At 14:55 hrs, the Bergenfield Fire Department was dispatched to 11 Tulip Street for a reported basement fire. While enroute, the Bergenfield PD confirmed that there was a working fire in the basement of the structure. Upon arrival, Lt. Kirsch reported a smoke condition coming from 11 Tulip. Firefighters A. McGoldrick, C. Naylis and E. Gomez pulled an 1½ preconnect from first due Engine 743 and entered the basement and made a quick knock down of the fire. The fire originated in a dryer that had an oversized comforter in it. Although there was fire damage to the basement, there was minimal damage to the rest of the house due to an aggressive and fast attack by the first due units.

Tenafly FD responded in as a FAST team. The Mid Bergen Mutual Aid sent an Engine from Bogota and Teaneck along with an Englewood truck to cover the Borough. Dumont FD also sent an
Engine and Rescue to the scene. While covering, Bogota responded to Memorial Park for a brush fire. Bergenfield units operated on scene for 2½ hours.

Captain Robert Byrnes, Jr. of Prospect Fire Co. No. 1 and his wife Kelly were blessed Wednesday afternoon with the birth of their son, Liam Michael Byrnes. Liam was born at Pascack Valley Hospital weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 21 and ½ inches. Kelly and Liam are both doing fine.

The members of the Bergenfield Fire Department held their December meeting on Wednesday night December 13 and elected their Chief’s and desk officers. 

Greg Polandick from Alert Fire Co. No. 1 will serve as Chief of the Department; this will be his first time holding this position. Greg has spent the last two years as a Deputy Chief. Ed Gomez of Fire Company No. 2 will serve as Deputy 1. Robert Byrnes, Jr. from Prospect Fire Co. No 1 will move up from Captain and serve as Deputy 2.
In 2007, Norman Hoyt Sr. will return as President of the department along with Ken Pfannen as Vice President. Nancy Naylis and Robert Byrnes Sr. will also return as Secretary and Treasurer respectively. 
The 2007 line officers will be a mix and old faces and new ones. Edward Kneisler II is back. Ned will take over as Captain of Alert, a position he has held many times before and Mike Lopez will once again be the Lieutenant. Ray Van Saders will return as Captain of Company 2 and Jason Lanzilotti will be the new Lieutenant. Jason has served the company as Lieutenant in the past. Jim Lodato will move up from Lieutenant to Captain of Prospect and Paul Buehler will serve as the Lieutenant. This will be Paul’s first time as a line officer.

On Tuesday evening, December 12, 2006 members of Alert Fire Co. No. 1 and members of the BVAC held a drill at the Bergenfield Fire Training Center (www.bftc.net ).

The FD did several evolutions of fire attack and search procedures while the BVAC worked on EMS operations at fire scenes. Thanks to BFTC instructors Bob Beyea and Jim Kirsch for giving their time to run this drill.

On Monday December 11, 2006 at 0744 hrs, the Englewood FD requested a truck from Bergenfield to respond to their headquarters to cover the city. Englewood was engaged in what would turn out to be a 3rd alarm fire in a residential structure. Lt. Jim Kirsch was the officer in charge of the truck, while in route to Englewood the truck was redirected to the scene at 82 William St. The truck was released from the scene at 0906 hrs.

The Officers and Members of the Bergenfield Fire Department would like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season.

At 0914 hrs, the Bergenfield Fire Department received numerous calls for a vehicle on fire at 110 Williamson Rd. Upon the arrival of the FD, two vehicles were found in the driveway on fire. The first due engine was 744 and the crews from Truck 742 and second due engine 745 pulled hand lines and began to extinguish the fire. The home was checked for possible extension by the members of Company No. 2, but none was found. The fire official was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire. Units operated on scene for one hour.

At 00:31 hrs., Alert Fire Co.1 under the command of DC1 and Portable 4 (Capt. Lorz) were requested to the intersection of Ralph and Cooper for a motor vehicle collision.  Upon arrival, units found one vehicle up over the curb and into a retaining wall leaking fluids. As members from Engine 744 and Ladder 742 applied speedy dry and secured the battery, they were notified to check a vehicle further north on Ralph Street.  This vehicle which was parked near the scene before the collision was now resting about 330 feet north of its previous location. Both vehicles were secured and all units were released in less than forty-five minutes

At 23:56 hours, the members of Alert Fire Co.1 were requested by Mid-Bergen mutual aid to respond to the city of Englewood to 34 E. Palisade Ave. for a 2nd alarm structure fire.  DC1 and Ladder 742 with Portable 4 (Capt. Lorz) and a crew of four responded and while enroute to the scene were redirected to stand by at the Englewood Fire Headquarters.  They stood by with a Fort Lee engine and a Leonia engine.  Units took in no calls and returned to the borough in just under two hours.

The Bergenfield FD responded to 721 calls during 2006. The BFD answered 151 general alarms and 570 still or single company alarms. Of the 151 general alarms, 11 of these were working fires. The BFD responded to 16 mutual aid assignments within our mutual aid groups. Members continued to train racking up thousands of hours of class time both in house and out while attending various schools.