By: Justin Gick ‘16

Features Editor

To end this school year’s “Ask the Professionals” column, I felt it would be fitting to learn more about an important person we have the pleasure of seeing every day!  I had the honor of interviewing Cherry Hill West Student Support Assistant (and former firefighter), Mr. Dan DiRenzo.

It is amazing to see a person everyday and not know all the interesting characteristics and facts about them. Mr. DiRenzo shared that he attended Rutgers University and majored in secondary education. His first job was teaching social studies at Heritage Junior High School in Cherry Hill (which is now Rosa International Middle School).

Mr. Direnzo’s career background is very interesting and extremely diverse.  He started out as a police officer before becoming a middle school teacher. This is because after he graduated college, there were no teaching jobs available.  He decided to take the exam to become a police officer.  At the time that he entered college, there was a high demand for teachers.  However, when he graduated, the teaching field was completely saturated.  Once he took the police test, he got the job.

After a couple years of being a police officer, Mr. DiRenzo taught for approximately two years. Then they closed six elementary schools in Cherry Hill. He was teaching at the junior high school.  All the elementary school teachers were certified to teach K-8. Administration would bounce everyone around. Since there were so many teachers at the elementary schools that had a lot of years in (tenured) and there were numerous cut backs, he knew he would probably be let go.  He had not been teaching that long and he needed a backup plan.

Aside from being a police officer and an educator, Mr. DiRenzo had also been a volunteer fireman. Now he had an idea to switch over to the Fire Department as a full time career. He did and the rest is history! It was challenging and rewarding.  He figured it was a good job, good benefits, and a good pension, so he stayed.

I read in Mr. DiRenzo’s biography that he was one of the firefighters at the big Garden State Race Track fire. He was the first fire engine on the scene. I asked him what it was like arriving at such a horrific scene and if he knew at the beginning that it was going to be that destructive. He said that he felt like his stomach dropped. He explained that they had pre-planned and drilled that building. They knew the structure. Steel was at a premium. It was an all wood construction, including the big support beam. They figured if any kind of fire got started, it was really going to take off!  He said that what they did not think of was that a fire would get a good start, while it was occupied. It may be at night, but the key was…occupied. He went on to explain how he was the first officer on the scene. They knew now that their priority was to get all those people out of there because it was a legitimist fire. Mr. DiRenzo said that they are still saying that it was an electrical malfunction in one of the restaurants. Mr. Direnzo also told me that there were 13-14,000 people there. He explained that when rescuing they did not just walk people out, they had to put up ladders.

I read that Mr. Direnzo was not only the Captain, but he was the Chief Financial Officer for the Fire Company. Mr. DiRenzo said he liked the Captain’s position because it was more hands on and he did the actual fire fighting. The Chief Financial Officer has everything to do with the “business”. Everything came to him whether it was payroll, pensions, budgets etc. It was stressful. Mr. DiRenzo was able to retire after many years of fire service.

When asked about his favorite job, he said, “without a doubt, working with the kids!” He said, “You really have to like teenagers; there is a certain thing about high school age kids that can be really rewarding and at the same time entertaining.” He explains that every day is different.

Mr. DiRenzo also serves on the Mayor’s Citizen Cabinet.  He said it is a good thing to serve on because you really can have one on one conversations with the Mayor. Now he is talking with the actual residents. He is getting feedback from things that are occurring out in the community.

In April, Mr. DiRenzo performed in Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars. Mr. DiRenzo said it was scary to dance in front of the audience.  He and his dance partner practiced at least twice a week for five to six weeks prior to the event. He explained how the Saturday before the competition they ran through their routine.  People kept telling him they knew what it was like and to just go out there and have fun! They also told him to remember that he was doing it for a good cause. He said that he just mentally said to himself, “I am not an expert.  I am not going out there to be on the real Dancing with the Stars. It is for a good cause!” He also kept saying to himself, “It’s all about the kids! It’s all about the kids!”  When the time finally came, those people were right, everything they were telling him came true. It was more mentally challenging than it was physically challenging.

I asked Mr. Direnzo what message he would like to tell students who want to go into the field of public service/protection. He said these are very rewarding careers. He feels that you really get results and see the fruits of your labor.  You can really see how you can help people. However, his suggestion is that you must have the passion for it.  It has to be an avocation as much as it is a vocation. You really have to have it inside you.  You have to want to do it. You cannot go into it treating it like it is only a job. If you look at it from only that standpoint, you are not really going to gain anything or succeed that much.  Also, a future firefighter must remember that when everyone is running out of a burning building, you are running in. He also explained that right now fire fighting is just as important academically because there are tests that you have to take to become a firefighter.

As we concluded our interview, I showed Mr. DiRenzo a past article from the Philadelphia Inquirer that looked back on his career. It focused on his son also working as a firefighter. Mr. Direnzo shared that his son, Dan DiRenzo, works for the Cherry Hill Fire Department as a Lieutenant. He was a graduate from CH West and also started his own fire training business which has been nationally recognized. He is very proud of him.

I thanked Mr. DiRenzo for his time and wished him much happiness in the years to come.  It is always nice seeing his familiar and welcoming face greeting all the students each morning, talking with them throughout the day, and ending the school day with an encouraging smile!