TOWN TOPICS, PRINCETON, N.J., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022 • 10
Massive Fire continued from page one
the house, survived in every room. “But our own family pictures are gone,” Doria said. “Things like furniture can be replaced, but we don’t have things that are replaceable. We’re mourning and grieving those things that meant so much to us.” The fundraising campaign is continuing. “If you’re in the Princeton area, please shop at Tipple & Rose so
they can continue to pay their staff, keep the business alive, and generate and income,” it reads. “The online store isn’t open just now — they don’t have the staff to fulfill orders or the space to warehouse additional merchandise, but everything is available in the shop on Nassau Street.” Visit gofundme.com for information. —Anne Levin
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the others are assigned to Mercer Engine Company No. 3. Deputy Chief Alex Ridings explained that a more formal associate member program allows University employees to volunteer from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. workdays, responding to emergencies on and off campus. (Employees can also join the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad.) Additionally, there has long been a volunteer base among undergraduate and graduate students. This was a challenge for the department during the pandemic when students left campus, Ridings noted, but the department is recruiting and rebuilding. “Princeton University has taken an active approach to public safety by creating an environment that drives serAFTERMATH OF A BLAZE: Where their Christmas tree once stood, the first-floor living room of vice from staff and students alike,” he said. “As a result, Doria and Calavino Donati, who own Tipple & Rose, is a scene of devastation. the Princeton Fire Department has benefited greatly from the contributions of the University population as they’ve volunteered their We replace time, energy, and expertise “FOGGY” Insulated Glass in responding to emergenis 741 Alexander Rd, Princeton • 924-2880 cies in Princeton.” R idings cited a “ huge printed decline” in volunteerism throughout the countr y. Day t i m e volu nte er s are A Legacy of entirely scarce in Princeton, where Craft For Our many commute elsewhere to work, he noted. “We strugon Community gle at all times,” he said. Since 1985 Nguyen, originally from recycled Augusta, Ga., said he happened upon the fire depart609.683.1034 ment’s call for volunteers. paper. PDGUILD.COM “It was actually just good advertising placement by the fire department,” he said.
back to work. And we are grateful for that,” Doria said. “We really needed a reason to get up in the morning.” Back at the house, the couple have managed to salvage their dining room table, and the light fixture that hung above it. Remarkably, art work by employees, which hung on the walls of
Nelson Glass & Aluminum Co.
“I had seen one of these lawn advertisement signs over on Mercer Road by the Graduate College. It was inviting people to come learn about becoming a volunteer firefighter for the tow n, which sounded like an amazing opportunity, so I ended up following up on it.” He had never thought about volunteering as a firefighter before. “I didn’t even know that you could volunteer as a firefighter,” he said. “I did not personally know any firefighters growing up, so I had always assumed the job was strictly career paid positions.” Volunteers, who must be over age 18, must complete a 200-hour, state-mandated fire training. Nguyen said he learned a lot in the training, “from different types of fires you might have, different tools and equipment you might use, different strategies you might take to solve the problem. And then there’s all the things related to learning how to work together and cohesively as a unit in order to get jobs accomplished effectively.” The volunteers are also trained in issues relating to CPR, bloodborne pathogens, and hazardous materials. “Constantly learning new things is actually just a general part of the job,” he said. “Ideally, you want to be practicing skills and techniques you’ve already been introduced too. But on top of that the department is constantly offering
training in different specialties and new skills that you can learn.” As a Ph.D. student, Nguyen will spend at least half a decade living in Princeton, “which is enough time to say that being a Princeton resident is a significant part of my identity,” he said. “I even have a New Jersey driver’s license to show it in writing.” That is why, he said, he wants to serve the community. In addition to 35 volunteers and 31 associate members, the department has six career firefighters hired in 2020. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the number of volunteer firefighters in the United States has been decreasing. The Princeton Fire Department, which was organized in 1788, is seeking candidates to join its Class of 2023 training program. No prior experience is necessary. Volunteer opportunities are designed to adapt to one’s busy schedule with minimal disruption. According to the department, “Now is the perfect time to join the Princeton Fire Department, receive free training, and be prepared to help protect your community.” For more infor mation, visit bit.ly/PrincetonFireDept or email PFDrecruit@ princetonnj.gov. —Wendy Greenberg
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