Questions about Emergencies
What should I tell the 9-11 operator when I call?
What can I do to make your response to my house an easy one?
When should I call the Fire Department?
What should I do if I am approached by an emergency vehicle?
Why does the Fire Department make so much noise when they respond to a call?
What happens when I report a fire?
What is a "State of Emergency", and what should I know about it?

Questions about services
Do you pump basements?
Can the fire department assist me in getting into my locked out residence?
Does the fire department service fire extinguishers?
How can I get a firefighter to speak at my group about fire prevention?
How do I schedule a fire engine to attend my event (block party, birthday party, etc.)?
Does your Department conduct firehouse tours?

Administrative Questions
Who can I talk to who will review my safety plans for my building or residence, or can evaluate fire risks?
Who can I talk to concerning a fire code violation?
How can I obtain a fire record?
What do I do about a running or leaky fire hydrant?
Are there State Statutes governing Fire Departments?
How up to date is this website?

Questions about the Fire Department
What is that fog horn I hear now and then?
What is a "Probie"?
Do you provide patches for collectors or traders?
Is there a difference between a "fire engine" and a "fire truck"?

Questions about Donations, Volunteering, Community Service Projects, etc.
How do I join the Fire Department?
I am in the Boy Scouts, and I am going for "Eagle Scout", but I need a project to do. Is there something the VFD could do for me?

Questions about fire
What is your policy on burning debris such as leaves, or garbage?

You have a question to ask? Please feel free to us.

What should I tell the 9-11 operator when I call?
Because no two emergencies are alike, it's important to tell the operator everything about the situation. The more information you give to them helps us become more prepared to handle it. Be sure to answer every question the operator asks, and never hang up unless told to do so by the operator.
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When should I call the Fire Department?
You should call the Verona Fire Department whenever you feel that there is an actual or impending fire or related emergency. It is better to be safe than sorry.
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What happens when I report a fire?
After you hang up with the police on 911, they dispatch us over the radio. Every member has a two-way radio. First we receive a tone to let us know to stand by our radios to receive vital information about the nature of the emergency (location of emergency, type of emergency, etc). After the dispatch, we stop everything we are doing at that moment and go to our firehouses. We then gear up, get in the trucks and head to the scene. To hear our dispatch tone, click Here

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Why does the Fire Department make so much noise when they respond to a call?
State law requires that vehicles responding to an emergency must use both red lights and sirens. We do try to respect the community at night.
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What can I do to make your response to my house an easy one?
If you and your neighbors could help keep the hydrant visible and free from obstructions such as dirt, weeds or snow, it would help us greatly. Finding a hydrant at night can be harder than you think and time is very important when a structure is on fire! A poorly marked address can delay emergency response time when minutes and seconds make a difference between life and death. Also, Addresses covered by paint and shrubbery are hard to see. Night and weather conditions may affect their visibility as well. Place numerals where they can be seen clearly from the street and paint them a color that contrasts with what they are mounted on. If possible, a decorative lamp or spotlight on the number can help a lot. When you call 911 with an emergency, give clear, concise directions and if possible and have someone go to the end of the driveway or the street to show us exactly where to go. These steps are crucial. Maybe you may not need the fire department, but one day you could need the Rescue Squad or Police Department. So please remember this in case you do need us
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Do you pump basements?
No, the Verona Fire Department does not pump basements. However, do alert us if you have any powered electrical appliances or outlets that are submerged or at risk of submersion.
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Can the fire department assist me in getting into my locked out residence?
Kind of. You must call the Verona Police if you are locked out of your home or apartment. The police will request us for assistance, after validating your credentials. It is usually a police officer who enters the home, however, if need be, a firefighter will be the one to gain entry.
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Does the fire department service fire extinguishers?
The fire department does not service fire extinguishers. There are many fire extinguisher companies in the telephone book that have the proper equipment to service them.
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How can I get a firefighter to speak at my group about fire prevention?
You can call the Verona Fire Department Chiefs office at 973-857-1078 and leave pertinent information, or us. Someone will get back to you.
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How do I schedule a fire engine to attend my event (block party, birthday party, etc.)?
You can call the Verona Fire Department Chiefs office at 973-857-1078 and leave pertinent information, or us. Someone will get back to you.
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Does your Department conduct firehouse tours?
Yes. We are always willing to give tours to any citizen, family, civic or religious group in Verona. You can call the Verona Fire Department Chiefs office at 973-857-1078 and leave pertinent information, or us. Someone will get back to you.
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Who can I talk to concerning a fire code violation?
You can call Norman Russell at 973-857-4761 or write him at Verona Fire Official, 880 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona, NJ 07044.
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Who can I talk to who will review my safety plans for my building or residence, or can evaluate fire risks?
You can call Norman Russell at 973-857-4761 or write him at Verona Fire Official, 880 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona, NJ 07044.
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How can I obtain a fire record?
You can call the Verona Fire Department Chiefs office at 973-857-1078. State the date and address of the fire and who to contact along with a phone number, fax and/or address to send it. A $10 fee is charged payable to the Verona Fire Department.
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What do I do about a running or leaky fire hydrant?
Hydrants are for fighting fires, not for fun. Each time a hydrant is opened illegally, a thousand gallons of water are wasted each minute. Children risk serious injury from the power flow. There is also a severe loss of water pressure, which means that if there is a fire, someone might be seriously injured. So if you need to cool off, try the beach or the Verona pool. If there is a leaky hydrant please call the Verona Township Department of Public Works at 973-857-4804, Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:00PM. During off-hours or if it is an emergency call the Verona Police Department at 973-239-5000.
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Are there State Statutes governing Fire Departments?
Yes. New Jersey State Statutes 40A:14 regulate fire departments.
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How up to date is this website?
The webmaster checks the site a few times a week or daily and just reviews a few pages to make sure information is up to date, make improvements, look for errors that may have been missed, etc. Unlike departments around, whose webpage is maintained by third parties, this website is maintained by the Verona Fire Department, with an active Verona fireman as webmaster. As a result, this site does not sit dormant and forgotten about.
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What is that fog horn I hear now and then?
That sound is the Emergency horn located in the clock tower on top of the Municipal building. The horn is activated for several reasons:

