Fire/Rescue News - Fire company gets signal to control Route 40 traffic

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The newest lights for the Cardiff Volunteer Fire Company don't sit atop one of the large fire trucks.

Rather, the lights stand in front of the company's No. 1 station along the Black Horse Pike.

Emergency traffic signals recently were placed in front of the station for the fire company to use when it leaves the grounds in its vast vehicles.

Installation of the lights was completed several weeks ago, and they create a significant improvement over the previous exit and entrance conditions for the company, Township Fire Chief Bill Danz said.

just to get to the scene in response to a call, the fire company often has to battle traffic as it attempts to get the trucks onto the Black Horse Pike.

"Dealing with that was a nightmare," Danz said.

The firefighters were able to control the lights at nearby Spruce Avenue, but that wasn't enough to eliminate the risk or prevent close calls since vehicles traveling westbound had yet to reach the traffic signal and would fail to yield.

In 1993, a car driving eastbound crashed into a fire truck departing the station, causing $26,000 worth of damage to the fire truck, Danz said, and prompted him to begin his crusade to have a signal installed.

To finally see the emergency signals, which continuously blink yellow until switching to solid red, in front of the station is gratifying for the veteran firefighter.

"It's a good feeling," Danz said. "It's a mission accomplished."

He added that though it took him more than a decade and continuous wrangling with public officials there was never a time when he was going to give up.

"I was determined that it was going to happen," Danz said.

A breakthrough was made when Danz met with state Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, two years ago. Following their discussion, Danz said he began to receive calls from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, who had previously given him approval for a traffic signal but offered no financial support.

A majority of the current project, which totaled $102,000, was covered by the DOT, transportation spokesman Tim Greeley said, with the township contributing 25 percent of the cost.

The fire company can now control the traffic light at Spruce Avenue and the new signal with the flip of a switch from inside the station. Danz said he would like to add remote controls to the system that can be carried in the fire trucks, but those are still pending.

Contact Christopher Ramirez:

609-272-7147

CRamirez@pressofac.com