CAPE MAY POINT — “People often refer to Cape May Point as Mayberry; a tiny town where everyone knows each other. Volunteerism is huge throughout the Point,” Volunteer Fire Company President Lance Lipset said.
For more than 100 years, the Cape May Point Volunteer Fire Company has responded with fire and rescue services 24/7. In addition to fire protection, the volunteers are responsible for water rescues when lifeguards are not on duty.
“We’re a very small municipality, but geographically it presents some needs and challenges unique to our location,” Lipset said Aug. 20 in an interview with the Star and Wave. “We’re bordered by the ocean, bay and a very large wildlife management area on three sides, with a lake in the middle.”
The Volunteer Fire Company (VFC), which serves the borough of Cape May Point, portions of Lower Township and provides automatic mutual aid to the borough of West Cape May, is solely responsible for raising most of its funds, often through various community drives and events.
The Cape May Point Taxpayers’ Association and Cape May Point Civic Club are hosting the second annual PointFest from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Volunteer Fire Company on Yale Avenue to support their efforts.
Equipment
Deputy Mayor Elise Geiger said the borough does not fund the VFC but it does own the equipment. A new engine was just delivered to the Cape May Point VFC this past week, which Lipset noted arrived after having the build process begin two years ago.
“Our fire company runs on donations and volunteers; all their operational expenses are paid for by the volunteers,” Geiger said. “They’re required to upgrade their equipment, which can be quite expensive, to keep up with costs of replacing technology.”
While the Coast Guard Fire Department and Cape May City Fire Department are paid operations, both Cape May Point’s and West Cape May’s companies operate via volunteers. The team is currently comprised of about two dozen volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
The VFC has two fire engines; the older of the two is approaching 30 years of service in the borough. Lipset hopes the new truck will last another 30 years.
“Technology [has] obviously evolved, and it’s to our benefit to have newer tech inside the engine,” he said. “We’re currently training on it and finishing outfitting it. We hope to put it in service most likely the middle of next month.”
VFCs respond to more than just structure fire calls, with Lipset noting they have water rescue vehicles and a brush fire truck.
“We have a jet ski for water rescue, which is deployed from the fire department to a beach directly behind the fire station,” Lipset said. “We’re regularly training on all of these for a variety of needs, which is a little bit different than a traditional station covering fire and gas-type incidents.”
Lipset also noted that the inlet waters bordering Cape May Point require a firm understanding of their complex nature.
Off-duty lifeguard Ryan Gibson saved the life of a 10-year-old girl in the water in an after-hours rescue Aug. 12 off Lehigh Avenue beach.
“Even if the water looks calm, there are things that [beachgoers] don’t see, but we recognize as lifeguards,” Cape May Point Beach Patrol Chief Ben Swan said. “We’re very thankful Ryan was on the beach that day because it could’ve gone very differently.”
Another unique aspect of the VFC is many of the volunteers come from the Department of Public Works. Lipset noted that the team comprises teachers, police officers and business members, all dedicated to the common goal of serving the community.
Keeping connected with the community
Keeping connected is a core tenet of the VFC, with Lipset noting that the doors remain open year-round, in addition to providing emergency services.
“The fire company literally and figuratively sits at the center of it all,” Lipset said. “Our doors are open throughout the year to ensure that we’re keeping that connectivity with the residents.”
The VFC collaborates with other groups in Cape May Point, including the Civic Club, which hosts an annual bazaar and holiday get-together, and the Cape May Point Taxpayers’ Association, which runs several social and volunteer events, such as Mulch Day and Dunes and More Day.
Geiger said she gives a lot of credit to the fire company and is very grateful for everything they do.
“Not only are they our intrepid fire company who answers calls, but they do a lot for our community,” she said. “In addition to firefighting, our volunteer fire company runs several events, all done for the community and keeping residents and homeowners engaged within our special community.”
PointFest brings the community together to honor volunteers and raise money for the Cape May Point Volunteer Fire Company.
Cape May Point Taxpayers’ Association President Andy Rusknak said the celebration is a joint effort for an end-of-a-season opportunity for the community to support each other and donate money to the firefighters.
“PointFest is the summer send-off, just one example of [open doors for the community],” Lipset said. “It’s also a way of keeping the residents informed what we’re up to, what our evolving needs are and that sometimes we need support. It can be a very expensive proposition to run a volunteer fire company.”
Lipset added that the Board of Commissioners understands the value that the VFC brings to the community.
“We’re very grateful for this,” he said, noting Geiger has oversight of emergency services in the borough.
“When she took office, she immediately came to the firehouse and sat with me for nearly two hours to understand the operations and our needs,” he said.
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
