Bergen fire departments, first responders receiving over $175K to protect against COVID-19

Fire departments and other first responders across Bergen County are getting help in protecting their members during the coronavirus pandemic.

Seven Bergen departments are among 18 in New Jersey that are receiving about $473,000 in Assistance to Firefighter Grants from the Department of Homeland Security to buy personal protective equipment and other essential supplies. The funding was secured by U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker in the CARES Act.

The fire departments and other organizations receiving the grants in Bergen County are:

• Paramus : $93,054.
• Garfield: $32,165.
• Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps: $19,117.
• Oradell Volunteer Fire Department: $15,916.
• New Milford: $7,419.
• Rutherford: $4,783.
• Leonia: $2,874.

Other fire departments in North Jersey getting the grants include Secaucus in Hudson County ($19,661) and Mount Arlington in Morris County ($2,988). And across the state, fire departments and EMTs in Burlington, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer and Salem counties will receive grant money.

Joseph Gothelf, chief of the Oradell Volunteer Fire Department, said the grant money will be used to outfit its 50 members with reusable protective gear such as Tyvek suits, personal respirators, goggles and boots to protect themselves when they fight fires in locations where there is the potential to contract the virus.

“It is tremendously helpful because we can use it, wash it, decontaminate it and use it again,” Gothelf said. 

He said it is “fortunate” that none of the department’s members have been stricken with the coronavirus since Oradell has not seen as many cases as other Bergen County towns.

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As of Tuesday, there were 187 positive coronavirus cases and 23 deaths in Oradell.

Firefighters, both current and former, have not been spared from the virus that has infected 176,278 and killed over 13,000 people in New Jersey.

In March, Passaic Firefighter Israel Tolentino, 33, was the first firefighter in the state to die from the virus. 

In April, a coronavirus outbreak was reported at the historic New Jersey Firemen's Home, a long-term care facility in Boonton for retired firefighters, where 22 residents and 15 staff members were infected, and one person died.

Ricardo Kaulessar is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com Twitter: @ricardokaul