Atlantic City adds 13 firefighters to its ranks

Atlantic City added 13 firefighters to its ranks today, many who have already served the city on its Beach Patrol.

“Our ocean water rescue component just picked up a little,” Capt. Angelo DeMaio said as about half of the recruits introduced themselves as city lifeguards.

The firefighters were added using federal grant money awarded in February 2011. The grant previously was used to bring back 28 laid-off firefighters and add 20 new ones in November 2011. Now, with just five months left on the money, 13 more were hired.

But Fire Department leaders said they have applied for a SAFER — Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response — retention grant that would cover two additonal year. Fire Chief Dennis Brooks also said that several retirements are expected in February, likely allowing the department to hire even more firefighters.

The recruits will begin their eight-week training Monday, under DeMaio. All have lived in the city for at least the past five years, and most said they were either lifelong residents or had been in the city since they were children.

“I’m as excited as I am happy to see Atlantic City products taking advantage of the opportunity that’s being afforded to you,” Mayor Lorenzo Langford said.

The new recruits in order of their test standing are: Jason Pendlebury, Timothy Brining, Richard Restaino, Patrick McDevitt, Joseph Welsh III, Derrick Williams, William Nagle, Adrian Wilson Jr., Richard DiCioccio, Eric Koob, Patrick Reynolds, Matthew Dougherty and Mauro Sandoval.