Author Archives: Ray Strilec
Announcing the 2024 Bonnie Hueg Memorial Scholarship
The New Jersey Chapter of the NENA offers scholarships to current professionals who might not otherwise be able to attend the 2024 NJ NENA Annual Conference. Awards are based on the appropriateness of the educational opportunity related to the applicant’s job, contributions of the applicant to his/her community and to NJ NENA. Scholarships will be awarded to cover the cost of attending the NJ NENA Annual Conference, November 11 – 13, as well as 2 nights in the Conference Hotel. Scholarship applicants MUST be current NENA members.
Click to access the scholarship application.
Bonnie Hueg was a strong proponent of training and training opportunities so it it appropriate that this chance to attend our conference, at no cost, have her name attached to it.
Obituary of Albert J. McNally
Past Chapter President, Albert J. McNally, Jr. passed away at Chilton Memorial Hospital on May 15, 2024 following a brief illness. He was 56. Born in Hackensack, he lived in Little Ferry and Chatham before moving to Parsippany in 1992. Al served for 12 years as a dispatcher with the Hackensack Police Department and was instrumental in the development and implementation of MICCOM, Northern New Jersey Mobile Intensive Care Communications Services where he served as Manager for more than 20 years.
Al’s career included roles as an EMT with the Hackensack Fire Department and as an EMS Supervisor for Jersey City Medical Center EMS. He also volunteered with the Hackensack Volunteer Ambulance and the Little Ferry First Aid Squad. He also served as an EMT Instructor and Coordinator for Chilton Hospital, and as the Director of the Passaic County EMS Academy.
Al was an active member of the State of New Jersey EMS Communications Sub Committee, Assistant EMS Coordinator for Bergen County OEM, and a member of both the Passaic County OEM and LEPC. He was involved with NJ-NENA, APCO, and the New Jersey Public Safety Accreditation Coalition, and instructed courses for the National Emergency Communications Institute and served as Chapter President of NJ-NENA, 2015 – 2016. His dedication and leadership in emergency services have left a lasting impact. Al was also an animal lover who often volunteered as a transport rescue driver bringing at risk animals to safer environments.
Al was predeceased by his father Albert J. McNally, Sr., and two brothers Charles and Matthew. He is survived by his wife Jacqueline McNally, his daughter Kelly of Oakmont, PA, his mother Holly McNally-Kupatt of Hopatcong and his sister Christine McNally of Little Ferry. He is also survived by his three brothers in law along with many loving nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday May 21, 2024 from 4-8 pm at the S. J. Priola Parsippany Funeral Service, 60 N. Beverwyck Rd. Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11am in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter, 194 Rt 10 West, East Hanover, 07936 or the One Step Closer Animal Rescue 155 Sparta Rd., Andover, NJ 07821, in his memory, would be appreciated.
To view Albert’s tribute page visit, https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/ZBNHYQ8SYZ6ZSRW8?
2017 Fall Meeting for New Jersey NENA
The 2017 Fall Meeting of NJ NENA – November 1, 8:30 AM
Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office
2500 Kozloski Rd, Freehold, NJ 07728
0830 – 0930: Registration and Continental Breakfast
0930: NJ-NENA Update / Gareth Williams
1045: NJ OETS Update / Michael Morgan
1130: Overview of the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet) final state plan for New Jersey for the deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. NJOHSP and FirstNet will highlight the plan’s implications, to include wireless coverage, priority and preemption, cost, security, applications, BYOD, a deployment schedule, and next steps. This presentation is tailored for the entire public safety community, to include elected officials, chief information officers, emergency operations center and 911 communications center personnel, and first responders – law enforcement, fire, EMS and offices of emergency management.
Steven Talpas, Chief, Interoperable Communications Bureau, will be providing the NJOHSP portion of the presentation, and David Cook, FirstNet Region 2 Lead will be presenting on FirstNet.
There is no cost to attend the meeting. For NENA members only
Sponsorship Opportunities: Sponsors must be NENA members –
- Table – $300 with 5 minute presentation
- Breakfast $600 with 10 minute presentation
- Main $800 with 20 minute presentation
Texas APCO/NENA Hurricane Harvey Relief
Calling All Presenters!
New Jersey NENA is accepting session proposals for the NJ-NENA 2017 Conference & Expo taking place in Atlantic City on April 12 & 13.
Leading a session at the NJ-NENA conference is your chance to share your knowledge and experience with an informed and enthusiastic audience filled with 9-1-1 professionals eager to gain and share information. Please make sure your presentation is issue focused, not product focused.
