Introduction
GEORGE DAVID GETTY SR. was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 28, 1938. He left school after the 10th grade and went into the United States Army, where he received his G.E.D. in the Army in 1956. While in the Army George D. Getty served as a paratrooper.
George D. Getty was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on June 29, 1962. He reported for duty at the Fire Training Academy on July 1 and, after training under Captain Leo Tompkins, graduated on July 24, 1962 and was assigned to Engine Company 2. George D. Getty was promoted to Captain of Engine 2 on July 11, 1968.
After serving the City of Camden for over 25 years, Captain Getty retired on pension on December 21, 1987.
George D. Getty was living at Apartment F-1 in the Canterbury Apartments in Camden when appointed to the Fire Department. He later moved to 1111 North 34th Street in Cramer Hill. When residency restrictions were removed for Camden firefighters, he moved to Cecil, New Jersey. His last days were spent as a resident of Williamstown, New Jersey.
George D. Getty Sr. passed away on July 25, 2011. He was survived by his wife, the former Eileen Gfrorer, son George D. Getty Jr., a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, and a brother and sister.
9 Firemen Graduate In City Test
Camden Courier-Post —
Graduation exercises for nine of the city’s newest firemen were held Tuesday in headquarters at 3rd and Arch Streets under direction of Public Safety Director Bedell and Fire Chief Edward R. MacDowell.
The graduates and their assignments are Joseph Anderson, Canterbury Apartments, No. 1 Ladder; Prescott Johnson, 1238 Kenwood Avenue, No. 8 Engine; Philip Maycott, 1023 North 32nd Street, No. 9 Engine; George Getty, Canterbury Apartments, No. 2 Engine; Ronald Bowers, 617 Clinton Street, No. 2 Ladder; William Young, 3167 Westfield Avenue, No. 2 Engine Company; Wayne Kraft, 1052 N. 35th Street, No. 3 Ladder; Raymond Eldridge, 7 North Dudley Street, No. 7 Engine; and Donald Goehringer, 30 North 24th Street, No. 7 Engine Company.
They will receive a starting salary of $4,800. Chief MacDowell said this brings the department to 170 hosemen and to 224 total personnel in the department.
All nine were graduated after receiving three weeks of training at the fire school under the direction of Captain Leo J. Tompkins.
Their training also included two days at the Navy Fire School at the Philadelphia Naval Base.
Police, Fire Tests Take Heavy Toll
Camden Courier-Post —
TRENTON — The high rate of failures on police and fire examinations was repeated yesterday in the Civil Service Department’s announcement of the results of tests for fire captain and patrolman in Camden City.
In the captain’s test, 23 passed, 64 failed and two did not show up for the test. In the test for patrolman, 10 passed, 32 failed and 14 failed to show. In the non-residents’ test for Camden patrolman, six passed, eight failed and five did not appear.
In the fire captain’s test, Kenneth M. Clark of 111 North 26th St., Camden, a veteran, qualified with a score of 92.6, highest for the seven veterans who qualified. Joseph R. Gfrorer of 3040 N. Constitution Road, Camden, was highest of applicants with a score of 96.5.
In the residents’ patrolman test, Robert D. Craig of 817 Vine Street was high with 78. In the non resident’s test, Edwin B. Hoffman of 514 Walnut Street, Audubon, a veteran qualified with 72.2 and Flem J. Hopkins Jr. of 113 Estates Ave., Pine Hill, was high with 78.
Others who passed the fire captain’s test were:
George D. Getty of 1111 N. 34 St., 95.4; John DiMaggio of 319 Beckett St., 94; Joseph J. Anderson of 2406 Denfield St., 92.96; Phillip A. Maycott of 2836 Lincoln Ave., 90.5; James McMaster of 402 N. 37th St., 90.2; William D. Hillman of 3071 Constitution Rd., 89.4; Joseph Arensberg of 1041 N. 32nd St., 88.3; Robert E. Briggs of 2861 Congress Road, veteran, 86.3; John S. Brzozowski of 371 N. 34th St., 86.2; Edmund F. Gorczynski of 272 N. 33rd St., veteran, 85.4; Anthony F. Orme of 3317 River Ave., veteran, 82.4; William J. Young of 1126 N. 33rd St., 80.5; William D. Ayers of 2846 Pierce Ave., veteran, 79.1; Joseph Dowhy Sr., of 866 Beideman Ave., veteran, 78.9; James O. Jones of 3214 Mitchell St., 78.3; Joseph Chelhowski of 1324 Sheridan St., veteran, 75.8; James T. Robinson of 504 Trenton Ave., 75.5; Anthony D. Moffa of 23 Leonard Ave., 73.3; Robert E. Davenport of 1026 Reeves Ave., 73; John F. Gaffney Jr., of 78 S. Dudley St., 72.8, and Albert E. Collum Jr., of 2409 Howell St., 72.6.
