The Lakewood Township Committee unanimously approved a resolution Thursday evening renaming Division Street in Downtown Lakewood as “Chief Richard C. Wallace Way,” honoring longtime Lakewood Fire Department Chief Richard C. “Dick” Wallace, who passed away in July.

The designation holds special significance, as Lakewood Fire Station 1, home to Engine Company No. 1, is located at the intersection of Division Street and Monmouth Avenue. It was there that Wallace, a U.S. Air Force veteran, began his service with the Lakewood Fire Department in 1963, launching what would become more than six decades of dedication to the community.

Wallace began as a volunteer firefighter before becoming one of the department’s first career firefighters. He later rose through the ranks and served as Chief of Department from 1988 through 1990, while remaining an active member of the Lakewood Fire Department until his passing.

He was also a Life Member of the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association and the Lakewood Fireman’s Exempt Association. In addition, Wallace served with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service from 1963 until 2011, eventually rising to the position of District Warden.

“It is the Committee’s honor to dedicate a street as a permanent tribute to Chief Wallace,” Committeeman and Emergency Services Liaison Meir Lichtenstein said. “I’ve had the privilege to see Chief Wallace in action on various occasions and saw firsthand his genuine dedication to Lakewood and saving lives.”

“True to his character, Chief Wallace chose to remain an active member of Lakewood’s first responder community for life, and we all owe him an immense debt of gratitude for his service,” Lichtenstein added.

The newly designated Chief Richard C. Wallace Way will serve as a permanent tribute to Wallace’s decades of service and his lasting impact on the Lakewood Fire Department and the broader community.