| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
Next regular update is Friday, June 30th.
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| FIREWORKS NEXT FRIDAY!
The United States Army Field Band & Chorus will perform next Friday evening, June 30th, at the 24th Annual Hamden Volunteer Firefighters' Fireworks at Town Center Park. Rain date is Saturday, July 1st.
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Civilian Cited by Commission
Her Video Aided in Fire Investigation
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| Pictured from left to right are: Commission Chairman Henry Candido, Commissioner Richard Reilly, Chief David Berardesca, Ms. Scarlett, Mr. Jeff Gates, Commissioner James O'Brien, and Commissioner Eric Curtis. Absent are Commissioner Andrea Lobo and Deputy Chief Gary Merwede. |
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At the June 14, 2017 regularly scheduled meeting of the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners, Ms. Lauren Scarlett was presented with a certificate of recognition for actions taken at a recent structure fire.
After dialing 911 to report a fire at 154 Townhouse Rd., Ms. Scarlett proceeded to video the fire’s progression prior to arrival of Hamden firefighters. The video account captures the fire from its stages of early development to its extension to other areas of the building and to eventual extinguishment.
Ms. Scarlett's video was of great importance to our Fire Marshal’s investigation and also aided in improving fire ground operations and enhancement of firefighter safety.
Commission Chairman Henry Candido commended Ms. Scarlett for her outstanding community service and assistance to the Hamden Fire Department.
Posted 6/23/17
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New Haven County Fire Emergency Plan June Meeting
For decades, the June meeting of the New Haven County Fire Emergency Plan has been held at Hamden's Dunbar Hill fire station, with members of Co. 8 providing a fine meal culminating in a savory dessert with strawberries from the Hindinger Farm.
It is customary for the hosting community to provide a speaker. This year, retired Batt. Chief Bill Fitzmaurice, a former Emergency Plan president, presented an enlightening program on "Protecting Our Most Valuable Resource," which, of course, is our firefighters.
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Bill's excellent presentation was an eye-opener to many of us who have been retired for years and not aware of the dangers that can lurk in turnout gear once the fire is out. Bill cited startling statistics of disproportionately high cancer deaths among Boston firefighters that may be linked to dangerous products of cumbustion that can remain on turnout gear unless they are properly stored, then cleaned, following incidents.
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Gil Spencer, Bill Fitzmaurice, Tom Doherty, Jim Wetmore, an Emergency Plan lifetime member, and Frank Erff, a retired New Haven firefighter, were among the dozens in attendance at last Tuesday evening's Emergency Plan meeting.
Posted 6/23/17
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| Early 1960s - Some members of the New Haven County Fire Chiefs' Emergency Plan at Station 8. (Photo courtesy of Gil Spencer) |
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2017 marks the 80th anniversary of the New Haven County Fire Emergency Plan. The group was established in 1937 by a group of New Haven area fire chiefs. Originally called the New Haven County Fire Chiefs' Emergency Plan, the organization's goal has been the coordination of regional fire service resources in the event of a major disaster and to facilitate effective communication between and among area fire departments.
The Emergency Plan meets each month at a different New Haven county fire station. For decades, the traditional June venue for the Emergency Plan has been Hamden's Dunbar Hill fire station where, following the meeting, attendees have been treated to fresh strawberries from Hindinger's Farm. Recent presidents of the Emergency Plan have included retired HFD Deputy Fire Chief Clark Hurlburt, Batt. Chief Bill Fitzmaurice, and HFD Chaplain, Rev. Owen Sanderson.
This early 1960s photo, taken in the apparatus room at Station 8, features some of the brass from area departments, including Hamden's V. Paul Leddy (left) and Cheshire's fire marshal James Doherty (center). The other three gentlemen are not identified. Any ideas?
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35 Years Ago
The efforts of Hamden's career and volunteer firefighters were recognized in a brief ceremony in Chief Leddy's town hall office in late June 1982. Citations from Mayor Peter Villano were presented to Local 2687 President John Corbett and the captains of the four volunteer companies. Also recognized were Superintendent of Alarms & Apparatus Richie Lostritto and Asst. Supt. Paul Wetmore, Sr., who worked tirelessly to get the alarm system back in service following the disastrous "100-Year" flood of June 5-6, 1982.
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| The Hamden Chronicle, June 24, 1982 |
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Then and Now Dept.
Okay Gang, just where was this photo taken 75 years ago?
Last week, two photos of Whitneyville Co. 3 marching in Hamden's 1942 Memorial Day Parade were posted here. But the setting had a few people scratching their heads.
HINTS: Yes, it was Whitney Avenue. Yes, it was Centerville. The white house is still standing, but not there anymore. The house with all those windows on the right is gone. Got it yet?
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Gil Spencer solved the mystery of the location of the two Memorial Day 1942 photos featured in last week's update. Gil said that he thought the white house looked like the one that stood on Whitney Avenue near the corner of Colonial Drive until was moved to Colonial Drive to make way for the Whitney Medical Center.
Interesting theory, we thought. But what about that dark house with all the windows? Wouldn't that be where Colonial Drive is today? A 1934 aerial view of Centerville confirmed that such a house did stand just north of the "white" house, where today Colonial Drive meets Whitney Avenue. Further proof was gleaned from the 1949 aerial view of Centerville, which clearly shows the "white" house in its former location and the new Colonial Drive under construction.
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The above 1949 photo of Centerville clearly shows the "white house" in the 1942 Memorial Day photograph. It was #2440 Whitney Avenue until it was moved around the corner to Colonial Drive around 1984.
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The darker house with all those windows, #2442-44 Whitney Avenue (above, left), was torn down around 1948 to make way for Colonial Drive. (It was still listed in the 1948 City Directory.) The large building at #2446 Whitney Avenue in the photo taken last week (above, right) was built two years ago and replaced a much smaller house at the same location.
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These aerial views taken in 1934 and 1965 confirm that #2442-44 Whitney Avenue, the house with all the windows, immediately north of the "white" house, was torn down when Colonial Drive was cut through in 1948-49.
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HFRA Summer Meeting
Tuesday, July 11th at 6 p.m.
Hamden Elks' Lodge
175 School Street
Menu: T.B.A. - Members will be notified.
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Non-Members May Subscribe to HFRA archived web pages.
For a $10 annual subscription, non-HFRA members may access
all HFRA archives, except the "Members Only" pages.
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NEVER FORGET!
We will always remember our brother firefighters who made the supreme sacrifice, and the thousands of other innocent victims who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Always keep them, their families and the FDNY in your thoughts and prayers.
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