Joined in 2009 as a Junior Firefighter. Michael held the following positions: Firefighter, Engineer, Lieutenant, Captain and Currently Assistant Chief.

Why did you want to join the fire department:

There are a few reasons why I wanted to join. The first was that a friend who was a Junior member at the time told me everything that he was doing and learning which made me interested in joining. The second was that I wanted to find some way to give back to my community and I always had an interest in firefighting since I was a little kid. Once my friends found out I joined the Franklin Lakes Fire Department and how much I enjoyed training on Monday’s and responding to fire calls, I had them attend a drill night with me to show them what the fire department is all about. After that, most of them ended up joining and truly enjoying their time here. As time went on, and I became a full interior firefighter at 18, I realized that I wanted to advance my fire service career and take on more responsibility. I slowly worked my way up the ladder and became an Engineer, then a Lieutenant, a Captain and now the Assistant Chief. 

What are some key takeaways that you have gotten since joining the department:

To this day, joining the Franklin Lakes Fire Department has helped shape me to the person I am today. I will be forever grateful for the training, life skills and friendships that I have made since joining the Franklin Lakes Fire Department.