PASSAIC, N.J.-- City officials dropped a bombshell on members of the fire auxiliary, padlocking the Fire Engine Company 2 station on Third Street, which they use as headquarters, and telling auxiliary Chief Michael Shafrin that the city would effectively disband the group.
A shocked Shafrin told the Herald News that he had learned of the plans to auction the building on Monday.
"We have all our personal stuff in there, and we had no notice, no nothing," he said.
City officials said that for about a year, they have toyed with the idea of selling the century-old building and shutting down the auxiliary.
The group of 25 volunteers provides backup support for Passaic's paid firefighters. In 2006, the group was called for backup 43 times for a variety of emergencies, including storms, fires and heavy rains, Shafrin said.
The group was founded in 1951, as part of the national Civilian Defense program, a World War II effort to provide homeland security and look out for enemy planes.
Mayor Samuel Rivera sent a Feb. 28 letter to Deputy Mayor Robert Hare, who is also the fire director, telling him to disband the group in order to sell the building, which directly faces the 104-year-old Reid Library, also slated for closure.
Rivera's letter said, in part, "The fire chiefs have advised me that the auxiliary is no longer necessary, as the city has mutual aid for a response. Also, during an era of limited funding and scarce resources, the city's efforts must be placed with the professional full-time force."
He said that the auxiliary should be instructed to do an inventory of their equipment, which includes three firetrucks, which will be donated or sold. A copy of Rivera's letter was seen by a Herald News reporter Tuesday.
The city allocated $8,500 to the fire auxiliary last year out of its $68 million budget, according to the 2006 budget.
Shafrin said that after television coverage of the padlocking on Monday night, Rivera called him at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday to apologize, and claimed he had no idea that the firehouse would be padlocked.
Rivera refused to comment for this story, and three calls to his spokesman Keith Furlong were not returned Tuesday.
Newly appointed Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost said he ordered the firehouse padlocked because he was concerned about the security of the building.
"I was concerned for the city's property, there's thousands of dollars worth of equipment in there," Trentacost said. Fire officials reopened the firehouse Tuesday.
Hare praised the fire auxiliary for its service, but said that its function was outdated. He said that mutual aid agreements and increased federal funding for emergencies through the Homeland Security Act eliminated the need for the fire auxiliary.
"The auxiliary served its purpose in years past but serves no purpose today," he said. Hare expected there would be a 30-day period before the station would be shut down for good.
On Tuesday, fire auxiliary members lit votive candles and posted a sign in front of the old firehouse to protest the decision.
"Rest in Peace Passaic Fire Auxiliary. Our Engines will never forget," it read.
Republished with permission of the North Jersey Media Group.
