02/13/2026
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*Long post incoming*
The Camden Fire Department family is still trying to process the loss of our brother, Captain Howard Bennett, in the Line of Duty. The weight of it is real. But even in the middle of our grief, we were reminded of something powerful: the bond of this job. Once a firefighter, always a firefighter.
Yesterday, as hundreds of brother and sister firefighters poured into our city to stand with us, our weary hearts were lifted. The support shown to Captain Bennett’s family and to the CFD family was overwhelming in the best way possible. We weren’t surprised. This is what firefighters do. We show up. We stand together. We carry each other when it’s heavy.
We are deeply grateful to our fellow public servants from Camden City, Camden County, and the State of New Jersey for their professionalism and care in helping us prepare for such a meaningful tribute. It was a beautiful and dignified sendoff — honoring our fallen brother while giving his family the space they needed to mourn.
Thank you to the executive board of the PFANJ, especially President Caliente, for your leadership and for bringing every available resource to support our local unions. The PEER support team was a tremendous source of strength for our members. Your role in coming alongside us to help coordinate the logistics of such a large event will never be forgotten.
To IAFF General President Ed Kelly and 1st District VP Slevin: thank you for your support and for deploying LODD Support Coordinator Erin Lynch. Erin, you were truly a blessing to our department. We can’t say it enough — thank you.
We also want to recognize the departments that personally visited our firehouses in the immediate aftermath and stood shoulder to shoulder with us:
Philadelphia Fire Department
Gloucester City Fire Department
Cherry Hill Fire Department
Pennsauken Fire Department
Chester City Fire Department
Hamilton Township Fire Department
Voorhees Fire Department
Camden County Police Department
Cooper EMS
Camden Department of Public Works
And to the many departments across Camden and Burlington Counties who positioned aerial apparatus to form arches for our brother’s procession, at the hospital and at the funeral home — thank you. You helped ensure he was honored the way he deserved.
Special thanks to Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Mission BBQ, Donkey’s Place, Ricardo’s Pizza, and Mulligan’s Bar and Grill for keeping our members fed this past week. Your generosity meant more than you know.
Thank you to al the elected officials that reached out to us in support.
There were many individuals who reached out to us and offered support—thank you!
To the Camden Fire Department family, we are hurting. We are tired. But we are not alone. We will carry each other through this.
We are Camden – the City Invincible.
Stay strong.
Camden Fire Union Presidents
Sam Muñoz & Pete Perez
International Association of Fire Fighters New Jersey Firefighters PFANJ Cherry Hill Professional Firefighters Pennsauken Fire Department Voorhees Township Professional Firefighters Local 3249 Cooper EMS Outreach and Education Gloucester City Firefighters and Fire Officers Camden County IAFF Local 3249 CFD Local 788
