Hometown Hero: Matt Walsh

Matthew Walsh, a lifelong resident of Moorestown, has been a member of the fire department for eight years, with six as a certified structural firefighter.

Walsh joined the Moorestown Fire Department as a high school student because he needed to get community service hours and his mother encouraged him to join.

As a junior firefighter it took some time for him to become acclimated, but he soon began to love his time with the department.

“My experience has been nothing short of rewarding,” Walsh said of his time with the department. “As a 16 year old kid, it was a little intimidating joining the department when most other guys had 5, 10, 20 plus years of experience and I knew nothing. But I came to weekly drills and attended different training classes and learned from more experienced members. As the years progressed and I ran calls, I gained more knowledge and improved my skill set, which gave me confidence in myself.”

Recently, Walsh completed training to become a qualified Engine Driver for the department, a well-respected role.

He finds great pride in membership in the department because of the department’s role in responding to many different types of calls, providing mutual aid assistance for neighboring towns, and providing advanced firefighting training.

“My family has been very supportive in my time as a firefighter,” Walsh said. “My dad is a police officer in town and my mom works for the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, so they are familiar with public service. One of the difficult things in being a volunteer firefighter is the fact that you never know when you will get a call.  It could be during the middle of a family dinner, a holiday, or just a regular day at home. When our pager goes off, you drop what you’re doing and respond to the call, not always knowing what you will see when you pull up to the scene.

“In terms of work life, I have an 8 a.m.-5 p.m. job that I cannot leave for a call during the day, so it’s difficult to be sitting at your desk knowing there’s a significant event in town and you want to be there but cannot.  Members come from many different walks of life and we have to find time to run calls and come to training. One of the great programs the MFD has is a Duty Crew system on Saturdays and Sundays for members who may have a job or family that makes it difficult to make calls and training.” He also finds reward in the opportunity to serve his neighbors in the Moorestown community.

“As a firefighter, we see people on the worst day of their lives and when they are in need,” Walsh said. “It is our job to help them and we prepare and train for different scenarios and situations every week. There is nothing more rewarding than helping someone out and receiving a sincere ‘Thank You’ for your service.

“Being a firefighter gives me a great sense of satisfaction and a sense of pride in serving the residents of Moorestown and the surrounding communities.”

Walsh has some advice for anyone considering volunteer membership in the Moorestown Fire Department.

“Talk to a current or past member of the department about being a firefighter and the types of things we do,” Walsh said. “Also, if you are considering joining, there are minimum percentages that you must meet in that you must attend 10% of calls and 20% of drills, so there is a level of commitment that you must achieve to stay a member. These are easily achievable goals. Overall it is very rewarding and you will enjoy the camaraderie with the other members.”

Walsh is truly a great asset to the fire department and a shining example of the success of our junior firefighter program. We are looking for others who are willing to devote some of their time and energy to help the residents of Moorestown.

If you or someone you know has any interest in becoming a volunteer firefighter, please contact Chris Chesner, District Administrator, at 856-234-4193. Ask Chris or any of the fire district staff about scheduling a tour of the fire station or to observe a Thursday night drill.