By Michael N. Ciampo
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, is located in northeastern Bergen County and is primarily a residential community that popped up on old historic farmland. In addition to beautiful homes and scenic suburban landscapes, the area is also home to some large corporate offices such as BMW of North America. Long gone are the farms that once provided area residents, visitors, and tourists from New York City with fresh apple cider and donuts along with other fruits and vegetables. The borough is named after the large reservoir which is in the town and runs into other adjoining towns. The fire department, like many other volunteer departments across the country, was created after concerned residents got together to form a local fire company for a community’s fire protection needs. In 1932, a specific resolution was presented to the mayor and council by the original members of the fire company that stated they were “to combat grass and brush fires.” However, upon incorporation, the purpose changed to read: “for the protection of life and property from fire.” In 1933, the mayor and council informally approved a resolution for its creation, which was during the depression. The company originally ran “Card Parties” to raise funds since money was hard to come by during these times. The parties raised $70.45, and that money was spent on the following supplies: 18 fire brooms, five Indian Tanks (and an additional one being donated) and 25 badges. Soon to follow, the members were able to purchase an old Dodge truck for $35; the deal was for $10 down and “$25 in a month or so.” The truck was built mostly with spare parts and had a 50-gallon water barrel on it, two Indian tanks and five fire brooms. In the months and years to follow, the department was able to purchase used apparatus from a neighboring department for $800. They were an REO Speedwagon pumper and chemical truck.
Luckily, the department has grown and has moved forward and isn’t operating out of a barn that members insulated and put gas heat in to house their rigs years ago. With the forward progress, the department recently acquired a 2016 Pierce Enforcer with a seven-person tilt cab with a 10-inch raised roof and aluminum body with hinged compartment doors. The rig is identified as Squad 7 and operates as Woodcliff Lake’s first-due pumper on all alarms. The rig is painted with a black-over-red paint scheme, including on the rear upper portion of the engine. There are three black reflective stripes—two thin and one thick—running along the lower section of the cab and then angling upward onto the upper portion of the rescue body. On the front cab doors, there are large department gold leaf Maltese Crosses, and on the rear crew cab doors is Squad 7 signage. Running along the upper portion of the rescue body in the black painted portion, gold leaf signage for “Woodcliff Lake” is present with Station 68 running under that. The apparatus is powered by a Detroit DD13 505-hp engine, and it has an Allison EVS4000 transmission. The pump is a Waterous 2,000-gpm two-stage pump with a 750-gallon polypropylene water tank. The apparatus also has TAK-4 independent front suspension and a Harrison MSV 6-kW hydraulic generator. For overall safety, the department specified equipment such as a Safety Vision 620 backup camera, which has a four-way guard around it to prevent damage to it. The mirrors are Retrac-heated and remote control mirrors with a convex section that assists