Westwood Fire Department

Since February 10, 1894 the Westwood Volunteer Fire Department has been serving 24/7, 365 days a year. Westwood is 2.9 square miles with a population of 11,000 residents. Our intention is to serve the public in the most professional manner possible. Assisting our law enforcement agency and emergency medical service whenever requested. The department operates out of one centrally located headquarters with two engines, one truck and one rescue. Please stop in and visit or inquire about becoming a volunteer. We also welcome comments on our performance and service to the community we proudly serve. Help us to help you.

- Chief Jaymee Hodges

2013 OFFICERS SWORN IN AT ANNUAL REORGANIZATION MEETING

1/3/13 - The Westwood Fire Department's 2013 Chief and Officers were sworn in at the Borough's annual reorganization meeting. Chief Jaymee Hodges will be serving his second consecutive year as Chief of the Department. The department also honored Lt. Steve Fatovic with the Firefighter of the Year Award for 2012. Lt. Fatovic joined the department as a Cadet in 2001 and was recently appointed as acting Lieutenant in September 2012.

According to Chief Hodges, "This past year, Steve offered to install electrical receptacles around the apparatus room above all of our gear racks. After many days of hard work, the firefighters now have the ability to charge flashlights, radios and gas detectors at our gear locations without having extension cords."

2013 Westwood Fire Department Officers
Chief Jaymee Hodges
Deputy Chief J.C. Mawdsley
Sr. Captain Jim Voorhis
Captain Bill Haffler
1st Lieutenant Kevin Woods
2nd Lieutenant Mike Griffin, Sr.
3rd Lieutenant Brian Kronewitter
4th Lieutenant Steve Fatovic

STRUCTURE FIRE ON WOODLAND AVE.

12/18/12 - Firefighters from seven towns worked together to quickly extinguished a fire in Westwood Tuesday afternoon.

The fire "of fairly good volume" started shortly before 3 p.m. in the ceiling of a building on Woodland Avenue used as rental offices and storage, according to Westwood Fire Chief Jaymee Hodges.

The Westwood Fire Department was joined by firefighters from Emerson, Oradell, River Vale, Woodcliff Lake, Hillsdale and Park Ridge. Firefighters from Old Tappan were also standing by at the Emerson Fire Department.

Firefighters opened up the roof of the building to reach the fire. It ended up taking them between 20 and 25 minutes to knock down the flames, Hodges said.

There were no injuries.

The exact cause of the fire had not yet been determined. PSE&G was at the scene to cut off power to the building.

Story & photo courtesy of the Westwood-Hillsdale Patch.com (Jim Leggate)

RESCUE 17 RESPONDS TO ROLL-OVER

12/14/12 - Westwood firefighters freed a woman who was trapped in her rolled-over car late Friday morning. The woman was driving eastbound on Harrington Avenue at about 11:50 a.m. when she swerved and glanced off a tree near the corner of Berkeley Avenue. The driver lost control of the silver Chevy, which rolled onto its side as it slid across the intersection and jumped a curb across the street, according to Police Chief Frank Regino.

The driver "doesn't appear to be seriously injured," Regino said. There were no passengers in the car.

Firefighters used hydraulic tools to cut open the roof of the car and free the woman, who had been trapped inside.

The Westwood Ambulance Corps transported the woman to an area hospital.

Story & photo courtesy of the Westwood-Hillsdale Patch.com (Jim Leggate)