TRENTON – The Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Senator Britnee Timberlake and Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz to establish a statewide mentoring program to aid future civil service firefighters from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Far too many aspiring firefighters face unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that disproportionately affect those facing socioeconomic challenges,” said Senator Timberlake (D-Essex). “This bill is about fairness, expanding access, and ensuring that every individual in New Jersey has a real opportunity to navigate the civil service system and build a future in public safety. Creating this pathway is essential to developing a strong pipeline of firefighters who are ready to serve the communities they love.”
The bill, S-3426, would mandate the New Jersey Civil Service Commission to implement and oversee a mentorship program for firefighter candidates living in municipalities with a median household income of 250% of or below the federal poverty level. The program would take applicants through the civil service application, testing, and hiring process by assigning veteran mentors. These mentors could be current or retired firefighters in good standing or any other persons as the commission may consider suitable.
Workshops, study groups, and discussion forums would be key features of the program. These exercises are designed to familiarize mentees with knowledge and skills to match candidates from populations with immediate access to private preparation resources. Mentees can remain in the program while the hiring process is underway, with participation limited to three times within a ten-year cycle. When mentees accept a job offer, they will exit the program but can later become mentors themselves.
Under the bill, there will be no fees for joining. The mentors would be paid nothing, and the mentees would pay nothing. The Civil Service Commission would review the program annually to see whether it was effective and make adjustments when needed to continue to meet its goals.
“Today’s legislation puts a vital support framework into our civil service system, one that will diversify our fire departments and provide more inclusive means for public service careers,” Majority Leader Ruiz (D-Essex/Hudson) said. “It is not solely about walking someone through an application process. It is about creating a stronger, more representative workforce and positioning our future firefighters for success.
The bill is one piece of a wider legislative reaction to the deadly 2023 blaze on the Grande Costa D’Avorio in Port Newark, which killed two Newark fire captains and injured six other emergency responders. The tragedy highlighted systemic problems in firefighter safety and recruitment, especially in city neighborhoods.
The bill passed in a 38-0 vote.