Chief Encourages Cooperation Among Fire Departments [VIDEO]

Butler Fire Department Chief often has two phones in his hand and one on his ear.

“It never stops,” he said.

Neill entered the Carey Avenue station, passing young volunteer firefighters who he silently greeted. Along the way he checked his other two phones for messages.

“It really never stops,” he said again, as he juggled the communication devices.

Four separate firefighting companies comprise the. Each has a chief. Every two years, one of those chiefs becomes chief of the entire Butler Fire Department. Twenty months ago, Neill, of the Kiel Hook and Ladder Company, was chosen by his peers to serve in that capacity.

“It’s called the ‘fire department’, but it’s like the ‘everything department,’” Neill said. “It’s a non-stop job. Wherever you are, the phone rings…and fires don’t wait.”

The 28-year veteran volunteer said Butler firefighters have had a busy month. In addition to regular calls that include strange smells, trapped animals, rescues, accidents and fires, the team has also assisted residents during the  and the subsequent flooding.

Recently the Carey Avenue firehouse served as a shelter to displaced residents. The 13 members of the department’s auxiliary became chefs and waiters, serving three meals a day for two days. Simultaneously, many of Butler’s 89 volunteer firefighters joined the fire departments of seven neighboring towns in Pompton Lakes. They went to pump out basements and try to help homeowners there get back on their feet. Through it all, the squad also managed to hold their annual barbeque- which served more as an opportunity for the firefighters to grab nourishment rather than celebrate while they remained on call for additional emergencies close to home.

“That’s the job,” said Neill, who is also a certified fire official. “And, now, being chief, it’s more than just spare time. It’s more like having a second full-time job.”

On his way to the fire house Wednesday, he had been called upon to stop and help. First, as he was leaving his home in , where he also works for the [MCPC], he came upon people unsure of what to do in the face of a mother bear with two cubs. Next, he needed to assist a woman who had run into a deer with her car.

“I can’t just drive by and not help,” explained the chief, adding, “We’re here. If you need us, call us.”

Shortly after becoming chief, Neill helped to initiate the Joint Chiefs Association. The unique group brings chiefs from seven neighboring towns in two counties together on a regular basis. This is the first time the seven towns' fire departments have committed to working cooperatively on an on-going basis.

“Each town has its own fire coordinator and each county has its own set of rules,” explained Neill. But, when you need the neighbor that is right on the other side of the river, you have to learn to play in the sandbox together.”

While the towns have always provided mutual aid when help is needed, with this new association, they are able to address issues like funding and state requirements.

Currently, the seven towns are applying for a joint Federal Firefighters Safety Grant. Applying cooperatively allows the application to bypass the first phase of the review process.

New state mandates require that a Rapid Intervention Team [RIT] be on site during every active fire in case a firefighter needs to be rescued. The Joint Chiefs Association would like to insure that all seven towns are working with identical RIT equipment and that each town is thoroughly trained on that equipment. In this way, any RIT in the area can assist with any fire on a moment’s notice. The team will not even need to bring its own equipment. The equipment on the primary truck at the scene will be used by any team responding to the RIT call. This is important because many roads in the area are narrow, and more than one fire truck cannot fit at the scene.

“You have to have one [RIT],” Neill explained. “The state mandates it, but the state doesn’t fund it.”

If the first RIT becomes active during the course of a fire, another RIT needs to be dispatched to stand at the ready in case another firefighter needs rescue.

“We’re trying to get seven sets of identical tools,” added Neill.

The grant request is for $200,000. In addition, each of the seven towns has committed to providing an additional 20 percent maximum of the value of the awarded grant for equipment. The list of RIT equipment includes thermal imaging cameras, saws, radios, hand tools and stretchers. The extensive list is outlined according to state requirements.

Neill has lived in Butler for all but three of his 46 years. His father was a firefighter at Kiel Hook and Ladder. His mother grew up on High Street. Neill grew up there too, in the house that was behind the old firehouse.

“I grew up with the guys from Kiel,” Neill said. “The fire department is like a family. If something happens to one of us it happens to all of us.”

In addition to paperwork, training for himself and the town’s 89 volunteers, budget details, recruiting volunteers, fundraising events, compliance with state requirements, responding to accidents and the actual fighting of fires, Neill is responsible for the people who volunteer to protect the community.

“The most important thing is the safety of both my firefighters and the constituents of the town,” said Neill.

The chief also tries to stay in touch with widows, and those who have retired out of the department. He asks older members to take the time to record the history and identify people in photos. He writes names and notes on the back of pictures for future generations to read.

“There’s so much history,” he said, noting that even the names of the four companies-Kiel Hook and Ladder Company, Bartholdi Hose Company #2, Kinney Hose Company 1 and Pequannock Engine & Hose Company- reflect Butler’s history.

Neil has three sons, ages 25, 18 and 12. Together they collect antique fire memorabilia.

In his capacity as Second Superintendent of Parks for the MCPC Neill is responsible for the care and upkeep of 11 Morris County parks on the south side of the county.

Like his volunteer job, Neill is on-call 24/7 for the park commission. For 27 years he has juggled the demands of both the Butler volunteer department and the MCPC. In both, he has studied hard, trained hard and worked his way up through the ranks. In addition to becoming chief of the Butler fire department, he was also given a promotion and a larger crew to manage, at MCPC.

“I put my heart into both things,” said Neill. “I like a nice park, but, I like a nice firehouse too.”

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