| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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| CLICK to go to HGSRA webpage |
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FIREFIGHTER HUGH McLEAN, JR.
1924 - 2014
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It is with deep regret that we announce the passing on February 10th of retired Hamden Firefighter Hugh McLean, Jr.
A World War II and D-Day Veteran, Hugh proudly served in the US Navy from 1942 to 1945 in North Africa and in the Allied invasions of Sicily and Normandy.
Hugh joined the Department in October 1949 and served with distinction for 38 years until his retirement in 1987. In 1973, Hugh received the Department's Alfred Ramelli Award, and in 1982 he was named Fireman of the Year by Hamden's Civitan Club.
Hugh is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jeanne, and sons Hugh Scott McLean (Susan) of Pennsylvania, and Brian McLean (Judi) of Clinton. He is also survived by his three grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday at 11 a.m. in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery. Calling hours are Friday (TODAY) from 4 to 8 p.m. in Sisk Brothers Funeral Home, 3105 Whitney Ave., Hamden.
Donations in Hugh's memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 100, Rocky Hill, CT 06067. Our thoughts and prayers are with Hugh's family.
Click here to view Hugh McLean's obituary in The New Haven Register
Some of the above information was excerpted from The New Haven Register obituary for Hugh McLean.
Revised 2/14/14
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Friday, July 31, 1987
Superior Printing Ink Co.
750 Sherman Avenue
While leafing through some old training reports last week, we found 26 black and white photo negatives dated July 31, 1987. The photographer is not identified. The photos were taken at an acid spill at the loading dock of this Sherman Avenue manufacturer of printing inks.
Engine 9, Engine 5, Rescue 3, CP-2 and Car 2 responded. Lt. Bob Kelo and Firefighters Joe Rahl and Ed Doiron were on Engine 9. According to hazmat protocol, Lt. Dave Strawhince and Ff. Ray Dobbs responded "special call" from Station 3 with Rescue 3. Firefighters Art Heriot and Rich Maybury responded on Engine 5, when it was manned by only two firefighters.
Rescue 3 was equipped with a cascade air system for refilling Scotts on site. CP-2, the Civil Preparedness vehicle, was equipped with material to absorb spills and 55-gallon metal drums to take away the waste for proper disposal.
Posted 2/14/14
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| Crew of Engine 9 with CP-2 |
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| Ff. Ray Dobbs assists with Scott Air Pack |
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| Ff. Rahl and Lt. Strawhince |
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The support firefighters were well out of the hot zone.
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Crew of Engine 9 pours a SpeedyDry-like absorbent onto the affected areas.
(Note the fully "enveloped" firefighters, and then the guys in the overhead doorway.)
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| Brooms help to spread the absorbent to soak up the product. |
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| Shoveling the absorbent into the barrel |
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Ff. Rich Maybury, Neil Gorfain of Civil Preparedness, Lt. Dave Strawhince and Assistant Chief Walt Macdowall
are beside Engine 9. Car 2 and Rescue 3 can be seen in the background.
Asst. Chief Macdowall was also Director of Civil Preparedness at the time of this incident.
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| Firefighters Art Heriot, Rich Maybury, Ray Dobbs and Lt. Dave Strawhince. Engine 5 can be seen in the background. |
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60 Years Ago!
Very Busy Firefighters
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The New Haven Journal-Courier and New Haven Evening Register reported that Hamden firefighters were quite busy on Monday afternoon and evening, February 15, 1954. Around 3 p.m., a small fire activiated the sprinkler system on the second floor of the Moose Hall, 961 Dixwell Avenue. Fire damage was minimal, but water damage to the business on the floor below was "extensive." (Ed. Note: Thirty-nine years later the building was extensively damaged by a multi-alarm fire. Transients believed to be living in the vacant building may have started the fire. The building was razed shortly thereafter.)
The second fire, reported shortly before 7 p.m., destroyed a three-car garage at 622 Newhall Street. According to accounts in the Courier, quick actions by Hamden firefighters under the command of Capt. Paul Leddy prevented more serious damage to the house at that address as well as two adjacent houses. Engine Companies 1 and 2 and the ladder truck from the Circular Avenue station, and the Squad out of Headquarters responded.
In February 1954, Engines 1 and 2 were the 1938 Seagrave and 1952 Maxim, respectively. The 1941 Diamond-T was the ladder truck and the "Squad" was a 1938 Diamond-T.
Posted 2/14/14
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| New Haven Evening Register, Tuesday, February 1954 (Sid Trower Collection) |
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Only six days later, on Sunday, February 21st, another Newhall Street fire claimed the life of a 44-year old woman. It was Hamden's first fire fatality in fire years. The cause was attributed to smoking in bed.
Posted 2/14/14
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| Active HFD Members at a Recent Retirement Dinner (Bob Mordecai photo) |
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| Annual Local 2687 Retirement Dinner
will take place
Saturday Night, April 5th
Laurel View Country Club
Cocktail Hour 7-8, followed by Dinner
Music provided by Ff. Doug O'Rourke
Honoring:
Deputy Chief Robert Surprise
Firefighter/Paramedic Roberta Angiletta
Firefighter John Bradbury
Invitation letters to retirees will be mailed soon.
Revised 2/25/14
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Patches to Trade?
Toronto Firefighter Jeff Gayman contacted the website during this past week hoping to obtain an HFD patch. The website does not have them, but we were certain there were patch collectors out there among our web visitors who might. Jeff wrote that he has many patches to trade. Here is Jeff's contact information:
Jeff Gayman, Toronto Fire Dept, 74 Barton Lane, Uxbridge, ON, Canada L9P 1W2
His email address: heat@powergate.ca Please type "Patch Trade" in the subject line.
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