Matthew J. Davies Jr.
Matthew J. Davies Jr.
MATTHEW JOHN DAVIES JR. was born on January 6, 1932 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Mary B. and Matthew Davies. By 1947 the family had moved to Camden, where they lived at 942 Pearl Street. The elder Davies worked as a buffer. The Davies family maintained a presence at the Pearl Street address as late as 1980.
Matthew J. Davies was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on November 23, 1956 and reported for duty at Engine Company 11 on December 1. He was promoted to Captain on August 16, 1963 and to Battalion Chief on December 31, 1968.
Matthew Davies, Camden Fire Department firebook portrait.
Matthew Davies retired from the Camden Fire Department on December 1, 1981. His father had moved to the Williamstown area and died on August 29, 1993. Last a resident of Maple Shade, New Jersey, Matthew J. Davies died on January 7, 1994.
Engine Company 11
Photo by Bob Bartosz
Engine Company 11, rough and dirty after another working fire at the old “starch works” on Lemuel Avenue in East Camden. From left Fire Fighters Phil Stinger, Jack Schott, Herb Baxter, Bill O’Connor and Matt Davies. Circa 1957.
The Firehouse Family — Engine Company 11, 1958. Seated, from left: Fireman Matthew Davies, Fireman Frank Deal, Captain Edwin Robbins; Fireman William D. O’Connor. Standing: Fireman Harry J. Allebach, who retired February 1, 1958.
Camden Fireman Cited by Buffs
Camden Courier-Post —
Honors came last night, for the second time this year, to a Camden firefighter who risked his life to rescue an invalid from a burning bedroom.
The Delaware Valley Fire Buffs Association awarded a special citation and a $25 savings bond to Capt. John Gryckiewicz of Engine Company 6. The presentation was made by Howard Doerschner, chief of Camden city auxiliary firemen.
Third Attempt
On Feb. 7, Gryckiewicz rescued Mrs. Emily Burns, 40, from the second floor bedroom of her home at 602 N. 2nd Street. Mrs. Burns, a multiple sclerosis victim, managed to reach the door of her room before she collapsed.
In making the presentation, Doerschner said Gryckiewicz entered the burning building after two rescue attempts by civilians failed.
Gryckiewicz received the Distinguished Service Award in February from Public Safety Director Keith Kauffman for bravery and rescue beyond the call of duty.
Chief Wilmer Porter, Haddon Heights Fire Company, and George F. Rossner, Pennsauken’s Delaware Gardens Fire Company 4, received award certificates presented by Leo Mendez, acting president of the Fire Buffs. They were cited for outstanding work in fire service and their assistance to the Fire Buffs.
Guests Listed
Guests at the organization’s seventh annual award meeting in Pennsauken’s Amity Hall were Capt. Matthew Davies, president of the Camden Fire Department Fire Officers Association; Ralph Kress, assistant chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department; D. Allen Stretch, director of public safety of Ocean City, and Chief Ferdinan Tacharino and Deputy Chief William Meenan, Ocean City Fire Department.
Councilman Mario Rodriguez was the principal speaker. Rodriguez commended the honored guests and members of the Fire Buffs for their dedication to the safety of others.
The Fire Buffs is an organization made up of active and retired fire fighters who aid firemen. They are on 24-hour call and they work without pay. Some buffs serve coffee and sandwiches to firemen, others administer artificial respiration, while still others participate in the actual firefighting.
25 Firemen Finish Training
Camden Courier-Post —
In a move aimed at staffing the Camden Fire Department for a new 42-hour work week, 25 probationary firemen will be graduated from the city fire academy Monday and 10 fire officers will be given promotions Tuesday.
Heading the list of fire officer promotions will be the selection of Battalion Chief Anthony C. Saponare, 51, of 117 S. 27th Street, Camden, as deputy fire chief. The new deputy chief is a 26-year veteran on the city fire force.
Two fire captains to be promoted to battalion chief are Matthew J. Davies, Jr., 36, of 2819 Carman Street, Camden, and James H. Stewart, 54, of 317 Garden Avenue, Camden.
Seven firemen to be named captains include William D. Hillman, 29, of 11 Crestfair Apartments, Camden; Joseph H. Arensberg, 32, of 1041 N. 32nd Street, Camden; Robert E. Briggs, 48, of 2861 Congress Road, Camden; and John Brzozowski, 28, 371 N. 34th Street, Camden.
Also to be named captains are Edmund F. Gorczynski, 36, of 272 N. 33rd Street, Camden; Anthony T. Orme, 44, 3317 River Road, Camden; and William B. Young, 29, of 1126 N. 33rd Street, Camden.
