The first unit on the scene was asked if he wanted a FULL response or just "your station" and he replies "Just Station 45". That is a HUGE error in judgement which caused delays in getting the MUCH needed manpower and apparatus on the scene. The saying in the fire service is, You can always send them back. Get the units rolling. If you need them, they're there. If not, they go back. Another saying: your initial actions will dictate the outcome. There's no excuse for the initial actions taken

They should've sent a FULL RESPONSE on the first report of a fire! Extremely poor management and tactics.

I agree. The initial sizeup was flawed. With the strong wind and ample fuel, the potential for spread was great. Most of the fire companies in the area are volunteer. Response times for volunteer companies usually are slower, so the first officer on the scene should have struck additional alarms to get the crews moving towards the area.

I am sorry to say this--but they HAD to have had a pre-plan for such an event. If not---then there should be some sort of investigation. Many many years of knowing the hazards and fire load--should have dictated how the fire was responded to. All big fires--start small.

So this is apparently what the initial Incident Commander saw when he arrived.... go to: "how the NJ Seaside Heights, NJ Fire started. 9/12/13" on you tube. Please, someone notify the NJ Division of Fire Safety immediately and get this Chief OFF his post immediately due to gross negligence.

Thank you for keeping this alive, If you only knew how happy we are!

This chief should be held liable. What are boards made out of? Wood! Don't be shy you see heavy smoke strike the 2nd if not 3rd with that wind

It seems listening to this audio that the chief didn't want any other companies in the begining?? Then what seems the fire coordinator was giving out orders when he wasn't even there yet? When they had heavy smoke and fire, STILL didn't want any help!? WTF.....People need to put their ego's aside and think about what's at risk and what can be done to stop this situation. I know the wind had a factor in this, but.....

Just another Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief that had NO business being in a Command position. The County needs to hire a professional Chief and staff to manage the Volunteer Stations.

They were total LOSERS. Their chief should be prosecuted for negligence. How the hell could you pull up to a working fire on THAT boardwalk in that kind of wind and NOT ask for serious assistance. Instead he told companies to hold.

these are volunteers on a weekday during work hours, there is no in house staff. You have no education or training in firefighting so refrain from imposing your opinion.

4 minutes to go enroute. Chief denies 'full response.', says negative just St. 45. (big oops #1.) 4510 call for saws then calls for another station. 1st engine arrives aprox. 5:38 seconds after dispatch. (oops #2-underestimated nature and travel of fire, should have called for a couple of 2-1/2's all considering.) Stations should be manned. 4 minutes to go enroute is the probable difference a smaller fire and one that makes international headlines...peace...

Yeap better to have them and not need them then to need them and not have them. Also what about USCG get a cutter out there to use the monitors on the fire.

If they had sent the proper resources to begin with, they possibly could've kept the damage to a small area.

The fact that no one died does not make it a success. Sounds like they were lucky.

Thoughts and prayers to all in Seaside Heights. They have been through so much :(

Seaside Heights deserves whatever it gets. Plain and simple.

It was Seaside Park (different town). Not Seaside Heights. Poor reporting.

Any chance we can listen to the next 45 min? Pretty riveting!

What are you going to do? Body slam me, Stone Cold? LMAO

They managed to save a large part of the boardwalk...so it was heartbreaking still but could have been a lot worse. ..I only hope they post more audio...its really something else to listen too...thanks to all the responders for your dedication and hard work the last few days

You have got to be kidding...I can understand that in poor(er) jurisdictions. But it seems to me that Seaside Heights has the tourism revenue to support a healthier push-out. I'm not saying that it has to be Fulltime and all that but certainly at the minimum a well-trained part time/volunteer dept. I'm talking 4 man well-trained, less than a minute response on every call, all the time. If you were insurance co. would you underwrite virtually a beautifal arrangement of kindling sticks?

I figured they would have some kind of staffing for the potential risk in their first due. From what I've been told there are 2 large vollie depts with staffing as well as Ocean City who were not called because they "take over the show" and the other is career.

38:28 "We got hoes everywhere!" LOL. Firefighter rehab has really changed.

Frack!!! .....what a thread......absolutely no mention to the vid actually posted....

It's worse than a tragic event but Seaside gets what it gives. All the effort to get the boardwalk up and running after Sandy and the town completely ignored its residents. How many folks in Seaside are still displaced? But they got the boardwalk up and running before the summer. Now it's charred. Good. Next time help your residents first.

Hard to pull 2-1/2 inch lines when first arriving Engine has only a driver!

No one died so that has to be considered a success.

Excuse me, did you NOT listen to the tape? I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I think the evidence does a pretty good job of that...

Now we really have a "situation" at the jersey shore, lmao

it started as a small fire.

You should learn the definition of harassment. You should probably also learn that it's illegal when your sister is also your wife. Unless you live in West Virginia, of course.

Maybe he just listened to the audio??????

Hope they rebuild.... Good job on the attack.Can't kick every fires ass... I don't play Monday morning qurerback, I feel my Brothers and Sisters did the job they had to do to stop the progression of that fire...Good Job in my book

Look up "FDNY, NYPD: Motorcyclist Wasn't Killed When We Dropped Car On Him" You really think FDNY is all that? They dropped a car 4 feet off the jack onto a motorcyclist after an MVC. They're human beings. The only difference between paid and volunteer, is the number of calls you get a year, maybe. I'm a paid firefighter in Harrison township, NJ AND a volunteer in South Brunswick, NJ, does that make me only partially competent?

Can you form proper sentences? Didn't they teach you that at the community college where you were 'educated?'

So, what we have is a loser who couldn't make it as a firefighter railing against those who could. Makes sense, doesn't it?

you must have been there to make that kind of accusation; or maybe your just a monday morning quarterback.

The community made money off of the show indirectly. I'm glad those blue collar yokels had their boardwalk wiped out....again :)

I find very annoying those who weren't there and make judgments on the professionalism of those who were there for hours fighting the fire. Amishmike1 gave us his entirely value-less opinion on the situation. If he is a firefighter, he should be beaten senseless with a hose.

Making it as a volunteer fire fighter is simple. So don't put Vollies in the same category as paid firemen. They do nothing special. Just a job that thousands of others also do. No special qualifications needed

I think initially it was just hard for them to get a Handel on the situation. Good job though guys. Any dept would have had difficulty with this blaze.

Oh no, are you a volunteer? Can't you get on as a paid firefighter anywhere? Or are you just not good enough. Volunteers and Paid Firefighters are the same? Tell that to FDNY. You wouldn't last an hour with them. And yes, I was a volunteer but they didn't like me since I could use words with more than one syllable. They thought I was uppity.

I live in the great state of NJ. So if anyone can bash it, I can. I'm a native. You're probably not so your opinions on NJ are meaningless

Yeah, yeah. Save your internet tough guy routine. We both know you wouldn't have the balls to come and fight.

Haha MTV did it!

Firehouse politics tallies another one smh..

This coming from a guy who likes wrestling so much? Keep your thoughts to yourself and learn proper grammar