1990-1997

In 1990 the first enclosed pumper was purchased. It was a 1990 Emergency-One with a 1500 g.p.m. pump, 750 gallon booster tank, 50 gallon foam tank, 10 man Spartan Eurospace cab, diesel engine, automatic transmission, 8 preconnected hand lines seven 2' and one 3' lines. A Wilbur light tower was added in 1994.

This was our first non Mack (since Mack went out of the fire truck business). No booster reels were used on this engine, only large volume lines. The 1959 Mack was sold to Woodbridge Township for one dollar. The cost of the pumper was two hundred thirty eight thousand dollars.

In 1991 two new Chevy Suburbans were purchased with four-wheel drive, which were needed for the snowstorms. One was a chief's car and the other was a company car for men to go to schools or meetings. The Ford wagon was given to the fire prevention bureau. The costs of the trucks were nineteen thousand dollars each.

In the early 1990's the Fire Company started getting dispatched by Iselin # 9. Six companies were dispatched by district # 9 and the other three by Fords # 7. Prior to that there were four dispatch points Woodbridge Police, Woodbridge Fire, Fords Fire and Iselin # 9 Fire. The township also went to a enhanced 911 system, when the state went to 911. Presently, all calls go into police headquarters and are sent to the dispatchers by computer and to fire and first aid buildings also.

In 1993 the company bought its first rescue pumper. It replaced the 1969 Mack (which was sold to a fire explorer group from Staten Island for eight hundred dollars) and the 1973 G.M.C. step van was sold to a volunteer fire department in the Clinton area for twenty five hundred dollars. It was a Emergency-One Hush pumper with a 1500 g.p.m. pump a 500 gallon booster tank 50 gallon foam tank, rear engine diesel, automatic transmission, air conditioning, 10 man cab, Wilbur light tower, Harrison hydragenerator. This pumper carried all of our rescue tools: Jaws of Life, air bags, air tools and piercing nozzles. The cost of the rescue engine was three hundred seventeen thousand dollars.

As allowed by the state, in 1993 an ambulance was purchased for the Colonia First Aid Squad. The squad was in desperate need of a new rig and could not afford one. It was leased to them for one dollar. Other fire departments have started to do the same for their squads. We also give the squad ten thousand dollars a year to help them operate. The cost of the ambulance was sixty three thousand dollars.

The state has not made training mandatory for volunteer fire departments yet. All paid departments must meet fire fighter 1 requirements, which consist of eighty hours of training. The Colonia Fire Department has been meeting this requirement since 1982 long before the state even considered this requirement. We started the Woodbridge Township fire school in 1975 with the other township departments. In 1982 it was changed to the Woodbridge Township Fire Academy, with Rich Anderson taking over the school. Rich was a fire officer in Colonia at the time. Rich was responsible for the changes which the state finally adopted.

In its fifty- four-year history the fire department has come along way since 1943, it has progressed greatly through the years. From old style cotton turnout coats to total Nomex (fire resistance) turnout gear (coats, pants gloves and hoods), from 1 ½ ' and 2 ½ ' hose to high volume 2'', 3'' and 5' hose. From fixed gallonage nozzles to lighter weight automatic nozzles. From sirens to pagers and computer operated dispatchers.

In1994 our 1993 E-One Hush Rescue Pumper and the E-One Ambulance were featured in the 1994 E-One calendar.