32 years with the Borough of Berlin, NJ Fire Department, Chief of Department Mike Kernan is fiercely protective of his volunteer department. Growing up in the department, Mike is apart of the history and traditions of this once small town department. His passion for public service also fueled his path to become a police officer within the same Borough. Now retired, he continues to serve his community as the volunteer Fire Chief. His dynamic approach and willingness to address important issues head on has allowed for steady growth in ensuring his department can continue to serve the community. To often, volunteer departments turn a blind eye to their own problems and ignore the growing issues. In Berlin, staffing was becoming an issue just like most of the country. Finding solutions to their staffing shortages was a must and Mike and his department charged forward becoming creative in their response. Taking advantage of grants and building strong relationships has helped ensure adequate staffing for the residents of Berlin and the surrounding communities. This episode goes straight at many issues the volunteer fire service is facing and Chief Kernan is certainly one who is not standby while the volunteer fire service crumbles. "Fiercely Protective" and his willingness to innovate while protecting the core values of the department is why Mike Kernan remains committed and passionate about his hometown department.

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After you listen to this podcast, please take a moment and share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. We're interested in seeing what others are doing to help bolster the volunteer fire service.