Autumn Years Summer 2023

codes theoretically set minimum safety requirements, but codes are developed by the private sector and adopted by the government, which is heavily influenced by industry.” His advocacy included having a press conference after the Edgewater fire. He included unions and fire prevention associations in an effort to change things. “You’d think it would be an easy thing to do,” Glenn says, “But we got pushback from every entity that didn’t want to increase the cost of construction.” “I’m a tenured college professor and all the media outlets call us to get an opinion piece,” Glenn says. “When it comes to New Jersey, I call the reporter and meet them and do my darndest to put it out there that New Jersey codes are not adequate.” He wants everyone to lobby at the state level for better fire safety in buildings. “Politicians talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. In New York City, I have advocated for public address systems in existing residential high-rises. They aren’t that expensive but can save people’s lives. Currently, a firefighter in “I’m a tenured college professor and all the media outlets call us to get an opinion piece,” Glenn says, “When it comes to New Jersey, I call the reporter and meet them and do my darndest to put it out there that New Jersey codes are not adequate.”

Members of the All Aboard committee of Waldwick’s Historical Society, which restored its historic train tower.

the lobby can’t communicate to upper floors.” Addressing the lack of fire department volunteers, he talks about the Northwest Bergen Mutual Aid Association, which formed in 1958 to coordinate responses among towns from Mahwah to Fair Lawn. That entails using the regional radio system, which determines when to call for a Firefighter Assist and Search Team for extreme fires. He says, “We don’t have the people, so there’s a lot more mutual aid. The county has nine mutual aid groups for the 69 fire departments. Only Hackensack, Englewood, Teaneck and Ridgewood have paid fire departments.” The county’s fire departments formed when life was more rural; however, now communities are seeing former business headquarters becoming multi-unit housing. “This is something we need to contend with,” Glenn says while helping plan a summit to involve the state Department of Community Affairs, other state agencies, the insurance industry and so on. “Stuff that happens

in Trenton impacts what we’re doing.” Still involved with the Waldwick Fire Department, he says a good firefighter is one who is physically fit and committed to a demanding lifestyle and constant training. “We won’t be fighting fire with robots, but we have technology and are doing better things,” Glenn says. Computer data helps firefighters map where to position emergency services, and computer analyses can be used to help attack fire. “Fires still are put out with water and a hose. We hold onto tradition but do embrace new technologies—whether it’s mobile displays in the trucks, electronic devices to show where resources are deployed,” he says. Even after volunteers age out of active firefighting, they stay on with departments because they love the work. “Firefighting is a skill and an art to a certain extent,” he says. That skill set includes knowing what materials are in a building. For instance, with wood construction, a fire might keep moving even though the flames appear to be out.

SUMMER 2023 I AUTUMN YEARS 33