THE WESTWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO TWENTY=NINE CALLS DURING APRIL 2026

Under the command of Fire Chief Bryan Wiecenski, the Westwood Fire Department was called
29 times for emergency assistance during the month of April 2026. Chief Wiecenski reports that
none of the calls turned out to be a serious fire in Westwood.
The 29 emergency calls, three training drills and two work/maintenance sessions
required over 360 of volunteer time.
The Westwood Fire Department was called out of town for five incidents. To assist the Hillsdale
Fire Department on two occasions, the River Vale and Old Tappan Fire Departments once each
and one incident to the scene of a serious fire in Woodcliff Lake. At the Woodcliff Lake structure
fire Westwood firefighters were assigned as a Rapid Intervention Crew or RIC. At the scene of a
serious fire or emergency a RIC is assigned to stand by and provide immediate assistance, or to
rescue, any firefighters injured or trapped while fighting the blaze.
Automatic fire alarms were received fifteen times in April. Although no fires existed at any of
these incidents, a full fire department response is required. Firefighters check the entire
building to determine if an actual fire exists. Three times the alarms were set off by cooking.
Contractors working in buildings inadvertently set off smoke alarm systems on four occasions.
Alarm malfunctions caused six incidents. Vapors from a dehumidifier caused one response.
One call was for a smell of natural gas, the fire department responded and investigated, finding
that a control knob on a stove had been left turned on accidentally without the burner igniting.
A water heater malfunction required a fire department response. Gas company technicians
were already on scene and firefighters were not needed.
Two Carbon Monoxide (CO) calls were received. Readers are reminded that CO is an odorless
and colorless gas caused by malfunctioning heating or cooking equipment. It can be lethal at
high levels. Again, similar to gas calls each of these calls require a full fire department response.
Fire crews check the entire building with meters. On one occasion a resident was changing the
battery in the detector. The other CO call was caused by a car running in the attached garage of
a multi-family building. At this call fire crews vented the garage and surrounding area with large
fans carried on the fire trucks.
Fire department standard policy dictates that Gas and carbon monoxide calls be turned over to
Public Service gas company for further investigation if needed.
One motor vehicle crash occurred in April. At this scene fire rescue crews ensured the scene
was safe and assisted EMS personnel.

The Westwood Fire Department and Fire Prevention Bureau would like to remind readers that
fire safety is still very important even when away on vacation. Just as two ways out of every
area is important at home it is very important when you are away at a vacation home, motel or
hotel. As soon as you arrive look for two exits. In a large hotel count how many doors your
room is from the stairway exits. Do not use elevators during a fire. Count the doors because in
smoke you may need to use your sense of feel. Find the emergency phone number for that city,
or how to call 911 on the hotel’s phones. Feel any door before you open it. If it is hot, do not
open it, use the second way out or listen for directions from the fire department. Once you are
out, stay out, do not go back in until you are told to do so by fire officials.
This article was submitted by the Westwood Fire Department. Any Fire Department related
questions can be e-mailed to westwoodfdchief.gmail.com or by calling 201-664-0526. The fire
prevention bureau can be reached at dblankenbush@westwoodnj.gov or by calling 201-664-
7100 ext 308. PLEASE NOTE; THESE PHONE NUMBERS ARE BUSINESS/NON-EMERGENCY PHONE
NUMBERS, NOT FOR FIRES OR EMERGENCIES. FOR FIRE, POLICE, AMBULANCE EMERGENCIES
CALL 911.