Effective September 1, 2026, the merger between IAFF Locals 4395 and 3874 is complete, bringing nine Jackson Township Fire District No. 4 firefighters into IAFF Local 3874.
Nine career firefighters previously represented by IAFF Local 4395 are now members of IAFF Local 3874. Our association already represented Jackson Township Fire District No. 4 fire officers, and the completed merger brings the district’s two IAFF shops together under one regional association.
The merger carries forward the work of Local 4395 while giving these firefighters a stronger connection to members and labor resources across Monmouth and Ocean counties. Just as importantly, their experience now becomes part of the larger voice and shared knowledge of IAFF Local 3874.
Key facts
- Our Jackson Firefighters and Jackson Officers shops collectively represent 12 career positions in Fire District No. 4.
- Those positions include a Deputy Chief, Captain, Firefighter/EMTs, Fire Official, and Fire Prevention specialist.
- Their responsibilities span emergency response, operational leadership, emergency medical care, fire investigation, inspections, construction-plan review, permits, and public education.
- District No. 4 operates from two stations in the geographic heart of Jackson Township, with career firefighters supplemented by members of the Jackson Mills Volunteer Fire Company.
WHO OUR JACKSON MEMBERS ARE
The firefighters joining IAFF Local 3874 are the frontline career members who respond to fires, emergency medical calls, crashes, and other emergencies throughout the district. Their officers provide operational leadership and coordination, while members assigned fire-prevention responsibilities inspect registered businesses, investigate fires, review construction plans, issue permits, prepare reports, and teach the public how to prevent emergencies before they happen.
Some of those responsibilities overlap within the same career positions. That versatility matters in a district where members must be ready to move from prevention work to an emergency response when the call comes in.
These firefighters know the community street by street and building by building. They serve residential neighborhoods, businesses, senior communities, multifamily developments, and motorists traveling Interstate 195. They understand the risks within the district because they work with those risks every day.
THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE
Jackson Township spans nearly 100 square miles and is home to more than 60,000 residents. Fire District No. 4 protects a varied part of that community from its headquarters and substation.
Its response area combines homes, commercial properties, senior communities, multifamily housing, and highway infrastructure. That creates a broad range of emergency-response and fire-prevention needs—from residential and commercial incidents to medical emergencies, vehicle crashes, investigations, inspections, and public education.
The public often sees the work that happens when apparatus arrives with lights and sirens. Our Jackson members also perform the quieter work that happens before and after an emergency: identifying hazards, maintaining readiness, documenting incidents, educating residents, and helping businesses meet fire-safety requirements.
Why it matters
IAFF Local 3874 represents career firefighters and fire officers serving Howell Township, Jackson Township, Millstone Township, Upper Freehold Township, Neptune Township, and Roosevelt Borough.
Our work is centered on standing behind the people who protect our communities. That includes member representation and advocacy, workplace health and safety, training and cooperation, public education, and building stronger relationships between the fire service and the people we serve.
For the nine firefighters joining us, this merger provides a connection to a larger regional network and a stronger shared voice. For IAFF Local 3874, their experience and perspective strengthen our entire association. Within Jackson, firefighters and officers serving the same district now have a closer connection under one local while retaining the distinct voice of the Jackson Firefighters and Jackson Officers shops.
The merger does not change the uniforms these members wear, the stations they report to, or the community they serve. It strengthens the organization standing behind them.
We welcome the nine firefighters of Local 4395 into IAFF Local 3874 and recognize the work of the members who built and carried their local. We now move forward together—one association committed to putting OUR PEOPLE FIRST.
For verified media inquiries about this article, contact IAFF Local 3874.
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