UPPER TOWNSHIP- "I'm proud of them, that's all there is to it," Upper Township trustee Jerry Rowe said of the Upper Township firefighters. "They do a good job. It's a thankless job but they do it anyway."

Rowe said the firefighters, who fight fires for no pay, are even willing to donate additional time to help trustees keep the roads in good shape.

And then, Rowe said, there are the accidents to which they are often called, assisting with their jaws of life.

Ask the firefighters and they will tell you they are proud of some new equipment: in September, they showed off a brand new 2003-model pumper/rescue truck. With FEMA grant monies, the department also purchased a new thermal imaging camera. The camera will allow firefighters to locate trapped people as well as heat sources in burning buildings. Grant money also paid for a new cascade system that will allow firefighters to refill their air packs at the fire station, saving the time of having to locate an open business and have tanks refilled there. A new computer program training series also came from the grant money.

Rowe said the the department is also looking into having a first responder program.