Ani Malool - Ridgefield Park, NJ Fire Department

My name is Ani Malool, and I am currently a volunteer firefighter in Ridgefield Park and have been for almost 5 years. I am a member in Hook & Ladder Co #1 (the tiller) and proudly wear badge number 35. My father is the Chief of the Ridgefield Park Fire Department for 2009. Growing up in the firehouse really had an effect on me. I learned the definition of family at an early age. It isn’t just a group of individuals related to you by blood or marriage; the guys in the firehouse showed me it goes way deeper than that. It is safe to say my father turned me into a “buff” and a “wacker” by age 4. I don’t think I have missed a Wildwood Firefighter’s Convention yet.


When people first meet me, they normally don’t believe I am a firefighter. I was a Varsity Cheerleader in high school and ran Varsity Cross Country. I have been working at Abercrombie & Fitch since 2005. On the outside I’m a typical “girly girl,” but when you get to know me, you’ll realize I’m not.


My senior year of high school I decided to look into a career where I would never be bored. I wanted to wake up each morning and want to go to work, not dread it. I knew I could make big bucks as an accountant or lawyer, but I just wasn’t interested in it. I decided to pursue a career in the fire science field since I knew I would enjoy it. I am currently a junior at the University of New Haven in Connecticut. I am a dual fire science major and am projected to graduate in May 2010. I will graduate with a BS in Fire/Arson Investigation and a BS in Fire Administration with a minor in criminal justice. I will have also earned a Fire Prevention Certificate and a Hazardous Materials Certificate. My ultimate goal is be a part of the NJ State Fire Marshal Arson and K-9 unit. I am very determined and headstrong, and I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals.