Object of Association
The objects of this Association are: The furtherance of the best interests of the Firemen's Relief Associations of this State which are or may become members of this Association so that the funds of the said relief Associations may be protected and the best results for the benefit of aged and needy active and/or otherwise qualified fire persons and their families, and those injured, incapacitated or killed in the performance of their duty, may be achieved; the protection against the encroachment upon the source of said funds, the advancement of the status and best interest of all fire persons, the development and advancement of the best methods of fire protection and the cultivation of fraternal fellowship among the various departments and fire persons throughout the State and elsewhere.
2026 Meeting Schedule
Regular Meeting: January 5, 2026
Regular Meeting: April 6, 2026
Regular Meeting: July 6, 2026
Regular Meeting: October 5, 2026
Regular Meeting: December 7, 2026
*Meetings Begin at 7:00 pm at Engine Company #1*
Regular Meeting: April 6, 2026
Regular Meeting: July 6, 2026
Regular Meeting: October 5, 2026
Regular Meeting: December 7, 2026
*Meetings Begin at 7:00 pm at Engine Company #1*
2026 Hudson County Caucus
July 27, 2026
7:00 pm
Immaculate Conception Church
1219 Paterson Plank Road
Secaucus, NJ 07094
7:00 pm
Immaculate Conception Church
1219 Paterson Plank Road
Secaucus, NJ 07094
2026 NJSFA Convention
September 18 - 19, 2026
4501 Boardwalk
Wildwood, NJ 08260
4501 Boardwalk
Wildwood, NJ 08260
2026 Relief Officers
President - Frank J. Walters
Vice President - Raymond M. Cieciuch
Secretary - Donald F. Cieciuch
Treasurer - John M. Bujnowski
Sergeant At Arms - Albert A. Kosky
Vice President - Raymond M. Cieciuch
Secretary - Donald F. Cieciuch
Treasurer - John M. Bujnowski
Sergeant At Arms - Albert A. Kosky
2026 Representatives & Trustees
|
Engine 1
Trustee Yash D. Patel Representative Albert A. Kosky Representative Rahul R. Nagpal Representative Arthur A. Glaeser |
Engine 2/Rescue 1
Trustee Joseph W. Schoendorf Representative Joseph J. Schoendorf Representative Michael R. Schoendorf Representative Michael A. Dragone |
|
Engine 3
Trustee Carl L. Leppin III Representative Nicholas J. Mandara Representative Jason Leppin Representative Troy D. Conville |
Engine 4/Ladder 1
Trustee Lawrence J. Marciano Representative Raymond M. Cieciuch Representative Charles P. Opalach Representative David W. Hardy |
|
Tower 2
Trustee Anthony R. Smentkowski Jr. Representative John M. Bujnowski Representative Vincent A. Massaro Jr. Representative Frederick S. Schneider |
Exempt Association
Trustee John W. Reilly Representative Ronald A. Kosky Jr. Representative Howard F. Ensmann III Representative Robert J. Parisi Jr. |
2026 Wildwood Convention Delegates/Alternates
|
Chief Delegate: Lawrence Marciano
Exempt Delegate: Vincent A. Massaro Jr. Engine 3 Delegate: Patrick J. Cavalcante Engine 2/Rescue 1 Delegate: Jospeh J. Schoendorf WH&L Delegate: Walter R. Francis Jr. |
Chief Alternate: Nicholas Nardone Sr.
Exempt Alternate: William R. Sallick Engine 3 Alternate: Nicholas J. Mandara Engine 2/Rescue 1 Alternate: Michael R. Schoendorf WH&L Alternate: Matthew E. Mottola |
Life Member Roster
Life Member George H. Heflich Sr.
Life Member Albert A. Kosky
Life Member Raymond M. Cieciuch
Life Member James P. Logan
Life Member William R. Bergner
Life Member Michael J. Gonnelli
Life Member Roger L. Johnson Jr.
Life Member Arthur A. Glaeser
Life Member Lawrence R. Sanzari
Life Member Ronald A. Kosky Jr.
