2, Neptune Hose Co. No. 1, Oceanic Engine Co. No. 1, Oliver Byron Engine Co. No. 5, Phil Daly Hose Co. No. 2, West End Engine Co. No. 3.
Tomaine has a few more goals for the department in 2010.
“At this point it is to recruit more volunteer members and to have more functions that involve all the companies together and their families to make this one big happy family,” he said.
“One of my goals is to keep the traditions of the department,” he added. “When the chief leaves, he gets a badge, which we have been doing for 125 years.”
Tomaine said that one of the challenges for firefighters is keeping updated on automobile technology because car fires are an event the city’s firefighters frequently deal with.
“You have to be updated on new technologies,” he said. “Years ago it was very easy to fight a car fire, but now with air bags throughout the car, bumpers that have hydraulic systems in them, you have to be knowledgeable and schooled at how to do this.
“You have to fight fires with aluminum engines, not just regular engines,” he added. “You have to be up to speed on all this stuff.”
Tomaine also said he wants to build on what was a good year.
“We actually had a good year last year,” he said. “We only had 10 really bad structure fires, which was pretty good.”