Middletown Township Fire Company No. 1 - MTFD Station 8

Frequently Asked Questions                        


Table of Contents

  1. How do I become a Member of the Volunteer Fire Department ...?

  2. What are the Basic Requirements to becoming a Firefighter ... ?

  3. I live in the Primary Response Area how do I donate...?

  4. What is LOSAP... ?

  5. How Large is the Middletown Township Fire Department... ?

  6. Is alcohol served or permitted ?

  7. Are the Fire Company facilities available for private affairs ?

  8. What's the Fire Company Website about ... ?


How do I join... ?

All prospective members start by submitting a Membership Application. [PDF](future) 

Applications are available by contacting the Applications Committee

Membership is open to all residents of the Township of Middletown.

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What are the basic requirements... ?

All applicants are subject to a background check by Law Enforcement Authorities and a Physical Examination by a licensed physician in the State of NJ.

Applicants must be have the ability to perform various physical tasks including but not limited to lifting, carrying, climbing, operating power tools, using self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA),etc. 

New Line Firefighter Applicants are REQUIRED to attend the Middletown Township Fire Academy's Firefighter I Basic Training class. These classes are held in the spring and fall. 

Membership is also open to those who would like to contribute in a non-firefighting role. Positions are available in such areas as administration, facilities and finance.

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I live in the primary response area how do I donate ... ?

Our annual fund drive begins in April of each year and runs through September. A letter is sent to each resident within our primary response area explaining the need for funding and a summary of the companies highpoints, such as the number of responses made in the previous year and what additional funds will be spent on. Expenses include utilities, equipment purchases, building maintenance and improvements, fire apparatus maintenance, repairs and service, protective garments, radios, fuel, etc.

Donations can be mailed directly to the fire company at: 

Middletown Township Fire Company 1 , 336 Highway 35,  Red Bank, NJ 07701

Future Website enhancements will allow donations to be made over the Internet on our secure server with a major credit/debit card.

All Donations to the Fire Company are Tax Deductible under current IRS Regulations

Please do not send cash, a cancelled check will serve as your donation receipt.

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What is LOSAP... ?

LOSAP is the Length Of Service Awards Program.  Established in the fall of 1999 by the municipal governing body (see also Middletown Township Local Government), LOSAP is a program whereby members who actively participate and render volunteer service are credited with "service points". These points are tallied at years end and if qualified, a member will receive a financial contribution which is placed in an account similar to a 401K retirement account. The actual distribution and withdrawal of these funds is determined by law.

The LOSAP program was established after a public question was approved by a majority of the townships registered voters in the November 1999 general election. 

The current maximum contribution for an actively serving member with 15 years service is $ 1,100 per annum. While not a large sum of money, the program was designed to provide an added incentive to our volunteers.

The current tax burden for this program to a resident with a home assessed at $ 200,000 is appx. $10 per year

 

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Is alcohol served or permitted ?

No, with one exception.

Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited by The Middletown Township Fire Company No. 1.  Our policy is clear..."alcohol consumption or possession by fire company members is prohibited at the fire house or on the fire company property except as permitted at specifically sanctioned events".

Members of the fire company are permitted to consume alcoholic beverages at only sanctioned events, the annual picnic, holiday party, open house and dinner. The fire company is out of service for the duration of each of these events and for a period of eight hours following. Surrounding in-service fire companies are coordinated for coverage so that community fire protection is not compromised.

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Are the Fire Company Facilities available for private affairs ?

No, we no longer have a hall and we do not host or rent out the fire companies primary use spaces or our parking lot. There are private facilities located throughout the township that can host special events and gatherings.

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How large is my Fire Department ... ?

The Middletown Township Fire Department is the Largest Volunteer Fire Department in the World. Made up of 11 Fire Stations, The Chiefs Office, Fire Prevention, The Fire Academy, Air Unit, Special Services and the Fire Police Unit.

 (what more info? see Middletown Township Fire Department)

Almost 600 dedicated men and women volunteer their time serving our community from Line Firefighting and Rescue activities to Administration.

Middletown Township is appx. 41 Square miles in size and home to some 70,000 residents. 

 

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Why the Fire Company Website ... ?

As technology advances the ability to disseminate information to the public and our members becomes increasing important. As a service customer of the fire company we feel that information fosters a better understanding of what, why and how we provide our residents this vital service. As a member the coordination of activities, events, and recurrent training are best supported by an open information system.

Lastly our need to raise funds never ends, we have researched the ability to provide on line donation capability to our residents and have found that this trend will increase in upcoming years. In actuality it costs less to operate this website for a year than it does to perform door to door fund drive activates for just one weekend.

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