Maurice R. “Mo” Wilson
Maurice R. “Mo” Wilson
MAURICE RICHARD “MO” WILSON was born in 1955. He attended Camden High School where he played middle guard on the school’s football team.
Maurice R. Wilson was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on April 5, 1982.
In the summer of 1986, while serving at Engine Company 7 under Captain Herbert Leary, Maurice Wilson, along with Captain Leary and firefighter David Yates rescued a 49 year-old man from a burning house. Both Leary and Yates rose to the rank of Chief of Department during their careers with the Camden Fire Department.
In 1994 he was serving with Rescue Company 1 under Captain Darryl Lewison, with firefighters Joel R. Bain and Joseph Cunningham. He was promoted to Captain on February 15, 1996. Sometime after February of 2001 he was promoted to Battalion Chief, and by the time he retired, on May 1, 2010 he had been promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief.
Maurice R. Wilson died on March 26, 2018.
Maurice Wilson
Camden Courier-Post —
MAURICE WILSON, a 205-pound junior, played an outstanding game at middle guard as his Camden High School team won its second straight game. Wilson recovered a fumble to stop a Cherry Hill East drive and was involved in several key tackles as the Cougars were forced to run inside because of the field conditions. He was credited with nine solo hits.
Man Injured in Fire, Rescued from Home
Camden Courier-Post —
CAMDEN — A 49-year-old city man was rescued from a burning home this morning by two city firefighters who pulled him unconscious from a second-floor bathroom.
Battalion Two Fire Chief John Giuliano said William Miller, 49, of 1354 Park Ave., was rescued by firefighter Maurice Wilson and Fire Capt. Herb Leary.
They searched the smoke and flame-filled building after Miller’s brother, Charles, 53, who shares the two-story, semi-detached home with his brother, told them his brother was still inside. Charles Miller had just escaped as firemen arrived.
Wiliam [sic] Miller was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at the scene and then rushed to Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center, the chief said. There were no other reports of injury.
Miller was treated for smoke inhalation and second- and third-degree burns over 20 percent of his body, according to hospital officials. He was later transferred to the burn unit at St. Agnes Medical Center in Philadelphia, once his condition stabilized. He was listed in critical condition.
Giuliano said the fire, which was reported at about 4:10 a.m., was fought by about 17 city firefighters for about 30 minutes before being declared under control.
He said the blaze erupted in a second-floor bedroom used by the victim. It caused extensive damage to the second floor of the home and its furnishings. The rest of the home received heat and water damage.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation by the city fire marshal’s office. It is not being considered as suspicious in origin.
Firemen Hailed for Bravery
Camden Courier-Post —
GLOUCESTER TWP. — Anytime Camden Fire Captain Herbert Leary confronts a blaze to save a life, he never feels afraid.
“The adrenalin pumps, but there’s no time for fear because there’s always something to do,” said the 22-year Camden City firefighter honored last night by the Camden County Fireman’s Association.
Leary, named Firefighter of the Year, was one of 11 city firemen the association honored.
Recognition for bravery is no stranger to Leary, who was awarded the same title in 1983 and is the “highest decorated firefighter in the city,” said Camden city Administrative Aide Joe Marini. He added that Leary, 44, was cited five times by the city for saving lives and twice by the state legislature for risking personal safety.
His bravery, Leary said modestly, is all in a day’s work.
“I was doing what I was supposed to do,” he said.
Also named Firefighter of the Year last night was Camden firefighter David Yates, who was only 6 months into a probationary period with the fire company when he helped rescue a 49-year-old man from a burning house last summer.
“I was a little nervous but never scared,” he said of his first life-saving experience.
Yates, Maurice Wilson and Leary, all members of Engine Company No. 7, shared the honors for that rescue.
Yates, 28, said he became a fireman about 18 months ago because he “wanted to follow in the footsteps” of his grandfather, John Yates, who served on the Camden fire department from 1930 to 1965.
Leary and 19-year veteran George Jackson, of the city’s Ladder Co. No. 2, were cited for saving three residents from a burning boarding house in the city May 10, 1986.
Also named Firefighter of the Year were Lt. Joseph Jackson of West Berlin Fire Co. No. 1, for pulling a child from an icy pond on Feb. 3; Robert Dowhy and George Reese, who were assigned to Engine Co. No. 3 in Camden, for rescuing a child trapped inside a burning house April 9; Camden firefighters Donald Jankiewicz and Michael Carpenter for rescuing a fire victim Christmas night, 1986; Pennsauken firefighters William Alessi and John Schengerger for a March 22 fire rescue in Merchantville. Camden firefighters Paul Price, John Heritage and Luis Vera for rescuing a woman from a burning house Feb. 9, and Camden County dispatcher Fred Ellis for twice in the same Feb. 9 night guiding callers into administering CPR to sick infants, one of whom survived.
Receiving Meritorious Service awards last night were: Joan Skeens, Louden Volunteer Fire Co., captains Joseph Anderson and Dennis Dowhy and firefighter Joseph Broccoli, all of the Camden City Fire Department; Gary Woods, of Berlin Borough Fire Co. No. 1, and Lawnside Police Captain Edward Grimes and Sgt. Samuel Furches.
Firemen Help the Kids
Camden Courier-Post —
Saving lives is more than a day’s work for eight Camden City firefighters.