Life Member Lawrence J. Marciano
Life Member Frank J. Walters
Life Member Gary Riebesell
Life Member Howard F. Ensmann III
Life Member Robert J. Parisi Jr.
Life Member Anthony R. Smentkowski Jr.
Life Member Francis L. Prezioso
Life Member Troy D. Conville
Life Member Joseph J. Franks
Life Member Kevin G. Kloepping
Life Member Joseph W. Schoendorf
Life Member Frederick S. Schneider
Life Member William R. Sallick
Life Member Carl L. Leppin III
Life Member Matthew J. Bienkowski
Life Member Albert A. Kosky
Life Member Raymond M. Cieciuch
Life Member James P. Logan
Life Member William R. Bergner
Life Member Michael J. Gonnelli
Life Member Roger L. Johnson Jr.
Life Member Arthur A. Glaeser
Life Member Lawrence R. Sanzari
Life Member Ronald A. Kosky Jr.
Life Member Lawrence J. Marciano
Life Member Frank J. Walters
Life Member Gary Riebesell
Life Member Howard F. Ensmann III
Life Member Robert J. Parisi Jr.
Life Member Anthony R. Smentkowski Jr.
Life Member Francis L. Prezioso
Life Member Troy D. Conville
Life Member Joseph J. Franks
Life Member Kevin G. Kloepping
Life Member Joseph W. Schoendorf
Life Member Frederick S. Schneider
Life Member William R. Sallick
Life Member Carl L. Leppin III
Life Member Matthew J. Bienkowski
General Background
The New Jersey State Firemen’s Association was formed under New Jersey Statutes 43:17-1 et.seq. in 1885. Our Association’s membership is made up of any Fire Company, Department or Fire District that is under Municipal control. These State Statutes are the rules that the Local Associations and the State Office must follow.
The New Jersey State Firemen’s Association is comprised of 534 Local Firemen’s Relief Associations consisting of approximately 68,000 Career and Volunteer Firefighters. It is within the Local’s scope to approve and grant relief to qualified local firefighters and their families who file an application for such assistance and demonstrate a need. Money for local funds comes from a levy on all fire insurance premiums written by insurance companies chartered outside the State of New Jersey.
With the current membership of active and retired firefighters, the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association has an obligation that must be maintained in a fiduciary manner. A full time staff of office personnel, working in conjunction with elected State Officer’s, are required to manage the daily operations. All requests, for either burial benefits or relief assistance from the local associations or from the State Association’s General Fund, are thoroughly investigated under established guidelines.
A firefighter must have been between the age of eighteen (18) and prior to their fifty-eight (58th) birthday at the time of joining to qualify for benefits. When a membership application is properly filled out, submitted and approved by the State Office, only then does that firefighter receive a line number and then he or she can start receiving credit toward a Qualifying Certificate. They must serve a period of 84 months, attending a minimum of 25% of all alarms and drills to receive the maximum burial benefit.
New Jersey has a unique system for aiding firefighters and their families by means of the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association. Its purpose is to maintain a General Relief Fund that provides burial benefits to the family and financial relief for qualified members, a tradition being continued for over 133 years. It is the only Association of its kind in the United States.
All firefighters serving towards qualification earn credit for a burial benefit. This benefit is provided to survivors and/or other approved recipients according to the pro-rated scale below.
Base Burial Fund Payment Scale
Qualifying Time Earned / Base Payment Limit
0 months - $0.00.
1 month, but less than 12 months - $1,550.
12 months, but less than 24 months - $3,100.
24 months, but less than 36 months - $4,650.
36 months, but less than 48 months - $6,200.
48 months, but less than 60 months - $7,750.
60 months, but less than 72 months - $9,300.
72 months, but less than 84 months - $10,850.
84 months or more, and Qualified - $12,400.
The current maximum payment of $12,400 is provided for a qualified member of the Association.
Should death occur in the LINE OF DUTY to any member, the maximum benefit will be tripled and payable as specified in General Relief Fund Rules Article VI, section 16-a, 16-b and 16-c.
