Freehold council salutes volunteer firefighter for 50 years of service

FREEHOLD – A longtime member of the Freehold Fire Department has been honored by the Borough Council upon achieving a half-century of service to Freehold Borough.

On Feb. 3, council members honored Tony Infanti for his 50 years of service as a volunteer firefighter. A copy of a council resolution saluting his service was presented to Infanti by council President Michael DiBenedetto, who has also served as a member of the fire department.

“50 years is a long time,” DiBenedetto said to Infanti. “I spent my first night in the fire department with you and I saw the way you put out a fire. After that night, I knew I had made the right choice. Tony has given a lot to the community and his dedication to this community has been marked by years of exemplary service.”

Reading from the resolution, DiBenedetto said Infanti grew up and worked on a farm. He joined the Freehold Fire Department in 1970. In his professional career, Infanti has owned and operated a flooring business.

DiBenedetto said Infanti has responded to large and small fires during his career as a volunteer firefighter, including the 1984 fire at Freehold Raceway that destroyed the harness track’s grandstand. The resolution described that fire as the largest blaze in Freehold Borough’s history.