Hackensack NJ July 1st 1988 *20 year's ago*

[CPAGE 2]

On July 1st 1988 Hackensack Fire Department lost 5 members at the Hackensack Ford dealership fire. 20 years has past by but the members have not been forgotten. Here is a list of the fallen brothers say a little prayer for the members and the families of the fallen.

The Hackensack fire department will hold a memorial service at the firefighters monument on July 1st.

CAPT. RICHARD L. WILLIAMS

Engine Co. No. 304

July 1, 1988

LIEUT. RICHARD REINHAGEN

Engine Co. No. 302

July 1, 1988

F/F WILLIAM KREJSA

Engine Co. No. 301

July 1, 1988

F/F LEONARD RADUMSKI

Engine Co. No. 302

July 1, 1988

F/F STEPHEN ENNIS

Rescue Co. No. 308

July 1, 1988

[jcoppola 52]

Great post, thanks for reminding all of us of that supreme sacrifice that the Hackensack Brothers made. At the very least, all of us who have been in this business for a few years cannot look at a bowstring truss roof and not think about that dreadful day. It is our duty and obligation to pass along the lessons learned there. Know that they are all looking upon us and helping to keep us safe. God bless them and those loved ones who still mourn that loss.

JVC

[DOC22 1]

Great post, I think often of this tragedy. May we all remember forever the lessons learned by this. Was this not one of the startingfactors for Critical Stress Management as we know it today?

[CPAGE 2]

I remember this fire like it was yesterday I was home in Mount Vernon and had the buff radio on and I heard a voice say we can't get out and i locked it on the channel. After that I heard stuff no one should have to hear or should I say no one should have to say it scared the hell out of me. Then to find out that five brothers had died in the fire was very hard to grip.

Then a few months later I was in a training class and they used some video of the fire and that was just like hearing the fire all over again. I have had the honor of working with the guy's in Hackensack FD over the past few years as I was in the next town over and they do a great job to honor the fallen and they have a nice monument set up for the brothers from that fire.

With the loss of those hero's we all have to take something away from that day from what we have learned about that type of a building we may have lost five but they have saved many others by this one incident.

The Hackensack fire department will hold a memorial on July 1st at 7pm at Memorial Park, Hackensack NJ.

Edited June 30, 2008 by CPAGE

[RWC130 594]

May the 5 Hackensack Firefighters

REST IN PEACE!

God Bless

BE SAFE!

[Guest]

As I recall the principal cause of this tragedy was the dispatch and fireground radio frequency being the same.

The plight of the trapped firefighters was concealed by fire dispatch,responding rigs plus tones.

Sadly,some departments still operate this way.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I think back of that incident often...personally and as well as hundreds of other instructors who use it as case scenarios to honor them by trying to prevent similiar incidents.

Its sad to know that more firefighters have died under similiar circumstances as our brothers in Hackensack. Coos Bay, OR is one of them that comes to mind. Use their tradegy to educate all firefighters, new, old and fire officers in the dangers of Bowstring trusses and all lightweight construction. Then they shall have not died in vain.

Remember....Cancer and Lightweight construction.....SUCKS!