Gus joins NJ firehouse to help extinguish stress
Firefighters adopt dog to keep them company on long shifts
Jenna Calderón
DEAL, N.J. – Staffing a fire station on your own can be a lonely job. But now, when Deal firefighters come back to the station after a call, they’re greeted with a wet nose and big paws, thanks to a new addition to their firehouse family.
Gus, a 3-year-old cane corso mix, was adopted by Deal firefighters to keep them company on long shifts when they’re alone at the station.
Ronen Neuman, acting borough administrator and chief of police, said the firefighters came to him with the idea. Neuman then got the ball rolling.
“The mayor was all for it,” he said.
Charlie Rivera, one of the full-time firefighters at the station, said his friend passed away about a month ago, and the original plan was to try to adopt his dog who was being housed at a local SPCA. But when they went to visit, they determined he wasn’t going to be a good fit.
“He was a little too skittish to be a firehouse dog,” Rivera said. “He wouldn’t have really acquainted to the life.”
So Rivera walked through the shelter and saw Gus – then named Pony Boy – who was the only dog not jumping around, barking and acting rambunctious, he said.
They took him outside to play and decided he was the one.
Back at the firehouse, Rivera said Gus has adjusted to life there pretty quickly. His main job is to provide companionship and alleviate stress while the firefighters are on duty.
“Twenty-four hours alone is a long time,” Rivera said.
Deal has a combination fire department, with three full-time members supplemented by volunteers, he said. On paper, Rivera owns Gus, but Gus lives at the firehouse and is cared for by Rivera and the two other fulltime firefighters, Nick Simons and Robert Simmen.
While the firefighters will supply the food for Gus, the borough will put up to $2,000 a year toward some expenses like vet bills, Neuman said. Members of the community will also have the opportunity to donate supplies.
Rivera said the borough has been good at helping them get equipment, but the one thing that’s been lacking is support.
“It’s not their fault, it’s not our fault, that’s just how it is,” he said.
But now, Gus will be waiting anytime they come back from a call
“He’s a dog, he’s always happy to see you,” he said.
Gus won’t be going along on fire calls just yet, but Rivera said he might down the road.
“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “He’s gone on rides in the firetruck, and he really enjoys that. So, soon I’m sure.”