The Boyles Keep it All in the Family

The words “Emergency Services” and “New Jersey City University” are just part of being a Boyle. Whether its fire, police or EMS, you will find at least one of the Boyles ready to respond and at least one of them on the campus of NJCU. Growing up in a home where your father is a career member of the fire department; it just becomes natural to want to be involved in emergency services. NJCU Fire Science Professor and retired Bayonne Fire Department Director/Deputy Chief Patrick Boyle didn’t have to convince his two sons Ryan and Sean to go into the emergency service profession; they just knew this was where they belonged. Going to college! That was another easy choice for the two brothers since Dad was a graduate of, and a current Fire Science Professor at NJCU!

Deputy Chief Boyle began his career as a firefighter with the Bayonne Fire Department back in 1978, and retiring in 2008 as Acting Chief with 30 years of serve to the city of Bayonne. During his career with the Bayonne Fire Department, Prof. Boyle’s sons watched their Dad perform the duties of a career firefighter and fire officer. They watched as their Dad advanced in his career from firefighter to receiving promotions to the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief, Director, and just before retiring, Deputy Chief Boyle was appointment as Acting Chief. Youngest son Ryan remembers spending most of his childhood around the firehouse. “It was just part of growing up as a Boyle. I remember being impressed by both the firefighters and police officers.”

So, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. When Ryan first entered NJCU, he began taking courses toward a degree in accounting, but it only took a short time for Ryan to realize that he had always found the fire and police fields more interesting and decided to change his educational concentration to Fire Science. Ryan also knew the importance of taking the entry level exams, so once he turned eighteen he took both entry level firefighter and police officer exams. “I took tests all up and down the east coast.” Then around January of 2004 Ryan was hired by New York City’s Police Department (NYPD) as a Police Officer. “Dad always stressed the importance of a college education.” Ryan knew his Dad was right, so he continued to pursue his education, and also decided to add a second major to his repertoire; National Security. Ryan felt that majoring in Fire Science and National Security would open up more opportunities for him now and in the future. So his career and college education became a way of life for him up until his graduation in May 2010; at which time he walked down the aisle at the IZOD Center and received his college diploma with Mom and Dad watching from the stands. Ryan enjoys his profession, “There are many opportunities with the NYPD, and my degrees will help me now and in the future when I’m ready to retire from there”. Most recently, on March 6^th, during an awards ceremony, Ryan along with several other police officers received the “Cop of the Year Award” for 2011. The award was given in reference to the arrest of four perpetrators in connection to a robbery that occurred in January 2011. Ryan is now patiently awaiting the results of the recent Sergeants exam that he took for NYPD.

Not only was education and community service ingrained in Ryan, but it was also ingrained in his older brother Sean. The eldest of the two boys, Sean knew he wanted to follow in Dad’s footsteps and become a firefighter. He also knew that to be hired wasn’t going to be an immediate option after high school graduation. So after graduating high school, he attended NJCU as a part-time student, majoring in fire science. Could attending NJCU have been Dad whispering in Sean’s ear, “If you go to NJCU and major in fire science you’ll perform better on the exams.”? At about the same time, Sean was looking for some type of employment prior to hopefully being hired as a firefighter, so he decided to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Once certified; in 1996, Sean was hired by Jersey City Medical Center (JCMC) as a full-time EMT. Staying there until January of 1999 when he was hired by FDNY to serve in their EMS Division. Then finally…eight months after being hired by FDNY, his dream came true, Sean was offered a position with the Bayonne Fire Department as a firefighter. Although Sean had his dream job, he also knew that he enjoyed working as an EMT and he knew he was good at it. So in March of 2000 Sean accepted a part-time EMT position with St. Barnabas Health Care Systems and over the next few years also did part-time work for UMDNJ and the City of Linden. Then in September of 2007, Sean went back to JCMC where he worked in a part-time position. Eventually he found himself picking up more and more shifts at JCMC until he was working in a full-time capacity there at JCMC and at the Fire Department. Most recently, this past October, Sean was promoted to Field Supervisor for the EMS Department at JCMC. During his free time, Sean enjoys spending it with his wife Genevieve and their two sons Eamon and Thomas.

How do the Boyle men relate to each other? In Ryan’s words, “My Dad, Sean and I share the many common bonds between these types of careers, but we also have a lot of fun teasing each other about it too!”