Crime & Safety

Bruce Springsteen's Son Joins Colts Neck Fire Department

Proud mom Patti Scialfa called Sam #OurFamilyHero in an Instagram posting after the Monmouth County Fire Academy graduation.

Bruce Springsteen may sing about fires, but his son, Sam, will be the one fighting them.

Fire departments across the area welcomed new members following the graduation of 42 trainees, including Springsteen's 20-year-old son, from the Monmouth County Fire Academy on Tuesday, Jan. 14 and Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The graduates included three from Colts Neck: Brendan T. Murch, Michael M. Biyad and Sam R. Springsteen. In addition, Joseph O. Nappi joined the Morganville Independent Fire Company in Marlboro.

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Sam's mother, musician Patti Scialfa, shared an Instagram photo of her son in uniform and wrote, "My youngest son, Sam, graduated from Monmouth County Fire Academy tonight. #Proud #OurFamilyHero."

Classes 100 and 101 officially completed their training in areas including rescue, fire extinguishment, hazmat and CPR with graduation ceremonies at the Route 33 facility.

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Each class also had one member receive the Ronald Fitzpatrick Award, named for a former instructor who died in 2003. The winner for Class 100 is new Shrewsbury Hose Company member Evan D. Tyler, while Timothy J. Smigelsky received the honor for Class 101. The full list of graduates can be found below.

Freeholder John P. Curley congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments and thanked them for their impending service. “You will answer the call and place your lives on the line to save someone else’s life and property, because that is what you are trained to do. And you received the best training available from the instructors at this academy.”

Monmouth County Fire Marshal Henry Stryker III also congratulated the new members and said their work is just beginning in the field. “It takes a special type of person to be a firefighter,” he said. “They have to have a passion to do this job. The graduates sitting before us have that passion because they have completed the rigorous training as their first step. Please be safe.”

Applications for the September class are now being accepted.


Firefighter 1 – Class 100


Spencer T. Arnold Manasquan Fire Department

Matthew J. Buttermark East Freehold Fire Company

Michael J. Cook Belmar Fire Department

Douglas E. Granai West Keansburg Fire Company

Milton Latorres Bradley Beach Fire Department

Anthony A. Malgieri Southard Fire Company

Brendan T. Murch Colts Neck Fire Department

Joseph O. Nappi Morganville Independent Fire Company

Jason P. Neff Tinton Falls Fire Company # 1

Scott A. Nokes Neptune Township Fire Department

Robert J. Pahlck Bradley Beach Fire Department

Joshua P. Prevost Keyport Fire Department

Taylor W. Rounds Freehold Township Independent Fire Company

Anthony F. Santiago Freehold Township Independent Fire Company

Bryan A. Sherer Englishtown Fire Department

Ashley N. Truffa Glendola Fire Company

Brian L. Turner Ocean Grove Fire Department

Evan D. Tyler Shrewsbury Hose Company

Michael T. Ventriglio East Freehold Fire Company

Donald L. Warren West Keansburg Fire Company


Firefighter 1 – Class 101


Michael M. Biyad Colts Neck Fire Department

Michael Christie Ramtown Fire Company

John M. DePinto Adelphia Fire Company

Franklin L. Doremus Neptune Township Fire Department

Kenneth J. Evola Gordon’s Corner Fire Company

Alexander Handel Gordon’s Corner Fire Company

Austin J. Knox Belmar Fire Department

Jonathan Michel Neptune Township Fire Department

Steven J. O’Dwyer Keyport Fire Department

Joseph A. Panzarino East Freehold Fire Company

Joseph D. Rich III Farmingdale Fire Department

Dane M. Richards Jr. Eatontown Fire Department

Neil E. Robinson Millstone Township Fire Company

Dale J. Seitz Adelphia Fire Company

Timothy J. Smigelsky Ramtown Fire Company

Robert Snyder New Point Comfort Fire Company

Sam R. Springsteen Colts Neck Fire Department

Edgardo Valera Belmar Fire Department

Christopher R. Villanueva Millstone Township Fire Company

Kevin Weigert Gordon’s Corner Fire Company

Thomas B. Winemiller Jr. Belmar Fire Department

John M. Zuber Freehold Fire Department


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