Emerson, N.J. — August 4 — After completing her probationary period and Firefighter 1 certification program, Christianna "Tia" Meola became the newest sworn member of the Emerson Volunteer Fire Department. Meola obtained her Black Shield after completing the necessary training. Basic emergency response abilities, such as protective gear, hose handling, fireground operations, and firefighter safety, were addressed in Firefighter 1 training.

Meola was able to continue working for the agency after completing a significant training milestone with the certification. Thru training and certification, the Emerson Volunteer Fire Department kept its members ready for fire and emergency situations across the boro.