The Rumson and Sea Bright fire departments work closely together, responding to each town’s emergency calls. 
The Rumson Fire Company is made up of volunteers, ranging from high schoolers in training to seasoned firefighters. 
Upon arriving at a scene, firefighters conduct a walk-around of the property to assess dangers. 
In the vacant house, firefighters practiced drills, like breaching walls. 
Firefighters practiced breaking into doors, windows and walls – skills needed when responding to emergency calls. 
Michael Seaman contacted the Rumson Fire Department to inquire if the volunteer squad would like to use a vacant house for training drills, before it is rebuilt. 
Rumson Fire Chief Rob Eyerkuss, right, said it is not often his crew gets to conduct live drills on real houses. 
Pictured from left, Sea Bright Fire Chief Charles Murphy, Michael Seaman and Rumson Fire Chief Rob Eyerkuss.
By Stephen Appezzato | Photos by Michael Seaman
RUMSON – It’s not every day the Rumson Fire Company gets the chance to smash down doors, kick through walls and breach windows – thankfully. But this month, the volunteer crew – which ranges from high schoolers to seasoned firefighters – had the unique opportunity to simulate fire rescue drills at a vacant house slated for demolition.
It started when Michael Seaman and Eddie Ward, Realtors with O’Brien Realty, called the Rumson station and offered the property for special use. The house at 40 Circle Drive will be knocked down and rebuilt by Walsh Builders, making it suitable for training now.
Rumson Fire Chief Rob Eyerkuss said the force does this a few times a year, but not as often as he would like. “Usually, it’s a builder or a real estate agent that will reach out to us and just say ‘Hey, do you guys want to use this house for training?’ ”
Upon the crew’s arrival, firefighters conducted a basic “scene size up and scene safety,” Eyerkuss explained.
“We look for things like power lines, anything around the outside of the house that’s going to pose some type of hazard – A) for getting the family or the occupants out of the house, and B) for the firefighters,” he said.
During this stage, firefighters do a “360 exterior search,” where the first officer onsite or the chief completes a 360-degree walk around the exterior of the house.
“I look for the type of construction that it is, how big the fire is, how severe and that gives me the ability to call in additional resources if I need them, for example, bringing in Sea Bright or some of our other surrounding towns like Fair Haven, Little Silver, Atlantic Highlands,” Eyerkuss said.
After the outside inspection, crews completed some hands-on training, such as door breaching, wall breaching and other simulated events.
Members of the Sea Bright Fire Department, led by Chief Charles Murphy Jr., joined Eyerkuss and his crew for the exercises. The two departments work closely together and operate under a “mutual aid plan.”
“We respond to Sea Bright, Sea Bright responds to Rumson for pretty much anything that’s a confirmed fire or heavy smoke,” said Eyerkuss. Based on the severity of a fire, other towns like Fair Haven or Little Silver may get called in, too.
The two fire companies spent hours practicing drills that night, squeezing in valuable hands-on training before the house was demolished.
It is important to keep fire safety in mind, especially during the holiday and winter seasons when residents often rely on open flames, like fireplaces and wood stoves for heating and burn candles for ambiance.
On the morning of Nov. 15, a 90-year-old resident of the Evergreen Terrace complex in Red Bank died from an apartment fire. As of press time, Red Bank’s Police Department and Fire Marshal’s Office, along with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Fire Marshal’s Office are still investigating the cause of the blaze.
As the holiday season approaches, Eyerkuss stressed four important safety items.
First, he urged residents to check the batteries and the dates on their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. “They’re usually only good for 10 years. It sounds kind of cliché but they do save lives,” he said.
“The second thing is just people understanding how quickly a dried-out Christmas tree can light up. So just being cautious with those types of things.” This is especially important if you have open flames in your house, such as a candle.
“The third thing I would add is for people that use their fireplaces often is to have them cleaned because a lot of fires will start in a fireplace with people overloading it.” Eyerkuss noted that soot and creosote can build up in chimneys and catch fire light easily. Creosote is a byproduct of burning wood that can coat the inside of flues and chimneys until removed.
Lastly, Eyerkuss reminded residents to be vigilant, especially when turning heating systems back on. “Typically, that’s where carbon monoxide comes from, which would be those HVAC systems. You can’t smell carbon monoxide.”
“If your alarm goes off, take it seriously, don’t just assume it’s nothing,” he said.
This article originally appeared in the November 16 – 22, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