To notify members who are not able to carry a radio or pager that there is an emergency.
To assure that someone who has called for help knows that emergency services are coming to their aid.
Notify families of members that a call is in progress, and that their loved ones may be delayed.
Notify residents that there is a call in progress, and to be alert for emergency vehicles and/or traffic that may arise

Unless otherwise requested by incident command, the horn is activated between the hours of 6 AM and 10 PM.

2 blasts of 4 (**** 5 second pause ****) means there is a Medical Emergency for the Rescue Squad. 1 blast of 2 (**) is a test of the system. Everything else is the location number of the emergency for the Fire Department. (IE: 311 is *** 3 second pause * 3 second pause * 5 second pause, repeat 2 more times) To find out what the horn means, enter the code in the box below

What is a Probie?
A "probie" is a nickname given to a Probationary Firefighter. They are the newest members, and are going through their training and reviews by the other members. Probies must get voted on for regular membership. In order to get voted on, probies must complete State certification of Firefighter 1. Probies have no less than 6 months but no more than 18 to complete their training. They must also prove their character and ability to the regular membership for approval.
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Do you provide patches for collectors or traders?
Because the patches can provide a form of identification, we do not provide patches for traders or collectors.
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Is there a difference between a "fire engine" and a "fire truck"?
Yes, there is a difference. A fire engine is designed to pump water using an engine, which can be obtained via a on board water supply, fire hydrant, water tender or any other available water source. Generally, an engine and its crew focus on fire attack, and carries the equipment to do that job. A fire truck is differentiated from a fire engine in that it has no onboard water supply or pump. The most noticeable feature of fire trucks is the giant aerial ladder on the top of the rig. Fire trucks are instead equipped with a mix of long ladders, additional firefighting equipment, a variety of heavy rescue tools, extrication equipment, and other emergency gear. Truck crews generally focus on rescue and ventilation There is a 3rd type of apparatus, called a Quint, which serves as both a truck and an engine. Truck 12 is quint.

Despite the definitions of a truck and an engine, none of the apparatus in Verona fall strictly into those definitions. All engines in Verona carry ladders, heavy power tools, and rescue equipment, and every firefighter is crossed trained on both the truck and the engine, as well as their functions.
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I am in an organization like the Boy Scouts, and I am currently going for a rank like "Eagle Scout", but I need a project to do. Is there something the Verona Fire Department could do for me?
Yes! The Verona Fire Department has Eagle Scouts and former Boy Scouts who understand the significance of such ranks. We have had a few Eagle Scouts who offered help and came up with some quite amazing ideas. We would love to help you out. Please call the chiefs office at (973)-857-1078, or us.
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What is your policy on burning debris such as leaves, or garbage?
As per the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, It is a violation to burn openly. This includes leaves, branches, lumber, paper and cardboard. Pick-up service is available for most items. You may call The Verona Public Works at 973-857-4804 if you have questions concerning pick-up. Absolutely no open burning of any kind is allowed. You will be fined, as well as being arrested and charged if your fire causes substantial damage or injury to others.
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