Lawrence Road Fire Co. is always looking for new volunteers, both to serve as active emergency responders and to help with the fire company’s administrative operations. The many different types of membership are listed below.

Click here to view several photos of Lawrence Road’s volunteer heroes at work.

In the more than eight decades that have past since Lawrence Road Fire Co. was organized on May 1, 1914, several hundred dedicated Lawrence Township residents – men and women from all walks of life – have chosen to serve their community as fire company volunteers. Over the years, the company’s membership roster has included doctors, business owners, accountants, electricians, computer technicians, builders, students and homemakers, as well as others from a variety of different fields.

Today, Lawrence Road Fire Co. has about 50 active volunteers of all ages. Just like you, these men and women work full-time jobs or attend school or college. But, in addition to fulfilling their many responsibilities at work and home, they also respond when needed, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to all kinds of emergency situations: fires, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous materials incidents, natural disasters, and searches for missing persons, among others. Mostly recently – and sadly – bioterrorism scares have been added to the list of incidents to which Lawrence Road members are called.

Many of the Lawrence Road’s current active members are employed full-time in the emergency services. They work as police officers in Lawrence Township, as career firefighters in Trenton, and as paramedics in other towns, to name a few, but they all still want to help their neighbors by volunteering at Lawrence Road when they are off-duty from their fulltime jobs.

When not responding to emergencies, Lawrence Road volunteers participate in a number of different training programs, including classroom lectures and hands-on instruction at the Mercer County fire academy and also twice-monthly drills held in the firehouse. Drills cover topics like the proper ways to connect hose to a fire hydrant or a fire engine, how to wear self-contained breathing apparatus (an airpack), how to raise an extension ladder, and how to use special tools to cut apart a vehicle to free trapped accident victims. All firefighters are also trained in basic first aid, including CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator.

Lawrence Road volunteers also conduct fire prevention and safety training for Lawrence Township school children. Five of the township’s seven public schools are located within Fire District 2 – including Eldridge Park and Ben Franklin elementary schools, Lawrence Intermediate School, Lawrence Middle School, and Lawrence High School. There are also two parochial schools (St. Ann’s and Notre Dame) and several day care facilities located within the district.

Volunteers also attend monthly fire company business meetings and fire company social activities, such as a family picnic and a Christmas party. During the holidays, Lawrence Road firefighters escort Santa through Fire District 2 and pass out candy canes to the residents.

There are several basic types of membership in Lawrence Road Fire Co.:

Senior Membership: Any citizen over 18 years of age is eligible for senior membership. After joining, new members are sent to the next Firefighter I basic training course at the Mercer County fire academy. Upon graduation from the fire academy and after receiving additional in-house training, senior members are qualified to take part in all variety of emergency activity, including interior structural firefighting.

Junior Membership: Boys and girls 16 and 17 years old are eligible to join the fire company as junior members. While they are able to respond to emergency calls, junior members are not allowed to take part in hands-on firefighting or any other hazardous activities. They are used primarily in a support capacity, and assist in hooking up hose to fire engines and hydrants, retrieving equipment for firefighters, etc. The goal of Lawrence Road Fire Company’s junior program is to build up interest in the fire service and to give the 16- and 17-year-olds knowledge about the basic firefighting tactics and the workings of the fire company so that, when they turn 18 and become eligible for senior membership, they will already have much of the knowledge and skills necessary to become a successful firefighter. To join, junior members must have permission from their parents and maintain a minimum C grade point average in school.

Cadet Membership: This program was created in 2001, following legislature passed in New Jersey allowing 14- and 15-year-old boys and girls to join volunteer fire companies. Like the junior program, the goal of Lawrence Road’s cadet program is to interest youngsters in the fire service with the hope that they will continue to stay active as volunteers as they grow older. Cadets are not allowed to respond to emergency calls, but are allowed to participate in training activities and drills are the firehouse so that they can learn some of the basic skills. They too must have parental permission to join and must maintain their grades in school.

Fire Police: Anyone over 18 years old is eligible to serve as a fire police officer. Fire police officers assist at emergency scenes by blocking roadways, directing traffic, controlling crowds, etc. Fire police receive training through a program created, in part, by the New Jersey State Police. Many retired firefighters, still wishing to serve their community, volunteer as fire police officers.

Ladies Auxiliary: Lawrence Road Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary is made up of the wives, girlfriends, sisters and many friends of Lawrence Road firefighters. Among their many duties, ladies auxiliary members often respond to emergency scenes with hot and cold refreshments and food to support firefighters who often have to battle fires in the chill of winter or during blistering heat waves in summer. Ladies auxiliary members also help the fire company with fund-raising and other activities, like Santa’s annual tour of the fire district in December.