Our conference speaker chairperson is Dara Orsini. Please email your submissions and inquiries to: dorsini@bitxbit.com
2016 NJ-NENA Fall Meeting
NJ-NENA Fall Meeting will be held on Wednesday October 19th at the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office in Freehold, NJ. A continental breakfast and registration will begin at 8:30 AM with the meeting starting at 9:30AM .
The continental breakfast this year is sponsored by Wilmac Corp. We have some excellent speakers for this years meeting along with election of officers for 2017 and an update on the 2017 conference. Our President, Gareth Williams will present an update on NENA National and several initiatives they are working on.
A representative from NJ OETS will provide an update for the State of NJ 911.
This is open to all NENA Members free of charge. If you plan to attend and you are not a NENA member a registration fee of $50 will be charged at the door and it includes a one year membership to NENA.
A Deep and Painful Loss in the NENA / 9-1-1 family with the passing of our friend and colleague Bonnie Hueg
Bonnie began her career in Public Safety Communications at the Plainfield Police Department as a dispatcher, where she eventually served a Communications Manager and as the city 9-1-1 Coordinator. In 1992 Bonnie progressed in her career, taking a position with the Office of Emergency Telecommunications Services, which was then part of the New Jersey State Police.
Bonnie became a familiar face around the state’s PSAP community. It seemed everyone knew her and she knew everyone. Her contributions to 9-1-1 training and PSAP compliance produced confidence in and advanced professionalism of the state’s 9-1-1 system.
As one of the charter members of New Jersey NENA, Bonnie served as chapter president, first and second vice-president, treasurer and chapter secretary. She was involved in the planning of the very first NJ-NENA conference in Woodbridge, NJ and served as the conference chair for many years, setting the foundation of successful state conferences that we enjoy today.
It is not an exaggeration to say Bonnie has been an invaluable member of the NJ-NENA family. The majority of past and present executive board members were recruited by or encouraged to join by Bonnie. The organization would not be as successful as it is, had it not been for her. She truly left her mark and she will be sorely missed.
Bonnie had been battling cancer and unfortunately lost her fight. May she rest in peace.
A link to her obituary on Asbury Park Press with visitation details.
In Memorium: Forrest Eichmann, Past NJ-NENA President
We sadly announce that Forrest Eichmann of Woodstown, NJ, age 71, died on December 31, 2014, at home after a hard-fought and courageous battle with cancer.
Forrest was a charter member of New Jersey NENA, served on the executive board and as chapter President in 1997 and 1998.
Beginning in his high school years, he served on the Woodstown Ambulance squad, as well as joining the Reliance Fire Company. It is the latter position where Forrest moved up the ranks, eventually becoming Chief from 1976 to 1980. Forrest continued to be an active member of the fire department for many years after that. Being the hard-worker that he was, Forrest also worked part-time as a fire and ambulance dispatcher. Forrest would eventually parlay his job as a dispatcher into becoming Director of Emergency Services for Salem County. Under his watch, 911 was introduced into Salem County for the first time in the early 1990s. Forrest retired from this position in 2002.
Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon Saturday, January 3rd in the Asbury United Methodist Church, 149 S. Main St. Woodstown, where friends are invited to visit from 10 AM until the time of service. A viewing will also be held from 5 to 8 PM Friday evening, January 2nd in the H.T. LAYTON FUNERAL HOME, 102 S. Main St., Woodstown. Burial will be in the Woodstown Baptist Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Forrest’s memory may be made to the Reliance Fire Company, 25 Broad St., Woodstown, NJ, 08098, or to the American Legion Ambulance Squad, PO Box 187, Woodstown, NJ 08098. Please visit www.htlayton.com to leave a note of condolence to the family. H.T. Layton Funeral Home & Cremation Services 102 S. Main St. Woodstown, NJ 08098 856-769-1515
The full Obituary can be viewed by clicking here.
In Memory of John V. Cusack
John V. Cusack age 64, passed away Monday, August 25th, 2014. John had been a resident of Sewell (Mantua Township) since 1987. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Linda J. (Powell) Cusack, 2 sons Liam Cusack (Stacy), Sean Cusack (Allison), granddaughter Riley, 2 brothers Michael Cusack and Paul Cusack (Eileen). Predeceased by sisters Regina, Claire, Miriam, and Mary Pat.
Family and friends are invited to visit from 6 PM to 8 PM Wednesday, August 27th, 2014 at SMITH FUNERAL HOME 47 Main Street Mantua, NJ 08051. Private funeral services and burial will be held for the family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to American Cancer Society 1851 Old Cuthbert Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. Memories and condolences can be shared at www.smithfhmantua.com