The New Jersey State Firemen’s Association is comprised of 534 Local Firemen’s Relief Associations consisting of approximately 68,000 Career and Volunteer Firefighters. It is within the Local’s scope to approve and grant relief to qualified local firefighters and their families who file an application for such assistance and demonstrate a need. Money for local funds comes from a levy on all fire insurance premiums written by insurance companies chartered outside the State of New Jersey.
With the current membership of active and retired firefighters, the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association has an obligation that must be maintained in a fiduciary manner. A full time staff of office personnel, working in conjunction with elected State Officer’s, are required to manage the daily operations. All requests, for either burial benefits or relief assistance from the local associations or from the State Association’s General Fund, are thoroughly investigated under established guidelines.
A firefighter must have been between the age of eighteen (18) and prior to their fifty-eight (58th) birthday at the time of joining to qualify for benefits. When a membership application is properly filled out, submitted and approved by the State Office, only then does that firefighter receive a line number and then he or she can start receiving credit toward a Qualifying Certificate. They must serve a period of 84 months, attending a minimum of 25% of all alarms and drills to receive the maximum burial benefit.
New Jersey has a unique system for aiding firefighters and their families by means of the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association. Its purpose is to maintain a General Relief Fund that provides burial benefits to the family and financial relief for qualified members, a tradition being continued for over 133 years. It is the only Association of its kind in the United States.
All firefighters serving towards qualification earn credit for a burial benefit. This benefit is provided to survivors and/or other approved recipients according to the pro-rated scale below.
Base Burial Fund Payment Scale
Qualifying Time Earned / Base Payment Limit
0 months - $0.00.
1 month, but less than 12 months - $1,550.
12 months, but less than 24 months - $3,100.
24 months, but less than 36 months - $4,650.
36 months, but less than 48 months - $6,200.
48 months, but less than 60 months - $7,750.
60 months, but less than 72 months - $9,300.
72 months, but less than 84 months - $10,850.
84 months or more, and Qualified - $12,400.
The current maximum payment of $12,400 is provided for a qualified member of the Association.
Should death occur in the LINE OF DUTY to any member, the maximum benefit will be tripled and payable as specified in General Relief Fund Rules Article VI, section 16-a, 16-b and 16-c.
Toward the Future
The Secaucus Firemen’s Relief Association has been operating effectively since February 11, 1905 and will continue to do so in the future. Member firefighters and their families who are in need of assistance and the next of kin of those who died, naturally or in the LINE OF DUTY, can fully expect to receive eligible financial assistance from the association to include:
Burial Benefit
Local Relief
Special Relief
Supplemental Relief
Home Health Care
We will continue to strive for the best interest of all firefighters, their families and continue to encourage a fraternity of all firefighters.
Burial Benefit
Local Relief
Special Relief
Supplemental Relief
Home Health Care
We will continue to strive for the best interest of all firefighters, their families and continue to encourage a fraternity of all firefighters.
New Jersey Firemen's Home
In 1898 the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association recognized a need to provide a home for firefighters. The Lathrop family donated eighty-five (85) acres of land in Boonton, New Jersey located in Morris County for that purpose. Firefighters with one (1) or more years of service are eligible to enter the home. You do not have to be a member of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association to be eligible for admittance to the Firemen’s Home. A Board of Managers, representing all counties, manages the Firemen’s Home in conjunction with the State Department of Health and Senior Services. The Firemen’s Home is funded pursuant to State Statute N.J. S.A. 54:18-8. The State Association annually supplies Operating and Maintenance Budget monies to the NJ. State Firemen’s Home. The NJSFA’s contribution towards their Budget was $8.3 million dollars.
"A Gift From Captain Buscio"
Donna Buscio started a program, "A Gift From Captain Buscio", in memory of her husband, Dominick. All current and retired firefighters have the opportunity to receive confidential comprehensive cardiovascular and pulmonary medical evaluations. There are currently four locations that offer this service. For information, contact them directly at 201-216-3055.
