N.J. firefighter charged with falsifying fit-testing records

By Jeff Goldman
nj.com

EMERSON, N.J. — A 45-year-old senior fire captain in Emerson is facing charges after authorities say he improperly conducted respirator fit tests for firefighters and lied about it.

Richard A. Solimando, is charged with forgery and tampering with records, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said Friday.

Solimando signed reports stating the tests had been completed when they had not been finished between Jan. 7 and Jan. 27, officials said.

Fit testing is the method for finding the respirator that fits the face of emergency responders and ensuring it provides a tight seal to help keep you protected, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

It’s more involved than a seal check, which is only used to check if a respirator is properly positioned on a face.

The Emerson fire chief couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Monday morning. An attorney for Solimando wasn’t listed in court records.

Trending

Fatal Incident

‘Fire on every floor': 6 dead, 7 injured in Brooklyn 3-alarm fire

More than 200 first responders battled the two-story row home blaze for about three hours, with four victims dying at the scene and two more pronounced dead at the hospital, as fire marshals investigate a lithium-ion battery found at the scene

November 05, 2026 09:40 AM

Line-of-Duty Death (LODD)

Officials identify Ohio firefighters killed, injured in house fire

North Royalton Firefighter Ryan Milligan died during the Broadview Heights blaze and Firefighter Andrew Protsman suffered serious injuries but is expected to recover

November 04, 2026 08:21 AM

 · 

Bill Carey

Line-of-Duty Death (LODD)

Idaho firefighter dies, another injured after fire truck crash

Both Raft River Fire District firefighters were flown to Portneuf Medical Center after their truck went off the road in Cassia County; one died from his injuries while the other remains hospitalized

November 04, 2026 08:44 AM

 · 

Bill Carey

Firefighting Foam

3M settles firefighting foam lawsuits for over $7 billion

The settlement covers up to 120,000 eligible plaintiffs, including firefighters and military personnel who used PFAS-linked firefighting foam, and follows a separate $12.5 billion settlement in 2023 over drinking water contamination claims

November 04, 2026 08:40 AM

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit nj.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.