Joseph
A. Gfrorer was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on
April 14, 1937 and assigned to Ladder Company
2. The 1940 census reveals that he and his mother were
living at 1461 Pershing
Street and had done so since 1935.
On Monday, March 10, 1941, a fire near Seventh
and Pine
Streets, South Camden, nearly claimed the life of the occupant. Acting Captain
John Naylor and Fireman Joseph A. Gfrorer of Ladder
Company 2, rescued a woman from the floor above under punishing conditions. The victim was
removed by portable ladder with the assistance of Fireman Herman
Baker.
The
1947 Camden City Directory shows Joseph A. Gfrorer and his
mother residing at 1413 Wildwood Avenue in Camden's Parkside
section. They were still at that address as late as August of
1970, when Mrs. Gertrude Gfrorer died in August of 1970. Older
brother Albert Gfrorer had passed away in November of 1958, and
younger brother August Gfrorer in June of 1969. Joseph A.
Gfrorer moved out of Camden after the residency restrictions
were lifted on Camden firefighters.
On
November 17, 1948 Joseph
A. Gfrorer was transferred to Engine Company
8 at 619 Kaighn
Avenue. In July of 1951 he was promoted to the rank of Captain
transferred to Engine Company 7
at 1115 Kaighn
Avenue. On July 12, 1968 Captain Gfrorer
was promoted to Battalion Chief
and assigned to the 2nd Battalion. Having reached the mandatory
retirement age of 65 and after having served the City of Camden
for 42 years, Chief Gfrorer retired on February 28, 1977.
His moved to Vineland, New Jersey in 1995.
He died on December 30, 1997.
Two
other members of the Gfrorer family have served with the Camden
Fire Department. Joseph R. Gfrorer was appointed in 1961,
retiring as a Deputy Chief on January 1, 2001. Anthony Gforer
served as a firefighter from 1981 through 1989.
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