Eight new Hoboken Firefighters were sworn in during a ceremony at City Hall on Monday, December 16, 2024. With the local police having had their own swearing in ceremony on Monday, the ranks of the Mile Square City’s public safety personnel grew by leaps and bounds.
Brandon Lui, Raphael Maldonado, Domenico Lisa, Nyjon Freeman, Elias Colon III, Adrian Cepeda Jr., Adrian Pietri, and Todd Perkins will begin in-service training later this week, upon completion of the Passaic County Fire Academy.
The swearing in will allow the Fire Department to make an important change pertaining to the public’s safety. With the hiring of the eight firefighters, the department will be able to increase its minimum staffing level from 20 to 22 firefighters on duty at all times, thus guaranteeing four members (including one Captain) on all engines responding to fire calls.
During the ceremony, Mayor Ravi Bhalla stated, “I congratulate and proudly welcome these eight firefighters into the Hoboken Fire Department. These new firefighters will go a long way to ensuring the safety of our residents, which is always our highest priority in City Hall. I extend my gratitude to the recruits and their loved ones, for the commitment and dedication they are promising to the City, and our residents.”
“The addition of these brave and dedicated Hoboken residents will significantly strengthen public safety across the City,” said Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante. “Today, we reaffirm our commitment to providing the Fire Department with the resources needed to keep our community as safe as possible.”
Chief Anton Peskins remarked, “These young men have already proven they have what it takes to help keep Hoboken safe and I am excited to see their careers flourish, as they officially join our ranks today. This class helps us ensure not only the protection of our residents, but also that every firefighter returns home safely each day.”
May all of the new firefighters perform their duties with professionalism and remain safe at all time when on the job.