By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor

Last month, Township Committee announced a change in the leadership of the Pennsauken Township Fire Department. After almost three decades of service to the Pennsauken community, including 12 as fire chief, Joseph V. Palumbo, Sr. retired from the department affective December 31, 2022. His successor is 34-year-old Jonathan B. Hutton, a lifelong resident and third-generation Township firefighter.

“I’ve always wanted to be a fireman. There’s nothing else that I wanted to do,” said Palumbo, a member of Pennsauken High School’s Class of 1993. “I’m honored to have the privilege to serve this department and this town for 28 years. We’ve got some of the best firefighters and EMTs in the country.”

“I thank Township Committee for entrusting me to be the next chief,” added Hutton, a CCHS graduate from 2006. “I first met Chief Palumbo when I was six years old; I thank him for his guidance and I’m proud to continue his work in leading this great organization.”

“I want to personally thank Joe for being a mentor to me from my start on Township Committee. Our relationship is one that has a strong foundation of trust and transparency and your guidance to me has been simply invaluable. You have always put the needs of our Township before anything else,” said Jessica Rafeh, who served as Pennsauken’s mayor in 2022. “I also want to congratulate Jon for taking on this very important role for our community. You quite literally and figuratively have big shoes to fill, but you have our unwavering support.”

“Throughout Chief Palumbo’s career, it was apparent that his desire for this town to be the best it can be in every capacity is what really shined through. We wish you all the best moving forward,” added Township Committeeman Marco DiBattista, who serves as Pennsauken’s director of public safety. “I also look forward to working with Fire Chief Hutton and building upon the great work already done in this department.”

“Joe’s retirement is very well earned and deserved, but this Township is losing something really big,” continued Township Administrator Tim Killion. “It’s going to be difficult to fill, but I know Chief Hutton is up to the challenge.”

Chief Palumbo began his service with the Pennsauken Fire Department in 1994, when he joined Bloomfield Park as a volunteer. He simultaneously worked as a firefighter with the Atlantic City Airport Fire Department and served as an EMT with the Pennsauken First Aid Squad. Palumbo was appointed as a fulltime firefighter in September 2000 and assigned to the first staffed company in March 2004. Joe was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in November of 2005, then battalion chief in 2009. In January of 2011, the Pennsauken Fire Department named Palumbo as their chief in a historic move, making him the first to serve in this position as a career firefighter. Tasked with stabilizing the department, Palumbo worked to standardize practices, build up trust with Township Committee and Pennsauken residents, and achieve 24 hour a day coverage for the department. In 2020, he helped guide the merger of Pennsauken’s EMS into the fire department, streamlining processes and reducing costs, while maintaining a high quality of service for residents. As acting municipal interim administrator from 2019 to 2021, Palumbo’s expertise and measured decisions helped guide the Township through the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief Hutton joined the Bloomfield Park Volunteer Fire Company on March 28, 2002, through the Fire Explorer Program sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America. In June 2006, he graduated from the Camden County Fire Academy and was appointed as a volunteer firefighter. In March of 2009, he was promoted to lieutenant in the volunteer ranks. Jon was appointed as a full-time firefighter on December 28, 2009. In June of 2018, he was promoted to fire lieutenant and in June of 2022, he was promoted to fire captain. His family’s service to Pennsauken dates back to 1955, when his grandfather first joined the Bloomfield Park Volunteer Fire Company. Both Hutton’s father and grandfather reached the rank of fire chief in their respective careers. A member of Jon’s family has served the Pennsauken Fire Department for the last 68 years uninterrupted.

“For me personally, I’m incredibly proud of being a third generation fire chief. It’s really a culmination of my life’s work,” said Hutton. “Everything I’ve done has been tied around this department. It’s incredibly rewarding.”

“Jon is the very example of a public servant with legacy in Pennsauken, an incredible tradition of fire leadership,” added Palumbo. “He will continue the work to build this organization that we started 12 years ago. He’s the ideal candidate to see that through.”

While proud of the work he’s done and what he’s been able to accomplish in the Pennsauken Fire Department, Palumbo will absolutely miss the camaraderie.

“I’m going to miss going to fires with my son and brother-in-law, interacting with the guys every day,” said Palumbo. “There’s nothing better in the world than being a Pennsauken fireman.”