CNBNews

It was with interest that I read the articles about the Gloucester City Fire Department and the dispute over "Overtime."

  During the 1940's and early 1950's there were several large industries located on Charles Street at the river. They caught fire frequently.

During that time my father was the Fire Chief of Gloucester City. He was a volunteer chief. A large bell was located on the side of our house. When the fire siren sounded, the bell rang out loud and clear.

Many times, I was awakened from a sound sleep by the alarm. I usually did not return to sleep, but spent the time praying that my father would return home safely. There were many times when he would be fighting the fire for several hours in the middle of the night. He would return home, get a little sleep, and then get up at about 4:30 a.m. to go to the market in Philadelphia where he purchased the fruits and vegetables that he would sell from door to door on his huckster route around town.

There were many weekends that I accompanied him on the fruit and vegetable truck. If the alarm sounded during the workday, he would secure the tailgate of the truck, and off we would go to the fire.

  He was not paid for his efforts, but I believe that he enjoyed being a public servant. He was good at what he did. He taught fire school at Camden County Vocational, and some of you would remember how he directed the Monmouth Street school fire that almost took St. Mary's Church with it.

Each week, my father would make out a report about the number and circumstances of the fires that had occurred during that weekly period. These reports, I believe, were printed in the City Newspaper.

  There used to be many false alarms because the alarm boxes were on the telephone poles, and many times an inebriated person would pull the alarm for fun. I can tell you that there were many Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners that my father left half-eaten because someone pulled in a false alarm.

  There were only a few paid firemen at that time. They were there so they could drive the trucks. I remember being at Company number One on Bergen Street when an alarm was sounded. A couple of men who were sleeping slid down the pole from the second floor and jumped on the trucks.

  What I would like to know is what do the firemen do when there are no fires? One can only spend so much time shining the trucks.

  Have the communications systems been updated since the tragic fire that killed the three little girls and the three firemen?

Can Gloucester hear the Camden firemen, and the other local towns?

Can Gloucester talk to them on their radios without interference?

Are you ready for a disaster like a plane crash (lots of planes overhead in Gloucester), or a train derailment?

How many disaster drills do you have a year that include all the paid men as well as the volunteers?

Who is in charge when several fire companies come to fight a major fire in the Gloucester City area?

Do you still visit all the schools in town during Fire Prevention Week to discuss how to prevent and escape from a house fire?

  Another item that interests many people is the salary. New Jersey Network stated that the average salary in New Jersey is $60,000 a year.

I am quite sure that most of the working men and women of Gloucester City do not make that much; otherwise, the school district would not be designated as an ABBOTT District.

  My final questions to the city firemen are: Do you have a right to ask for a salary higher than what you are now receiving since most of the residents who are paying your salary are making less that the state average of $60,000?

  Tell me how you can cut your budget so you can have your salary in line with the salaries of the people who are providing your paychecks?

Mary Klaus Ziegler, Glassboro