Whitesville, NJ – After nearly a century of service, the Whitesville Volunteer Fire Company has ceased operations, ending a chapter of local firefighting history and marking a full transition to paid career fire protection in parts of Jackson Township.
The shutdown took effect January 1, 2026, following what officials described as a prolonged and severe shortage of volunteers.
The closure of the volunteer organization does not mean the Whitesville firehouse is closing. Station 57 on Hope Chapel Road remains active and is now staffed by Jackson Fire District 2 career firefighters, who have assumed full responsibility for fire and emergency response in the area.
District officials said the decision reflects a broader national decline in volunteer firefighter participation, a trend that has increasingly strained small and mid-sized communities.
In Jackson, that strain coincided with population growth and the moving of former volunteer firefighters out of the township. It was also due to rising demand for emergency services, prompting a shift from a volunteer-based model to a fully paid model.
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The transition is also underway as Fire Districts 2 and 3 move toward consolidation, an effort to improve coverage, coordination, and operational efficiency across the township.
Fire District 2 reported responding to 1,575 calls for service last year, a significant increase over the prior year. Officials said call volume has continued to rise, placing added pressure on staffing and resources while reinforcing the need for round-the-clock coverage.
In 2025, the district reached several milestones that reshaped local fire and emergency services:
- The move to 24/7/365 career firefighter coverage on July 13, the first 24-hour shifts in township history.
- The expansion of EMS First Responder coverage to 24 hours a day as of December 1.
- Operational integration with Fire District No. 3 through shared response and reporting systems.
The changes come as voters prepare to weigh in on the Fire District 2 budget referendum scheduled for February 21. District officials have described the vote as critical, citing rapid population growth, a 13 percent increase in emergency calls, and the continued decline of volunteer staffing nationwide.
Fire district officials said the proposed budget is necessary to sustain full-time operations and fund ongoing fire and medical services. Approval, the official said, would help ensure consistent response times and professional coverage as service demands increase.
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According to the district, firefighters are handling more calls than at any point in the district’s history. He said the budget is designed to maintain 24-hour protection and support the level of service residents now expect.
The 2026 budget is $5,093,000.
There will also be a referendum to allocate $1,000,000 to hire new career firefighters.
In 2025, the budget was $3,495,046.00.
Residents may vote in person from 2 to 10 p.m. February 21 at Jackson Fire Station 56, located at 785 Miller Road. Mail-in ballots are also available and must be requested by February 14 through the Ocean County Clerk’s Office website. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by February 21 and received by February 27.
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The Whitesville Volunteer Fire Company served the community for nearly 100 years, operating out of Station 57 and responding to generations of emergencies before its final call earlier this year.
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