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100-year-old NJ man cited as oldest active firefighter

When reporters asked what his key to longevity is, he said good genes and Ovaltine

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Firefighter Vincent Dransfield in 1960.

North Jersey.com

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. — Though hardly official, Vincent Dransfield proudly claims he’s the nation’s oldest active firefighter.

The township resident could be right. He’s been keeping a close watch on the competition. “This guy in Arkansas had me by three years, but he died two years ago,” said Dransfield, who was honored Saturday during a party organized by his firefighting brethren — less than 24 hours after becoming a centenarian.

“I have 75 active-duty years with Little Falls,” Dransfield announced after Saturday’s celebration, which drew more than 150 people. He joined the department in 1939, when firefighters used horse-drawn water tanks when responding to blazes.

Full story: 100-year-old Little Falls man says he’s the nation’s oldest firefighter

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