William Dean "Dean" Hillman
William Dean “Dean” Hillman
WILLIAM D. “DEAN” HILLMAN was born in 1939. He was sworn in as a member of the Camden Fire Department on November 7, 1963.
Dean Hillman was promoted to Captain on December 31, 1968. By January of 1974 he was serving as Acting Battalion Chief, in time he was confirmed in the rank. Dean Hillman retired from the Fire Department in 1996 after having served the City of Camden for thirty-three years and one month. Dean Hillman passed away at the New Jersey Firemen’s Home at Boonton, New Jersey on August 14, 2018.
Camden Adds Six Firemen
Camden Courier-Post —
Public Safety Director Bedell, today swore in six new firemen who have completed six-week preliminary fire training courses.
Receiving diplomas are Ralph J. Shaw, 25, of 2827 Hayes ave.; Ronald T. Gorski, 24, of 1066 Kaighns ave.; William D. Hillman, 23, of 11 Crestfair dr.; James McMasters, 22, of 420 Westfield ave.; John Galanaugh, 29, of 1072 Merrimac rd., and Anthony Dariano, 24, of 3000 Mickle st.
All of the new men will be assigned to companies throughout the city.
Police, Fire Tests Take Heavy Toll
Camden Courier-Post —
Courier-Post Bureau
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.
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.
12 in Family Homeless After Fleeing City Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
A family of 12 were left homeless and two firemen injured after an early morning two-alarm fire damaged a Mechanic Street duplex.
Mrs. Juana Navaro, 53, told firemen she was in her garden when she saw smoke coming from the cellar at her 1132 Mechanic St. home. When she opened the cellar door, she was driven back by flames and smoke.
While she was alerting her 78-year-old husband, Nicholas, two of her daughters, and a five-month-old grandson, a neighbor across the street, Mrs. Helen Czech, said she called Camden firemen.
The first alarm at 9:28 a.m. and second alarm seven minutes later brought six pieces of equipment to the scene.
Undetermined Origin
Battalion chief John Guiliano said the fire, which was of undetermined origin, was under control at 9:51 a.m. He said a fire wall prevented the flames from spreading to 1129 Mechanic occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Jockie Yelverton and their four children.
Guiliano said the fire burned out the Navaro’s cellar and first-floor living room. Heavy smoke also damaged the second-floor of their home and the Yelverton home. But the Yelvertons will be allowed to return to their home, he added.
Mrs. Navaro also said her family had lost all its possession and several pets.
The two injured firemen were Capt. William Hillman, who suffered a cut hand, and Robert Frymoyer, felled by smoke inhalation. Both were treated at West Jersey Hospital, northern division, a few blocks away.
Alarm But No Fire
Moments after firemen responded to the Mechanic Street fire, fire headquarters received a box alarm from West Jersey. But fire officials said there was no fire.
In a separate fire, a Camden man was injured when an electrical fire swept Jiffy Enterprises Inc., Admiral Wilson Boulevard at Waldorf Avenue, Pennsauken.
An Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital spokesman identified him as James Aide, 26, of 2304 Baird Boulevard, but was unable to give his injuries.
Several pieces of fire equipment rushed to the scene, tieing up traffic on the boulevard. Firemen had to use air packs to enter the building.
Cops Quiz Firebomb Suspects
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden police today were questioning several suspects in last night’s fire bombing of a home at 976 Woodland Avenue in which two persons escaped serious injury.
Witnesses told police they saw three or four juveniles running from the home of William Knoth Sr., shortly before a beer bottle containing either gasoline or kerosene exploded in the living room of their home.
Camden Fire Marshal Benjamin Walters said William Knoth, Jr., 46, and his mother, Martha, 74 were sitting in the living room watching television when the bomb was thrown through a window and exploded.
Harry Walker of 264 Branch Village and Thomas Jennings, of South 8th Street, who were walking in the area heard the bomb explode and rushed to the home and helped evacuate Knoth and his mother, Walters said.
Walters said he recommended that Mrs. Knoth be taken to a hospital for treatment of minor burns received in the bombing but that she declined and instead was taken to another son’s home in National Park.
Acting Bat. Chief William Hillman said five firemen and five pieces of equipment responded to the 8 p.m. alarm and brought the blaze under control in about 10 minutes.
He said the fire was confined to the living room of the home, and interior of the two-story wood frame home. Some smoke and water damage was done to a neighboring home at 974 occupied by William Hill, and his wife and 17-year-old son, Charles.
Police said Knoth could not think of any reason someone would want to firebomb his parents’ home.
Police said this was the first firebombing in the city since a bomb was thrown through the living room window of Camden County Judge William M. Rosenblatt on Aug. 22, 1972. There were no injuries.
Photos
George Kifferly, Bill Bain, Herb Leary, Dean Hillman, Jim Hillman
Dave Yates, Dean Hillman, Jim Hillman; Lee Ryan in background
Dean Hillman, Jim Hillman, Paul Matyjasik
Dean Hillman, Jim Hillman, Joe Lesniewski
Photos from Phil Cohen.
Obituary
William Dean Hillman, 78, of Woodbury Heights passed away on August 14, 2018. Born in Camden and raised in Gloucester City. He honorably served in the US Navy. Dean worked for the Camden City Fire Department for 33 years, retiring with the rank of Battalion Chief.
He was predeceased by his son Leonard Brzozowski. Dean is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Barbara; his children, Denise (Harry) Laute, Kim Diaz, John Brzozowski, Dean (Lisa) Hillman, Dawn (John) Griffin, and William W. (Melissa) Hillman; brother, James (Yoshiko) Hillman; 12 grandchildren; several Great-Grandchildren; and his nieces, Christine Del Sordo, Lori O’Malley, and Robin Puccio.
A gathering of family and friends will be from 10 am to 11 am, on Friday, August 17th, at Inglesby and Sons Funeral Home, 2426 Cove Rd, in Pennsauken. A memorial service will follow at 11 am. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.