One is dismissed, one resigns for personal reasons and two put on probation
By Mary Ellen Day, Special Writer
One volunteer firefighter has been dismissed and two others placed on probation for traveling without permission and with borough fire gear to Ocean County to help Hurricane Sandy victims.
Firefighter Gary Barras, a member of the North End Fire Company, said he was expelled.
Mr. Barras and three other firefighters went down to Toms River to volunteer to help out, but broke rules and regulations, official said. Mr. Barras started a Facebook page in and posted photos of the firefighters while they were helping.
Chief Marc Pruiksma wanted to set the record straight on why all four firefighters initially were suspended.
”The individuals did not get suspended for their efforts as I am sure that they meant it sincerely from the heart and in trying to help out a fellow brother,” said the chief. “I sincerely feel that.”
The chief said Mr. Barras became “a little arrogant” when asked about the incident.
”I questioned if they used Manville gear, and he denied and outright lied and said, ‘no,’ they didn’t, that they had borrowed gear,” the chief said.
Another phone call to Mr. Barras from the chief after speaking with Capt. Joe Barilla got Mr. Barras upset.
The chief said Mr. Barras used an expletive “for the way I acted towards him in questioning the matter,” Chief Pruiksma said.
When Mr. Barras became more irritated and combative, he was suspended for insubordination, then later dismissed.
Chief Pruiksma said he advised Mr. Barras during the conversation to drop off his equipment and his key. About a week later, a certified letter was sent to Mr. Barras, stating his reasons for dismissal.
As for the other three firefighters, Chief Pruiksma said one resigned for personal reasons, and the other two received suspensions and now are in a probationary period.
Chief Pruiksma said he and Deputy Chief Dave Mroz, Assistant Chief John Bentz and Capt. Barilla had a lengthy discussion and all agreed on the dismissal of Mr. Barras and the suspension of the three others.
”They all agreed on my decision on removing him from the department for his actions that took place that day,” the chief said.
The suspended firefighters were asked to meet with the officers when it was explained what they did wrong, the laws they broke and how they should have done it.
An email was sent to Doug Rue, the Somerset County fire coordinator, from Tim Weiss, regional coordinator of fire safety.
”As you are aware from the coordinators conference call on Nov. 3, firefighters did self-dispatch into Ocean County,” the email stated. “Ocean County Fire Coordinator Brian Gabriel said that a car of four for five firefighters — some with turnout gear —showed up at a firehouse in Ocean County to help. He stated that he ran into them as he was bringing resources to the affected area. Once it was identified that these firefighters self-dispatched, Brian told them to leave.”
”Earlier this week, Chief Pruiksma received a phone call from Chief John Lightbody, the fire chief of Toms River in Dover Township, and said the four firefighters were there, and when he found out they came on their own, they were asked to leave.
The firefighters originally claimed they borrowed gear from the Toms River Fire Department, but Toms River didn’t have any gear to hand out, according to Chief Pruiksma, because it was damaged in the flood.
Mayor Angelo Corradino met with Chief Pruiksma and the other chiefs and supported their actions.
”Manville’s OEM director and the fire chiefs have been unfairly ridiculed about an incident involving four firefighters, including one who was dismissed from the department after Hurricane Sandy,” the mayor said. “These firefighters were not disciplined for trying to help another community. They were disciplined for misrepresenting the facts upon their return.”
Only one was given permission to go and help his former community, said the mayor.
”He was told by his captain that he could go as a former resident, not a member of the Manville Fire Company, and was not to take his gear with him,” the mayor said. “Not only did he go, he took four other firefighters from Manville with him without authorization.”
He added, “After they arrived in Toms River, they took a picture of themselves in front of a Toms River firetruck and posted the picture on Facebook, wearing the gear supplied to them from Manville. When they were approached by a member of the Ocean County fire coordinator and told him they were there from Manville, they were told to return to Manville since they were not authorized to come by the Somerset County OEM, citing they were in violation of the New Jersey Fire Service Deployment Act. A violation of this act could subject Manville to a fine of up to $10,000.”
The mayor said, “When they returned, they were questioned by Manville’s fire chief about going and taking their gear with them. They initially denied the fact and, when confronted with the Facebook photo, admitted they had violated the order given by their captain. One of the firefighters, when questioned about the incident, became confrontational and combative and was told he was in violation of department regulations and because of his insubordination and disruptive actions was no longer a member of the department. The others were given a suspension for disregarding a direct order.
”In a paramilitary organization, there are rules, which must be followed in order to maintain safety, not only to the firefighters following orders from their superiors, but to the residents they represent and protect. These rules were violated and misrepresented in this instance, and that is why the actions were taken. After a discussion with the chiefs last night, it was decided that we would lift the suspension of the firefighters and place them back on active duty immediately.”
Chief Pruiksma said, “These individuals were suspended because of lying to their officers. Self- deployment . . . is against the law . . . If you are found that you self-deployed, the state can issue up to a $10,000 fine — I believe it is per person.
”They broke a law. They lied about their whereabouts. They lied about what they (did),” he said.
The fire chief said he needs to know where his firefighters are.
”It comes to be an accountability issue; it comes to be a safety issue,” he said. “If these firefighters got hurt or killed, their families never would have received the duty death benefits because we have no whereabouts of them. I did not know where they were, and they were representing my department.”

