The New Jersey & New York Volunteer Firemen's Association was officially organized in the Park Ridge Fire House, March 27, 1914.
Its initial purpose was serving the Volunteer Fire Companies along the New Jersey & New York Railroad, now the Pascack Valley Line. The group expanded to encompass all Volunteer Fire Companies in Bergen and Rockland Counties.
The organization oversees the Bergen County Law & Public Safety Institute, first opened in 1965 as the Bergen County Fire School. The facility includes three (3) buildings (still in use) — the Smoke House, the Hi-Rise Building, and the Classroom/Office Building. A commemorative plaque on the Hi-Rise Building recognizes the association's role in establishing what has evolved into the current institute.