Articles Township government
Fire and EMS in Bernards, Explained
Who answers fire and medical calls in Bernards and how they are paid for; the 2026 budget and capital items; the two Motorola radio orders; the length-of-service awards program; fire prevention staff and fees; volunteer appointments; and what residents can do.
The short version
- Two volunteer companies serve Bernards: Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 and First Aid Squad (Station 20) and the Liberty Corner Fire Company (Station 40). There are no fire districts; the township pays for their aid, equipment and radios.
- The Committee approved two Motorola radio orders: up to $500,058.05 on December 9, 2025 and up to $536,023.28 on August 25, 2026.
- The 2026 capital ordinance #2597 put $1,222,950 toward fire, EMS and emergency-management equipment and radios.
- The 2025 length-of-service award lists cover 27 Basking Ridge and 14 Liberty Corner members.
Who answers the call
The January 6, 2026 reorganization minutes list the chiefs on the township’s Local Emergency Management and Flood Mitigation Committee as Ron DePasquale (Liberty Corner Fire Company) and Doug Gazzale (Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1), with Sarah Bonnefoi representing the first aid squad. In her address the same night, Mayor Ana Duarte McCarthy named the Basking Ridge chief as “Doug Mazzalle” and Sarah Bonnefoi as captain of the company’s EMS squad. Committeeman Andrew McNally is the Committee’s liaison to both companies and the squad.
TAPinto reported on May 10, 2026 that Bernards is served by both Basking Ridge Fire Company EMS and Atlantic Health System EMS, and that Captain Bonnefoi would lead a public township presentation on May 11, “After 9-1-1: Emergency Medical Response in Bernards Township,” covering basic and advanced life support and how calls are dispatched.
The Committee appoints each new volunteer member of the companies and squad by resolution, on the company’s recommendation, and acknowledges each company’s fire police appointments (two for Basking Ridge and five for Liberty Corner on January 6; Liberty Corner’s list was amended to eight on May 12). The October 27, 2026 agenda listed a resolution recognizing October as First Responders Appreciation Month (#2026-0419); the township had not posted minutes of that meeting as of November 1, 2026.
How it is paid for
The 2026 User Friendly Budget shows no fire district levy, and the budget lists no paid firefighters. Fire and EMS costs are in the municipal budget and the capital fund:
| 2026 budget line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Aid to volunteer fire companies | $110,000.00 |
| Aid to volunteer first aid squads | $15,000.00 |
| Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) | $101,947.50 |
| Uniform Fire Code / fire hydrants, salaries | $178,976.45 |
| Uniform Fire Code / fire hydrants, other expenses | $611,577.00 |
| Office of Emergency Management, salaries and expenses | $51,000.00 |
Each line except the fire code lines is unchanged from 2025. On February 10 the Committee also set 2026 maximums for fuel donated from the township’s pumps: $8,500 for the Basking Ridge company and squad and $7,500 for Liberty Corner (Res. #2026-0169).
Capital. The 2026 capital budget and Ordinance #2597 (adopted 5-0 on May 12, 2026) include:
| Item in Ordinance #2597 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basking Ridge First Aid Squad: emergency equipment and vehicles | $71,950 |
| Basking Ridge Fire Company: emergency equipment and vehicles | $252,000 |
| Liberty Corner Fire Company: emergency equipment, radio and breathing apparatus | $299,000 |
| Office of Emergency Management: fire, EMS and OEM radio upgrades and maintenance | $600,000 |
| Total | $1,222,950 |
The six-year capital program in the CFO’s budget deck sets money aside each year toward large purchases: a heavy rescue truck replacement for the Basking Ridge company in 2029 (estimated $900,000; $175,000 in 2026), a tower ladder replacement for Liberty Corner in 2034 (estimated $2,750,000; $250,000 in 2026), and an ambulance for the first aid squad (estimated $440,000; $60,000 in 2026). It lists the fire, EMS and OEM radio upgrade at $1,100,000, with $500,000 from prior years and $600,000 in 2026.
The two radio orders
Both orders go to Motorola Solutions, Inc., through Wireless C&E of Chester, under state contracts, on the recommendation of the Emergency Management Coordinator, Administrator and Purchasing Agent.
| December 9, 2025 (Res. #2025-0430) | August 25, 2026 (Res. #2026-0387) | |
|---|---|---|
| Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1, Station 20 | $208,426.92 | $239,898.84 |
| Liberty Corner Fire Company, Station 40 | $211,022.96 | $209,874.24 |
| Township Fire Prevention | $35,148.35 | $20,782.10 |
| Township Emergency Management | — | $35,468.10 |
| Contingency | $45,459.82 (10%) | $30,000.00 (SmartConnect and over-the-air programming) |
| Not to exceed | $500,058.05 | $536,023.28 |
| Paid from | Capital accounts and an EMS trust account | Capital Ordinance #2597 |
| Vote | 4-0, consent agenda (Mayor Fields absent) | 4-0, consent agenda (McNally absent) |
The police department’s separate $835,000 federal grant for 89 tri-band radios is covered under police.
The Length of Service Awards Program
LOSAP is a deferred-benefit program for active volunteers. Resolution #2026-0205 records that voters approved it on November 5, 2002, that the Committee designated AIG VALIC as provider on November 11, 2003 (Res. #030353), and that eligibility follows Ordinance #1576. On March 24, 2026 the Committee accepted the companies’ certified lists of members who qualified for 2025: 27 for Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 and First Aid Squad and 14 for Liberty Corner Fire Company (consent agenda, 4-0, McNally absent). The resolution does not state award amounts; the 2026 budget line is $101,947.50.
Fire prevention
- Staff: Richard Von Den Steinen was reappointed Fire Official for 2026 (January 6). Robert Houlihan was appointed part-time Fire Prevention Inspector (February 10), and Steven Waters full-time Fire Inspector from August 3 at $31.20 an hour (July 28).
- Fees: Ordinance #2598 (adopted 4-0 on June 23, no public speakers) revised the construction fee schedule, including fire protection permits such as private fire hydrants ($90 each), emergency responder radio systems ($200) and standby battery and energy storage systems ($90 per battery).
- Hydrants: on January 13 the Committee renewed New Jersey American Water’s authorization to provide public fire protection service through private hydrants listed in the resolution, for which the township pays the utility’s tariff charge (Res. #2026-0044).
What the record does not show
Call volumes, response times and LOSAP award amounts per member are not in the records LocalWhy reviewed. No resident spoke on fire or EMS at a Committee meeting in the period reviewed.
What residents can do
- Speak in public comment at any Township Committee meeting (7:30 p.m., Municipal Building, 1 Collyer Lane). The next meeting is November 10, 2026.
- Read each appointment, purchase and capital item in the Committee’s minutes.
- Corrections to this page can be emailed to info@localwhy.org.