On the afternoon of June 10th, 2023, the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association sponsored our annual barbecue which we sponsor each June for residents and their families at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ. With the COVID restrictions slowly being lifted, families were finally able to join us for the occasion which makes these events special. This annual picnic is paid for the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association with the generosity from fire departments all over Bergen County.
We lucked out with a sunny, warm day and this got residents and their families outside to enjoy the nice weather and a wonderful food. The members of the kitchen staff along with our member and grill master, NJ State Firemen’s Association President Bob Ordway, cooked a wonderful barbecue lunch that included chili, hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, potato and cole slaw salads, corn on the cob, baked beans…
The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the April 2023 Meeting
On April 16th, 2023, the members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association met for our quarterly meeting. We discussed the happenings at the NJ Firemen’s Home and following the State regulations as we prepare to host our Summer barbecue in June for the residents and their guests. We are also planning a second barbecue in August with a special party planned for member who is turning 100 this year. More detail on that are forthcoming.
We were impressed by the number of donations from our fellow fire departments all over Bergen County, NJ for their generous donations to help fund the entertainment, refreshments and gifts to the NJ Firemen’s Home in the future. We want to thank our Brother Firefighters for thinking about the residents of the home and assisting our brothers and sisters. We…
It has been a long time since we had a Christmas Party at the NJ State Firemen’s Home and it was nice to be back. We had to follow all COVID protocols and wore masks during our visit to the home.
Let the party begin!
The entertainment room was set for Christmas
We started our day with a get together of the members before the entertainment began. It was nice to just sit back and talk to the other members before the entertainment began. It gave the Executive Board a chance to talk and we took our first group shot since I joined the Board last year. We make a very impressive bunch.
The Executive Board of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association
I even got a chance to bond with the resident dog of the NJ State Firemen’s Home, Wells, who was a former seeing eye dog that has…
Thank you to the Wyckoff Fire Department Company One for hosting us again for breakfast. We look forward to this every year. Thank you fellow brothers!
The Members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the Wyckoff Fire Department Company One breakfast.
The delicious breakfast cooked by our hosts for us that morning.
Members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association digging in for breakfast
Thank you to our Brothers at the Wyckoff Fire Department Company One for hosting us again!
The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at their Annual Breakfast Meeting at the Wyckoff Fire House in Wyckoff, NJ.
The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home met for their Annual Breakfast Meeting at the Wyckoff Fire Department in Wyckoff, NJ on November 2oth, 2022. After our flag salute and Fireman’s Prayer, we sat down to true tradition in the fire service, a fireman’s breakfast.
A Fire Department breakfast is the best way to start the day
The members of the Wyckoff Fire Department very generously cooked a wonderful breakfast for our members that included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, steak, hash browns and rolls.
Members digging in for breakfast at the Wyckoff Fire House
Members of the BCFHA wives took time to bake for us as well. We had a selection of cakes and muffins to enjoy during and after the meeting. Our host’s wife always makes…
The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association sponsors two barbecues at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in July and August
It was a spectacular day for a barbecue!
After having to cancel our June Barbecue because of bad weather (there was a rain storm all day on our date in June), we lucked out on our first barbecue on July 10th, when we had the most spectacular sunny and warm day with no humidity. It was the same for our second barbecue on August 21st. Clear sunny skies and low 80-degree weather had the residents of the NJ State Firemen’s Home coming out in droves to enjoy good music and delicious food.
The August barbecue was especially special. The crowd included a large contingent from the Maywood Fire Department to help celebrate the 99th birthday of Maywood’s own George Steger, a guest at the firemen’s home…
It is tough when you lose a fellow fire fighter but when it is someone you have known for your entire time on the fire department and someone you have worked with for years, it hurts even more.
We recently suffered the loss of our fellow brother, former Chief Chris Semenecz of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department. Chief Semenecz joined the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department in November of 1984 and was an active and productive member until his retirement from the department in October of 2021. He always put his best into his work for the fire service.
Chief Semenecz to the far right with Chief Moots first to left, Chief Roccamo next to him and Chief Monohan to the immediate left of him (members Bernie Valente and Hippen Shah in the middle) at the 2019 Installation Dinner
Chris had been a long-time member of the former Engine One Company (before we merged the Department in 2019) serving as its Treasurer, Lieutenant, and Captain in 1989-1990. He then did his rotation as Second Assistant Chief, First Assistant Chief and then Chief of the Department in 1992-93.
Chief Semenecz standing for Inspection with Chief Roccamo at the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department Annual Inspection
He also served many other positions within the Department as well. He had served as a Fire Inspector in 1987, was EMT Certified in 1986, served as a mechanic for the Engine One Company from 2000-2004 and again from 2013-2018. He served as the President of the Exempt Association and the Treasurer of the Relief Association of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department.
Chief Semenecz was proud of his time on Engine One HHFD
On top of running his own business in business transport, he also served on the Hasbrouck Heights Borough Council from 1979-1981 and again from 2013-2015 and running for Mayor of the Hasbrouck Heights in 2014.
Heros are not born but over time they contribute to a community in many ways. Chief Semenecz showed that you can wear many hats in life, a devoted husband and family man both to his wife, Jayne and his family, active member of the Hasbrouck Heights community including being a Hasbrouck Heights High School Alumnus to assisting Santa each year in the department’s “Santa Around Town” celebration greeting members of the community during the holiday season.
