Crime & Safety
Montclair Fire Department Swears in New Firefighters
During a swearing in ceremony held Friday morning, seven probationary firefighters were promoted to firefighters.
The ceremony was held in Montclair Township Council Chambers on Friday July 18. Township Clerk Linda Wanat presided over the swearing in of Thomas Hargraves, Gregory Miller, Matthew Gifford, Todd Thompson, Kevin Polek, Christopher Herrmann, and Timothy McLoughlin.
Hargraves came to the Montclair Fire Department from the Washington D.C. fire department, and was directly assigned to a shift. The other six men attended the Essex County Fire Academy after being sworn in last year as probationary fighters.
They studied for ten weeks at the Academy, developing a fundamental understanding of firefighting, physical training and conditioning. The six men continued to develop their craft while also learning about the Montclair Fire Department after graduating from the Academy.
Find out what's happening in Montclairwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The men used this experience to absorb a wealth of knowledge in numerous areas: department rules, regulations and operational procedures; daily routines and duties; radio protocol; building construction; engine and truck company operations; hazardous material response; rescue and extrication techniques; confined space and trench rescue; and familiarity with the streets of Montclair and Glen Ridge.
Additionally, the men received valuable experience in hands-on fire confrontation during recent fire emergencies in Montclair.Find out what's happening in Montclairwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