The new firemen include Richard E. Johnson, Thomas H. Eckel, Ronald C. Crowder, John A. DeLuca, Peter P. Carbone, Robert P. Hand, Robert M. Lapp, Jerome A. Kee, Thomas V. Kane, Charles E. Mayo, James C. Peterson and George S. Szychulski, all of Camden.
Other slated fire school graduates are Ronald Angemi, Robert C. Welch, Robert G. Boyle, Glenn H. Moore, Marvin W. Bendy, Thomas J. DiBiaso, Arthur J. Gibson, Daniel J. Galasso, Samuel Battle Jr., Ronald J. Boyle, Jerome J. Watson, George R. Abbey, 3rd., and William H. Huelas, all of Camden.
The appointments of all 35 men become effective Jan. 1, 1969.
Fire Records
Matthew John Davies fire service record card.
Fire Watch: In This Issue
Fire Watch Magazine — Spring 1977
FIRE WATCH
VOL. 1 NO. 1
SPRING 1977
IN THIS ISSUE
MESSAGE FROM LOCAL #788 2
WHAT'S NEW 4
VIEW FROM THE TOP 5
SAFETY EVERYONE'S CONCERN 6
A CITY CHANGING IT'S [sic] IMAGE 8
DO YOU REMEMBER 10
HOT FLASHES 11
FIREHOUSE CHATTER 12
IN RECOGNITION 13
RUNS AND WORKERS-1976 13
DOWN MEMORY LANE 14
OUR SUPPORT SERVICES 16
QUIZ BIZ 18
FROM THE RULE BOOK 19
OUR PATRONS 19
PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY AND FOR CAMDEN FIREFIGHTERS
The Cover Photo of our inaugural issue displays the scene that greeted first arriving units on the morning of 6 June, 1976 at Mt. Ephraim Avenue and Fairview Street, the Harris Terminal Complex. The fire involved a four story brick and corrugated steel warehouse (100 x 1000) containing miscellaneous industrial materials. Structure was fully involved upon arrival of Department Forces. As is evident in photo, the firebuilding was completely obscured from view by extremely heavy smoke conditions that were visible as far as thirty miles away. Elevated water tank in background, which is adjacent to firebuilding, is 100 feet tall. A massive effort by over 400 hundred [sic] manning some fifty pieces of equipment, was required to control the blaze. The Camden Fire Department was assisted by the mutual-aid response of Fire Units from Camden County. A 10th Alarm for Box #4412 was transmitted for this fire. Photo by M. Hall.
(LIABILITY STATEMENT)
1) The contents of FIREWATCH magazine are not intended to reflect official Fire Department policy, and are published with the express purpose of broadening the member's understanding and interest in the Fire Fighting Profession, and the Labor Movement. Opinions and ascertations [sic] set forth by authors of articles in FIREWATCH magazine do not reflect the views of the Fire Department of the City of Camden, N.J. or Local #788, I.A.F.F.
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OFFICIAL DIRECTORY CAMDEN FIRE DEPARTMENT
Edward V. Michalak, Chief of Department
Dep. Chf. Joseph R. Guarino, Personnel & Administration
Dep. Chf. Daniel F. Jiannetto, Department Properties
Dep. Chf. Anthony C. Saponare, Support Services
Dep. Chf. Theodore L. Primas, Staff Services
Batt. Chf. Harold H. Pike, Chief Fire Marshal
Capt. Vincent G. Orme, Asst. Fire Marshal & Community Relations
Batt. Chf. Matthew J. Davies, Fire Training Academy
Capt. Ronald Guernon, Training Officer
Chief Joseph F. Wolfinger, Motor Maintenance Unit
OFFICIAL DIRECTORY CAMDEN FIREFIGHTER'S UNION, LOCAL #788, I.A.F.F.
Robert J. Williams, President E.11
William H. Colucci, 1st Vice President L.1
Robert K. Troutman, 2nd Vice President E.6
Richard J. Tate, 3rd Vice President E.8
Robert W. Frett, Secretary B.1-Aide
George F. Kifferly III, Treasurer E.11
Edward DeHart, State Delegate E.11
William S. DiPompo, State Delegate E.8
William L. Kamman, State Delegate E.3
PUBLICATION STAFF, FIREWATCH MAGAZINE
Editor Peter Carbone E.1
Asst. Editor Joseph Marini L.1
Circulation Martin Murray L.2
Historian Dennis Penn E.7
Art Robert Zieniuk E.3
Graphics B. James Nash E.8
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