Patrolman (residents) who passed:
Joseph A. Fox of 2117 Mount Ephraim Ave., 77.1; Charles W. Cahilly 2d of 2015 Westminster Ave., 75.; Edward B. Bush of 3210 Mitchell St., 78.9; John F. Oppmann of 550 N. 30th St., 77.7; Gary E. Miller of 486-A Rand St., 77.4; Donald J. Tymusczuk of 2737 Concord Ave., 75.1; Joseph A. Broccoli of 1467 Pershing St., 74.2; Richard W. Merta of 1641 Pulaski St., 72.9, and Robert G. Gibson of 572 Clinton St., 72.6.
Patrolman (nonresidents) who passed:
Flem J. Hopkins Jr., 78; Elwood L. Ridge, 75.4; Joseph E. Benton, 74.7; David Vautier Jr., 74.1, and Frank R. Pedano, 73.8.
Photos
Rehearsal for Disaster
Camden Courier-Post — 1965
Fire Rescue Drill Held at W. Jersey Hospital
By Mary Archibald, Courier-Post Staff
A demonstration of rescue procedures was given yesterday by the Camden City Fire Department and the hospital for representatives of 14 hospitals in the Greater Philadelphia-Camden area.
All known rescue methods were used to remove theoretically trapped student nurses and hospital personnel from fifth floor windows and rooftops. The drill was climaxed by a two story leap into a net by two firemen.
Several student nurses, assisted by firemen, descended extension ladders first from upper-story windows. This procedure was followed by the lowering of bandaged nurses, masquerading as patients, from the fifth floor in stokes baskets. The stokes basket is a specially shaped wire basket which conforms to the shape of the human body and in which a patient may be strapped safely.
Calm Performance
Although most of the mock patients were unruffled and a few volunteered for a repeat performance, oxygen, though unnecessary, was administered. The girls were lifted then onto stretchers and transported to the street curb by able and willing firemen. As evacuees reached the ground, a group of nurses, headed by Mrs. Jane Born, director of nursing services and education, was put in action.
Exceptional bravery was displayed by several girls in shorts and shirts who slid down stout ropes from fifth floor windows.
Among the hospital personnel who were rescued were two head nurses, Doris Davis and Jacqueline Stauffer. Student nurses participating were Irma Coney, Jean Knepner, Judy Peters, Sue Organt, Judy Bowers, Millie James, Kathi Mullen, Lois Weintraub, Arleen McCormack, Sally Bashaw, Barbara Eddis and Faith Isbell.
Acrobatic Fireman
Showing acrobatic skill was a fireman, William Hopkins, who swung from a rope attached to a fire truck extension ladder. Jumping two stories into a net were firemen Jay Anderson and Jay Getty, who landed in the proper rump-down position according to the fire department’s fire master, Otto Kaiser.
Chief Edward Michalak said he thought the drill was successful.
Emergency Drill
“The drills are a part of our pre-planning program for emergencies and we will be having a second demonstration drill Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Walt Whitman Hotel. We are doing these training all the time at hospitals, hotels and factories as part of a year-round program,” the chief added.
The drill was coordinated by W. J. Gribble, hospital engineer. District Fire Chief Theodore Primas was in charge of firemen and apparatus. Observers were representatives from All Saints, Burlington, Cooper, Delaware Valley, Jeanes, Lower Bucks, Nazareth, Northeastern, Sacred Heart, St. Christopher, St. Mary’s, Stetson, Underwood and Friends Hospitals.
Fire Department Record Card
George D. Getty Sr. — Camden Fire Department Record Card
George D. Getty Sr. (1938 – 2011)
Camden Courier-Post —
Beloved husband of Eileen (nee Gfrorer) of Williamstown, NJ. Survived by a son George Jr. and his wife Suzan and 2 granddaughters, Kelly & Kaitlyn of Turnersville, NJ. Also a brother, Butler Baldwin of Ocean City, NJ and sister, Zella Sherman of Clarksburg, Maryland. He was a retired Captain of the Camden NJ Fire Department after 25 years of service and a former U.S. Army Paratrooper. Friends and family are invited to a Memorial Service to be held at the Williamstown Assembly of God Church, 214 E. Malaga Rd., Williamstown, NJ on Saturday July 30, 2011. Visitation will be from 9:00–10:00am. Services will be held from 10:00–11:00am. Inurnment will follow at 11:30am at the Gloucester County Veterans Cemetery, Williamstown, NJ.