JEFFREY (Jeff) ANDREW TOMCZAK, August 6, 1979 – July 26, 2024, 44 years of age.
The International Association of Firefighters & Allentown Firefighters Local 302 announces the occupational Line of Duty Death of Fire Marshal Jeff Tomczak, of Upper Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 2024. Jeff passed away peacefully at his residence surrounded by his immediate family after a valiant 15-month battle with cancer.
Jeff is survived by the love of his life and wife, Brittany Dawn (Cusumano), along with sons Matthew Gregory, aged 14 and Connor Michael, aged 10. He is also survived by his siblings Christine J. Donovan (William) of Eagleville, Pennsylvania and Stacy A. McCann (William) of Collegeville, Pennsylvania. He was Uncle Jeff to Liam (William) and Erin Donovan, and Lindsay and Jessica McCann.
Jeff was preceded in death by his parents Gene S. And Joyce R Tomczak (Riegel).
Jeff began his journey into the American Fire Service as a junior firefighter at the age of 16 when he joined the Upper Gwynedd Fire Department in 1996. He would prosper throughout the ranks for the next 28 years, earning the position of Deputy Chief and most recently Fire Chief. Jeff would go on to serve in a myriad of emergency services duty positions with multiple organizations throughout his esteemed career. He became a responding member of the Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale, PA from 2000 until 2010, during which time he also served part-time as a firefighter with the Montgomery Township Department of Fire Services and with the Jefferson Fire Company. He was the voice that public service professionals could rely upon when he served as a telecommunicator and dispatcher with Montgomery County Department of Public Safety from the years 2000-2005.
It was no secret to anyone that Jeff had a profound calling and a passion for the fire service, which ignited a desire to serve his community in a full-time capacity. He would become a fulltime firefighter with the Department of Defense, serving the Department of the Navy Fire and Emergency Service (Mechanicsburg, PA) from 2005 until 2010. In 2010, Jeff was hired as a Firefighter/EMT with the Allentown Fire Department, where he spent an awesome part of his career with the members of Truck Co 2. In 2017, he was honored to hold the position of Fire Marshal, where he served until his retirement. Jeff built a repertoire of expert knowledge and skills in the fields of fire and life safety. He was notably employed with the Upper Gwynedd Fire Marshal’s Office, where he served as both the Chief Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator and remained on staff as the Deputy Fire Marshal until his passing.
Jeff’s robust skill set placed him apart from many. He was a member of the Allentown Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Response Team, Technical Rescue Team, and Dive Team. Jeff also served his country as a member of the 177th Fighter Wing Hazardous Materials Response Team and Technical Rescue Team. He loved passing on real world street knowledge and his experience of firefighting strategies and tactics! He was a member of the Allentown Fire Department Academy Training Staff and an adjunct instructor for the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.
Jeff stood along a multitude of fire service leaders in fraternal fellowship. He was a member of the International Association of Firefighters Local 302 in Allentown, PA, as well as a charter member of the International Association of Firefighters Local 4890 in Montgomery Township, Pennsylvania. Furthermore, he was a member of both the International Association of Arson Investigators and a Certified Fire and Explosives Investigator with the National Association of Fire Investigators. In this capacity, he served as a member of the Lehigh & Northampton Fire Investigation Training Association. He was also a participating member of the Eastern Montgomery County Emergency Management Group.
Jeff served in the defense of his country his entire adult life. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1997, serving on active duty in both the State of Texas and the Republic of Korea until 2000. Following his active-duty assignments, he enlisted in the US Army Reserves out of Worcester, Pennsylvania, serving from 2000 to 2004. During his time in the Army Reserves, his unit was one of the first United States military firefighting units to support operations in Iraq, deploying for a full year immediately following the initial entrance of U.S. troops into Baghdad in early 2003.
Following his enlistment in the Army Reserves, Jeff joined the Air National Guard, serving as a firefighter in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania from 2004 to 2011. After base realignment occurred in Willow Grove, Jeff transferred units to the 177th Fighter Wing, Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor, New Jersey. He rose to the rank of Master Sergeant(E7), earning a prominent duty position of Assistant Fire Chief across multiple disciplines. From 2011 until the present, Jeff deployed in support of multiple operations around the globe to include Operation Enduring Freedom in Kyrgyzstan (2012), Operation Inherent Resolve in the United Arab Emirates (2017) and Operation Freedom Sentinel in Kuwait (2021). The latter of which brought critical taskings in support of the Kabul Airlift and the rapid demobilization of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. Jeff was a supporting member of the Air National Guard Fire Chiefs’ Association as well as an instructor, mentor, and respected leader in the Air Force Fire and Emergency Services career field. In fellowship and camaraderie with his brothers and sisters in arms, Jeff was also a member of American Legion Post 933 (Hatfield) and a Life Member of VFW Post 1074 (Conshohocken).
When not in the service of his people, Jeff enjoyed spending every second making life adventurous with his family and friends. Although not a hunter, he enjoyed sport shooting and SCUBA diving when the opportunity existed. An avid outdoorsman, he was an expert skier when he was younger; traveling to Colorado, Tahoe, Utah, British Columbia, and many family trips to the Poconos. Skiing aside, Jeff also loved snowmobiling in the winter, especially in Old Forge, NY with his Bae!
A self-proclaimed DIY’er, he was excellent at starting projects, although admittedly would never finish them. When the spring would turn, Jeff was a diehard fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, where he and his family would attend as many games as possible as season ticket holders. If he couldn’t be there, they were on his TV or Phone... No Matter What! He loved the beach, sand, sun, and water, cherishing his summers camping with his family and friends by his side at the Jersey Shore.
Visitation will be Friday, August 2, 2024 from 5:30PM to 8:00PM at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 900 Sumneytown Pike Lansdale Pennsylvania 19446 and again on Saturday August 3, 2024 from 8:30AM to 10:30AM with a Funeral Mass to be celebrated at 11:00AM at Corpus Christi Church. Burial will follow in Green Lawn Cemetery, the corner of Sumneytown Pike and Allentown Road in Upper Gwynedd Township.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jeff may be made to the following organizations: Montgomery County Hero Fund, PO Box 231, Eagleville, PA 19408 or Upper Gwynedd Township Fire Department, PO Box 340, West Point, PA 19486.