When the firefighters learned that the Southern New Jersey Regional Children’s Hospital was coming to Camden, they joined efforts and created “Heroes for Healthy Children.” In the past year, the group has generated ongoing support for the future facility through various fund-raisers.
“As tradition goes,” explained firefighter and program coordinator, Richard Tate, “it’s always been our nature to help children.”
The group’s message is this: “As firefighters, we save children’s lives,” said Tate. “As fathers with families, we know there is a need for a children’s hospital in the area. We founded ‘Heroes for Healthy Children’ simply because we want to help kids.”
“We’re excited to see Camden’s firefighters take an active role in the Children’s Hospital project,” said Denis P. Keegan, executive director, the Cooper Foundation. “The commitment of this group demonstrates that accessible health care is vitally important to the community.”
To date, the group has generated $2,500 and is planning future activities to support the project.
For information about the activities coordinated by Heroes for Healthy Children, call Richard Tate, 629-8087, or write to: Heroes for Healthy Children, c/o Camden City Fire Department, Fire Administration Bldg., Third and Federal streets, Camden 08102.
Maurice R. “Mo” Wilson
1994
Maurice R. Wilson, 1994
Group Urges Tight Checks on Residency
Camden Courier-Post —
CAMDEN — Representatives of a fraternal organization of minority firefighters want the city to step up enforcement of residency requirements for would-be firefighters and police officers in Camden.
Raynaldo Santiago, president of the Brotherhood of United Firefighters (BUFF), and two other members of the organization told the city council Thursday that “outsiders” are ducking the requirements and “taking” jobs from Camden residents.
“It’s about minorities in the city who are not getting these jobs,” firefighter Darryl Davis said. “Outsiders come in here for a few minutes and sign up for residency. The whole thing is a big joke.”
Firefighter Maurice Wilson said the city’s “background checks” are inadequate, and enable applicants for fire and police department jobs to use temporary or false addresses to qualify for residency.
Under state law, applicants for jobs as firefighters or police officers in a municipality must reside in that community “continuously” from the closing date of the entrance examination through their appointment to the positions. The newly appointed individuals are then free to move elsewhere in the state.
Fire officials acknowledge that many of the appointees do move out shortly after they are hired. Police officials could not provide an estimate.
On Thursday, the council took a unanimous preliminary vote on a measure that codifies, but does not change, the residency requirement. City Attorney Morris G. Smith said the state directed Camden to write its long-standing requirement into the form of an ordinance.
Residency is a sensitive issue in Camden, where some residents resent the fact that many firefighters, police officers, top civilian officials and rank-and-file employees live in the suburbs. Only 116 of the city’s 329 police officers and 46 of its 217 firefighters live in Camden.
Although a number of job titles are exempt, most civilian officials and rank-and-file employees are supposed to become city residents within a year of being hired. Nevertheless, many — how many was not immediately available Thursday — do not.
The renewed debate over residency comes at a time when the city is facing a decision on whether to hire new firefighters from a state Department of Personnel list that is scheduled to expire on March 15.
Although the proposed city budget that was introduced last year provided for hiring 24 new firefighters, the unresolved $15.5-million gap between projected revenues and expenditures has delayed those plans, city officials said.
Eight City Firefighters Promoted to Captain
Camden Courier-Post —
CAMDEN — Mayor Arnold W. Webster has announced nine promotions in the top ranks of the Camden Fire Department.
Eight longtime firefighters were promoted to captain and one captain was elevated to chief training officer during recent ceremonies at the fire administration building.
In a statement, Webster said the promotions are a first step toward addressing problems of excessive overtime in the department. The recent state audit, while generally praising the city’s firefighting operation, questioned the $1.3 million in overtime costs.
The promotions, and the provision that four of the new captains will serve as “floaters” to substitute for absent captains at regular pay rates, should reduce overtime, the mayor said.
Capt. Tom Quinn was promoted to chief training officer. The firefighters who made captain were Maurice Wilson, Larry Wilson, Paul Speas, Ralph Roberts, Mark Kogut, Mike DiPascale, Darryl Davis, and Terry Crowder.
Camden Firefighters Complain to Council
Camden Courier-Post —
City firefighters who say their department’s needs have been ignored told City Council members Thursday that they want better equipment and facilities as well as promotions and a new contract.
Capt. Darryl Davis said firefighters are being “slapped in the face” because their requests for promotions and much-needed equipment go unanswered, lost in the red tape of city government and state oversight.
Council members did not respond to the complaints, but President Angel Fuentes and Business Administrator Norton Bonaparte agreed to meet with the firefighters next week to discuss the problems.
About two dozen firefighters were in the audience at the start of the city council meeting, but the crowd had thinned somewhat by the time many of them were allowed to speak about two hours later.
Capt. Maurice Wilson said firefighters have gone 15 months without a contract, are using equipment that is 13 to 20 years old and are working out of firehouses that are 100 years old.
“Why is the fire department being treated this way?” Wilson asked.
Davis wanted to know why six captains have not been promoted to vacant battalion chiefs’ positions even though there is money budgeted to fill the positions.
The fire department has an acting chief but is also under state supervision. Bonaparte said all personnel moves, including promotions, have to be approved by the state Department of Community Affairs.
Capt. Michael DiPascale said the department can’t wait much longer. “It’s a matter of us protecting the citizens and us protecting ourselves,” he said.
Mayor Gwendolyn Faison said she would do her best to help the department.
“I ask you to be patient,” Faison said. “We’re living in some trying times.”