Fire Department · Combination
Deptford Fire Department
Deptford, NJ · Gloucester County
Combination department: four volunteer battalions (Battalions 1-4) plus a fifth battalion of career, paid firefighters.
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Deptford Fire Department is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗The Deptford Fire District traces its roots to eight independent companies dating as far back as 1911; the district itself was formally created in 1966 by township council ordinance to put firefighting funding on stable, tax-supported footing. In 2000 the district reorganized into four geographic battalions, each anchored by one or two volunteer companies — Oak Valley (Battalion 1) in Wenonah; Tacoma and Helping Hand (Battalion 2) and Union/Blackwood Terrace and Almonesson Lake (Battalion 3) and New Sharon and Community/Lake Tract (Battalion 4), all within Deptford Township. A fifth battalion, staffed by career (paid) firefighters, supplements the volunteer battalions, making Deptford a combination department.
Today the department responds to roughly 1,400 calls a year — residential and commercial fires, highway accidents, and more — across a township that mixes residential neighborhoods, rural land, and industrial/commercial corridors including several large shopping centers. The district has earned a Public Protection Classification (ISO/PPC) rating of 3. A civilian Board of Fire Commissioners oversees the district and its tax-funded budget, working alongside a Fire Marshal's Office and a slate of battalion chiefs and a volunteer fire chief who run day-to-day operations.
Beyond structural firefighting, member companies field ladder, rescue, brush, and marine/boat apparatus, along with a dedicated Fire Police unit for traffic control at incident scenes and a Canteen unit that provides rehabilitation support to firefighters — including mutual-aid crews from elsewhere in Gloucester County — at major incidents.
MissionA spark ignites a flame, a citizen needs help – and we are ready.
Deptford recruits across several volunteer tracks: interior firefighters, Junior Members (ages 16-17) who respond to incidents under supervision, Cadets (ages 12-15) who build hands-on experience before becoming junior firefighters, Fire Police members who handle traffic control at fire and crash scenes, and Canteen members who provide rehab support to firefighters at major incidents throughout Gloucester County. The department is continuously recruiting volunteers ("standout volunteers") through its Volunteer sign-up page.
Requirements
- State of New Jersey Firefighter I certification for interior firefighting members (training provided at no cost)
- Junior Member track open to ages 16-17
- Cadet track open to ages 12-15
Benefits
All firefighter training and equipment is provided free of cost to volunteer members.
New firefighting members receive free Firefighter I training and are issued equipment at no cost.
What does it take to become a Deptford firefighter?
Interior firefighting members must hold New Jersey Firefighter I certification, but the department provides all required training and equipment free of cost.
Can teenagers get involved before they're old enough to fight fires?
Yes. The Cadet program is open to ages 12-15, and the Junior Member program (ages 16-17) lets younger members respond to incidents under supervision while building toward becoming a full firefighter.
Are there volunteer roles that don't involve going into burning buildings?
Yes. Fire Police members assist with traffic control at fires and motor vehicle crashes, and Canteen members provide rehabilitation support to firefighters (including mutual-aid crews from elsewhere in Gloucester County) at major incidents.
Is Deptford an all-volunteer department?
No. Deptford is a combination department: Battalions 1 through 4 are volunteer companies, while a fifth battalion is staffed by career (paid) firefighters.