Non Emergency: (973) 423-5550 
High Water Vehicle donated by the Wargacki Family
08/17/2026 – Recently the borough of Hawthorne with stood severe flooding in multiple events, the department was tasked to respond to 82 severe weather incidents over a four-week span resulting in 51 rescues from flood waters. The department utilized our members to enter dangerous water as well as our boat and apparatus, with assistance from the Wyckoff Fire Dept High Water Unit all victims were successfully removed. Our Hawthorne EMS and Police department assisted with these rescues helping to ensure safety of all was maintained.
The department and borough had been unsuccessful in locating a High-Water Unit at a reasonable cost to our taxpayers until recently.
With a presentation at our monthly town council meeting a request was made to help locate a unit, with this several residents and news media picked up our effort. North Jersey News and NJ 12 both ran stories of our concern, with this a family from Wallington NJ made a lifesaving decision to assist our department. The Wargacki Family has donated a High-Water Unit to aid our department and we can’t thank them enough for the amazing opportunity. The department will be acquiring the High-Water Unit sometime this week and will be forever grateful to the Wargacki Family for considering our department with such a grateful donation to our fire fighters. We also thank Channel 12 NJ News and North Jersey News for providing the coverage leading to this units donation and the support of our administration in securing the unit.
Respectfully,
Chief Joe Speranza
Hawthorne Fire Dept.
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