TRENTON – Following today’s meeting of the New Jersey Fire Safety Commission, Senator Donald Norcross (D-Camden/Gloucester), a legislative member of the commission, issued the following statement on the administration’s reported plan to dismantle the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, and distribute its functions within state government. The commission today, during its meeting held at the New Jersey Firemen’s Convention in Wildwood, unanimously approved a resolution expressing its concern with the potential changes to the division, stating that any reorganization plan should be subject to the review and approval of the commission:
“The Division of Fire Safety is critical to ensuring that our firefighters have a direct line of communication with the state during fire emergencies and a regular point of contact for training, safety and support services.
“It is unfathomable that the administration would consider any additional action that would negatively impact the operations of our fire services or the safety of our responders.
“I urge the administration to immediately make public any changes it is considering to the division, so that the Legislature, our firefighters and residents have sufficient opportunity to weigh in. With concerns already growing within the firefighting community, it is important that we clear the air.”