Although volunteer firefighting is unpaid, the Toms River Fire Department sparked many careers in emergency services. Some paths need a college education, such as emergency management directors and nurses, while others, like dispatchers and EMTs, do not. Whatever path someone is interested in, advanced training and building networks are just two of the many ways that volunteering can open doors to careers. Here are the stories of how three Toms River volunteers built their careers.

Travis Veth: Career Firefighter

Travis Veth is currently the Chief of East Dover Fire Company and works as a firefighter in Lakewood.

“Almost everything I learned and where I am today started at the Toms River Fire Academy and pushed me to my career goals,” he said.

Following in his family’s footsteps, Veth joined East Dover Fire Company as a junior explorer at 17 years old.

“I was born into it and started at a really young age,” said Veth. “After I joined, I was off to the races from there.”

He initially received his EMT certification, but always had goals to pursue the fire side as a career. He was hired at Lakewood Township EMS Department, and went on to complete his civil service test, getting hired about five years ago as a firefighter at Lakewood Fire Department.

“I was able to piece together all the skills and abilities I learned in Toms River and met some really good people that guided me to a career,” said Veth.

Toms River Fire Department provides training and gear to prepare its volunteers for a wide variety of emergencies, including fire suppression, vehicle extrication, water rescues, HazMat incidents, and more.

“The Toms River Fire Academy has become one of the most well-attended fire academies in the state and is only one of three municipal-based tier-one academies,” said Veth.

As a career firefighter at Lakewood and Chief at East Dover, Veth must balance wearing different hats. Serving as Chief is a constant responsibility, but he’s able to lean on the other volunteer officers when he’s at work.

“I think I have one of the best officer groups that supports me and makes my job a thousand times easier,” he said.

When Veth isn’t working or volunteering, he spends time with his wife and two kids, and also coaches his son’s baseball team at Toms River East Little League.

Matt Janora: Chief Inspector

Matt Janora is in his third year as the Chief Inspector of the Toms River Fire Prevention Bureau and is the past Chief of Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Company. Being around volunteering his whole life, Janora joined Pleasant Plains at 18.

He wasn’t initially looking to make a career out of it and initially went to college to study computer science, and later switched to criminal justice to explore the police field. After getting a job with the Ocean County Fire Marshal, Janora eventually transitioned to Toms River and was promoted to Chief Inspector about three years ago.

Even if a career in emergency services isn’t the goal, Janora says that the more involved volunteers are at Toms River Fire Department, the more credibility and name recognition they’ll have with the membership, ultimately opening future career opportunities.

“The volunteer world is comprised of every trade, so networking is really invaluable,” said Janora. “We have plumbers, electricians, and many other fields represented, so there is usually someone who can mentor you and give you assistance to the career you’re looking to pursue.”

As Janora worked through the ranks as a volunteer firefighter, he became exposed to many types of calls.

“Going to fire alarms every day was very helpful when I moved into the code enforcement aspect, learning about fire alarms, sprinkler systems, building constructions and exit pathways,” said Janora.

The Toms River Fire Bureau handles fire inspections for all commercial properties, as well as residential resale inspections which is required before someone can sell or close on a property, as well as investigates fires within the township. Janora also functions as the public information officer for both Fire District’s Boards of Commissioners, so he releases press releases for investigations and general public safety information. Ultimately, Janora says if residents don’t know who to call, call the Bureau, and they’ll find the right person to put them in touch with.

All the staff at the Bureau currently have a volunteer background in the fire service, and they can answer calls if their workload permits while also taking the severity of the call into consideration.

“I’ve been exposed to incidents – both happy and sad – and things I would have never seen had I not joined the fire department,” said Janora. “I made some of my best friends and lifelong friendships through volunteering. I made connections personally and professionally all over the state and country. I can’t say enough good things about the fire department and what it’s done for me.”

Janora is married and has a daughter who is actively involved in swimming and gymnastics.

“It can be a big hang-up for new members. They don’t realize how much time and energy volunteering takes, so your family really has to support it to be successful,” said Janora.

Charles “CJ” Weinberger: Communications Supervisor

Charles “CJ” Weinberger works and volunteers at Toms River Fire Department, volunteering at Toms River Fire Company No. 2 and working as a Communications Supervisor.

Weinberger joined Pleasant Plains Fire Company as a fire explorer in 1996, and once he saw what dispatching entailed, he applied. As a dispatcher, Weinberger answered 9-1-1 calls and collected essential information to send emergency personnel to the correct location. If callers are also injured or trapped in a burning building, instructions from dispatchers are crucial to those responding.

“Understanding how the fireground works makes our dispatchers top of the list,” said Weinberger. “Sometimes dispatchers come in with no on-scene experience, which is fine, but they have to try and learn what volunteer firefighters already know.”

Similarly, being a dispatcher helps volunteers understand the fire service better, as well as how officers make decisions and learn about local government.

In his current role as Communications Supervisor, Weinberger oversees the day-to-day operations of the communications center for fire and EMS, as well as monitors live emergencies and makes sure policies are being followed.

“The Toms River Fire Department is one of the best. We have some of the best leadership from the Lieutenants up to the Commissioners,” said Weinberger. “We offer endless training and have top-notch equipment which allows our department to have some of the best firefighters in the country.”

His favorite part about the Toms River Fire Department is the family.

“Everyone joins together to help the community, whether it’s supporting Ocean of Love or bringing Santa around for the local kids,” said Weinberger.

Although Weinberger’s job and volunteering can have calls arise 24/7, he tries his best to balance those responsibilities and relaxing with family and friends. He is going to celebrate 15 years of marriage with his wife soon, and has two children very involved in afterschool activities, including NASCAR Youth Series, which takes his family across the county.

To be considered in good standing, Toms River Fire Department volunteers must attend 40% of calls, meetings and fires. Prior to volunteering, they must complete 210 hours of training at the Toms River Fire Academy to earn their Firefighter I and II certifications. To learn more about volunteering, visit www.trfire.org.