The Independent Fire Engine & Truck Co. No. 2 holds
Articles of Incorporation from the State of New Jersey with a charter to
operate as a volunteer fire company in the City of Long Branch. Since 1910, the City of Long Branch has listed
our company as one of the nine such independent corporations that comprise the
Division of Fire in the Long Branch Department of Public Safety.
As such, our company operates in a dual role:
most of the time we are an independent private organization with members
committed to the goals, vision and mission of the volunteer fire service in
Long Branch and, when called into emergency service, our members instantly and simultaneously
become firefighters in the municipal Long Branch Fire Department. To efficiently serve both roles, we have
executive officers to oversee the operations of the corporate body and line
officers to serve in command capacities on behalf of our company and for the
larger city fire department.
All of the officers with command authority in the Long
Branch Fire Department are fully trained and certified volunteer firefighters
elected by their peers to their offices and serve, in most cases, a one year term.
CHIEF of DEPARTMENT
The highest ranking officer in the Long Branch Fire
Department is the “Chief of Department”. The current Chief of the Long
Branch Fire Department is Harold Bentley of the Branchport Hose Co.
EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
The President of the Independent Engine & Truck Co. No.
2 is Joseph T. Valentino. In this role,
President Valentino not only presides over meetings of the company but also
appoints most of the committee members and chairmen, sees to the efficient
operations of the company and represents the company and its members to other
organizations including the other fire companies and the City of Long Branch. President Valentino twice served as Captain
of the Independents and was Chief of Department in 1991.
He was bestowed Life Member status on March 10, 2010.
VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice President is Daniel T. Speck. As Vice President he assists the President
and serves as President when the President cannot and is chairman of certain
committees including the Nominating Committee and the 100th
Anniversary Committee. Vice President
Speck is also a former Captain of the company and was Chief of Department in
1985.
He was bestowed Life Member status on March 10, 2010.
SECRETARY
The Secretary of the company is Peter D. DeLisa. As Secretary, he is the official archivist of
the company, maintains the company records and files and handles membership
applications and the official list of active, honorary and mascot members. Secretary DeLisa served as Company Captain in
2009 and is currently serving as Assistant Captain.
TREASURER
The Treasurer is John Plancey. He is responsible for the physical
disposition of the company’s funds and, under the direction and oversight of
the Board of Trustees, invests the company’s funds as necessary to guarantee the
operations and services of the company.
Treasurer Plancey is a former Captain of the company and is also the
company’s designated Auditor Delegate to the Long Branch Fire Department Fund
Drive Association.
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
The Financial Secretary is Sebastian Tomaine. He is responsible for maintaining the
financial transaction records of the company.
Financial Secretary Tomaine is a former Captain, Chief of Department in
2002 and again in 2010--the first person to hold office twice.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees are responsible for the long-term
oversight of the company and, together with the Executive Board, comprise the
governing body of the company. Each of
the three trustees serve a staggered three-year term and elect their Chairman
from among themselves. The trustees have
official responsibility for the company’s property and finances and have great
autonomy to protect and defend the company’s long-term interests and well being.
Trustee (2013) Brian
Valentino, Chairman
Trustee (2014) John
D’Averso
Trustee (2012) Joseph Johnson
LINE OFFICERS
CAPTAIN
The Captain of the Independent Engine & Truck Co. No. 2
is Antonio Lombardo. He is the
commanding officer our fire company, firefighters and apparatus when the
company is in service to the fire department.
He has general supervision over the operations of our company but also
serves as one of nine captains with command authority on the fireground
citywide. Captain Lombardo is assisted by two Lieutenants and an Assistant
Captain.
Captain Lombardo was elected Second Lieutenant in 2007
and was promoted to First Lieutenant in 2008 before being promoted to Captain in 2011.
According to the By-Laws
the Captain is also Chairman of the Training Committee and the Sick and Welfare
Committee.
ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
The Assistant Captain is Brian J. Valentino. The Assistant Captain is nominally
responsible for the truck company functions of the company but in every practical
sense he is the Captain’s top aide and can often be found commanding a smaller group
of firefighters for the Captain or Chief.
Captain Valentino was elected Second Lieutenant in 1998 and was promoted through the ranks before becoming Captain for the first time in 2002. He has served as Captain or Assistant Captain nine times. Captain Valentino holds a Fire Officer I certificate, a Level III Incident Manager certificate, is a licensed Fire Inspector and is a New Jersey State certified Level II Instructor.
According to the By-Laws the Assistant Captain
is also Chairman of the Truck Committee.
FIRST LIEUTENANT
The First Lieutenant is Christopher Petrillo. The First Lieutenant is nominally responsible
for engine company operations but is more practically another senior aide to
the Captain who can often be found organizing firefighters and preparing to
lead them in certain evolutions on the fire ground.
Lieutenant Petrillo is a retired Sergeant from the
United States Army Special Forces. He was the first graduate of the
Long Branch Fire Department's Explorer Post 2510. He has been a member
of the company for ten years and is serving in his second year as a line
officer. He is also an Emergency Medical Technician and is certified in Wildland Emergency Medicine.
According to the By-Laws the First Lieutenant is also Chairman of the Social Committee.
SECOND LIEUTENANT
The Second Lieutenant is Lee Durland. The Second Lieutenant is nominally
responsible for firefighter accountability and readiness but is most commonly
found assisting his superior officers and dealing with new member and firefighter
issues.
Lieutenant Durland is serving in his first year as a line officer after several years of dedicated service to the fire company.
According to the By-Laws, the Second
Lieutenant is also Chairman of the Membership and Recruitment Committee.