Chief Semenecz welcoming in the holidays with other members of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department including special guest, Mr. Snowman. Chief Tim Moots, former Captain Bernie Valente, former Secretary Justin Watrel and Chief Angelo Roccamo.
Chief Semenecz showed that being a hero can be accomplished in many different ways but of him giving of himself to everyone surrounding him.
He will be missed!
All the members of the former Engine One Company congratulating Chief Angelo Roccamo in becoming Chief in 2019 of the newly formed Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department
Santa is going on his next journey in life. We wish him all the best!
The Members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association in July 2022
It was a spectacular day for a barbecue!
After having to cancel our June Barbecue because of bad weather (there was a rain storm all day on our date in June), we lucked out on July 10th when we had the most spectacular sunny and warm day with no humidity. Clear sunny skies and low 80-degree weather had the residents of the NJ State Firemen’s Home coming out in droves to enjoy good music and delicious food.
With a menu of hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue ribs and chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans and chili, macaroni and potato salads and fresh watermelon for dessert residents and members had a wonderful lunch under the shade trees and tents that were set up on the lawn outside the home.
We followed all COVID protocols to keep the residents and…
A group of us from the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department joined dozens of other fire departments in Bergen County, NJ to wish our brothers on the Wood Ridge Fire Department our best at their 125th Anniversary Celebration. It was a nice afternoon of food, entertainment and good conversation. It was nice to see everyone having a good time on this sunny afternoon.
Wishing our Brothers on the Wood Ridge Fire Department the best in their 125th Year!
Former Engine One and Department Secretary Justin Watrel, Former Captain and Lieutenant of Engine One Bernie Valente and Former Chief of the Department, Captain and Lieutenant Tim Moots of Engine One all of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department enjoying the afternoon at the Wood Ridge Fire Department’s 125th Fire Department celebration.
I know that I can be quite the traditionalist and like to keep up events that have been successful. I also like to build on them and see them grow over time.
The old Engine One Barbecue that we used to have after every Meeting/Drill night in June started as just a small dinner one night when we wanted to barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs after our drill. Members of our company were joined by other members from other companies enjoyed themselves and it was mentioned at our next department meeting. Some members complained that we didn’t invite them (they were more than happy to come to the drill night). So the next year we sent out invitations for the barbecue that would be after the drill/meeting night.
Firefighter Justin Watrel, Barbecue Chairman, June 2022 Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department Meeting night
For the next eleven summers, we continued the tradition and it grew over time and the menu began to vary. We went from simple hamburgers and hot dogs we morphed into creative salads, baked ziti and doctored up Baked Beans with things like black strap molasses, maple syrup hot sauce and cured bacon.
Homemade Baked Ziti and Potato Salad
I got even more creative with the desserts. I used to order an ice cream cake with a fire engine on it but no one would eat it. So I changed it around and did more traditional desserts like cake cookies, brownies and rice crispy treats. I even experimented with desserts that are traditional to a barbecue like watermelon and apple pie but they were not as popular.
Me preparing for dinner in 2017
As time went on, members would bring their family to the event and many of our old timers and their wives were invited so that they could meet up together again. We were averaging 50 to 60 people at every barbecue so it was hard to judge who to cook for that evening.
Our senior members with their wives at the 2015 barbecue
COVID affected the event just after we merged the department in 2019 and we stopped the event for two years. It was nice for me when the department voted to bring the barbecue dinner back at the May Department meeting. It gave me a chance to put my Hyatt banquet skills back and dig back into my culinary skills.
Setting up snacks and drinks at the barbecue
The menu was kept simple since it was just the department members after the June Department Meeting. We grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and Italian Sausage. For the sides, I made a homemade Baked Ziti, a Red Bliss Potato Salad with Bacon and Baked Beans with all sorts of chips and popcorn and for dessert I made traditional dessert of various flavored Cake Cookies, Brownies and Rice Cripsy Treats. Those Rice Cripsy Treats really disappeared.
What I liked about the barbecue was the compliments from the other guys on the department and what a good time they had. It was nice to bring this comradre back after this long spell of COVID. As usual, I want to thank Firefighter Bernie Valente for helping with all the barbecuing and for being our grill master.
Firefighter and Grill Master Bernie Valente
It’s good to make a group of firemen happy!
Firefighter Justin Watrel setting up the homemade desserts of brownies, cookies and rice crispy treats
The Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department Annual Inspection May 21st, 2022
For the first time in two years (due to the COVID pandemic), the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department stood for Inspection for the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights.
All department members worked during the week washing, scrubbing and cleaning every piece of apparatus, cleaning all the tools and organizing all the cabinets to be sure that everything was in place. Then we cleaned the fire house from top to bottom. Every room was cleaned and vacuumed and shown the pride the department has in our firehouse.
The Department Inspection was led by Chief Tim Moots, First Assistant Chief Kevin Todd and Second Assistant Chief Mike Greco. The members stood attention for the flag salute, a special greeting by Chief Moots and speeches by invited dignitaries.
The Department invited the community to join in inspecting all of the department’s equipment and out of town chiefs judged each piece of apparatus, two engines, the ladder truck, the rescue truck and the two ambulances for appearance and equipment check. The rescue truck won that evening.
After the Inspection of the equipment was over, the members of the fire department and their invited guests joined together for an Italian dinner in our large meeting room. It was nice way for everyone to come together after a two-year gap.
Good luck and Godspeed to all members of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department in 2022!
Fire Fighter Justin Watrel assigned to the Ambulance Squad for “Best Equipment Contest” at the 2022 Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department Inspection.
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