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DECEMBER 2020
Important updates will be posted immediately.
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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for official COVID-19 notifications
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For the duration of the COVID emergency all password protected pages, except Members Only pages, are open to all website visitors.
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Thursday, December 27, 2001
141 School Street
Tragedy stuck two Hamden families just two days after Christmas in a house fire on School Street that took the lives of two children and the young step-father of one of them who tried to save their lives. The lives of the mother and two other children were saved through the quick thinking of Hamden Police Sergeant Michael McNeil, who was able to rescue them from a rooftop before fire apparatus arrived..
The early morning fire was fought by the personnel of Platoon 4 under the command of B/C Mike Ambriscoe. Fire Marshal Bob Westervelt was investigating and noted that there were three smoke detectors in the building but none of them were functional.
These kinds of terrible tragedies affect an entire community, especially the firefighters charged with rescue and recovery. This fire was reminiscent of one that had occured 41 years earlier (see below) in which three children perished in a house fire right before Christmas 1960.
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| These two front page articles, from the Friday, December 28, 2001 edition of The New Haven Register, were courtesy of the Fire Chief's Office. |
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Engine 2 Crew Nails Fire in Pantry
At 4:01 on Tuesday morning, December 29, 2020, the Hamden Fire Department was dispatched to a fire at 37 Laconia Street.
First due Engine 2 arrived to a 1-½ story cape with nothing showing from the front of the house. Firefighters entered the home to find a small fire in the kitchen pantry. The fire was extinguished using a 1-¾ hose line, with no extension. Fire damage was limited to the pantry with minor water and smoke damage.
The fire started in the food pantry. An occupant stated that he smelled smoke coming from the kitchen area. He alerted the owner and woke the family up to evacuate the home. The occupants were able to safely exit the dwelling until the Fire Department arrived with no injuries reported.
The Fire Marshal’s office has determined that the fire was caused by a discarded smoking material in the trash receptacle.
Website thanks to Dep. Fire Marshal Nelson Hwang for the article.
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| Mayor Leng, Chief Sullivan, and Chief Merwede |
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Sullivan Appointed Chief of the Hamden Police Department
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The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association congratulate 25-year Hamden Police Department veteran John Sullivan on his recent appointment by Mayor Curt Leng to the position of Police Chief for the Town of Hamden. Sullivan has been serving as Hamden’s Acting Police Chief since last July, following the retirement of former Police Chief John Cappiello.
Mayor Curt Leng announced Sullivan's appointment last Friday at 3:00 pm inside the rotunda of Hamden’s Memorial Town Hall, in a small, socially distanced ceremony, which included Hamden Fire Chief Gary Merwede.
The Hamden Legislative Council will soon act to confirm Acting Chief Sullivan's appointment to the Chief's position, per Hamden Town Charter.
CLICK HERE to read the entire press release from the Mayor's Office.
Posted 12/20/2020
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The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Asociation wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to our brother and good friend, active Hamden Firefighter Kevin Recca, on the December 7th passing of his mother, Barbara Recca. Please keep Kevin and the rest of the Recca family in your thoughts and prayers at this sad time.
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Remembering December 7th
1941 1964
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| CLICK to go to story and pix |
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| CLICK to go to story and pix |
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December 7th - Wishing B/C Tom Doherty
a Happy 85th.
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Lieut. Brian Gagnon, Department's Newest Officer
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Friday, Dec. 4 - Six-year veteran Hamden firefighter Brian Gagnon officially joined the department's officer corps this morning by taking the oath inside the Town Hall Council Chamber. The current pandemic, made even more daunting by the recent spikes in local occurences, kept the gathering relatively small.
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In his remarks to the group, Chief Gary Merwede noted, "On Wednesday evening, the Hamden Fire Commission interviewed a strong and excellent candidate pool, and this morning we will acknowledge and make official their selection."
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Lieut. Gagnon holds Fire Officer and Fire Instructor certifications and has completed the Management Officer Program with the National Fire Academy. He continues to instruct with the Connecticut Fire Academy during his off-duty time.
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Like many on the department's current roster of personnel, Lieut. Gagnon's educational achievements are outstanding. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from UConn with a degree in Human Devedlopment and Criminal Justice, with a concentration in conflict resolution, something the Chief chuckled, "will no doubt serve him well in his new supervisory capacity."
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The lieutenant will be assigned to Station 3 on Platoon 4. The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association wish Lieut. Gagnon all the very best in his new fire service role. Stay well, "Lou," and be safe.
All swearing-in photos below may be enlarged by clicking on them.
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| Chief Merwede, flanked at a safe distance by Lieut. Gagnon and Asst. Chief Charles Lubowicki |
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| Town Clerk Vera Morrison administers the oath the Lieut. Gagnon |
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| President of Local 2687, Lieut. Kurt Vogt did the badge pinning honors |
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| Chief Merwede, Lieut. Gagnon, and Asst. Chief Lubowicki - Each held his breath for this maskless pose (Hey, it's History!) |
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MORE SERIOUS INCIDENT PREVENTED BY QUICK-THINKING NEIGHBOR
At 12:17 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2020 the Hamden Fire Department was dispatched to a reported garage fire at 25 Hamden Hills Drive.
Squad One arrived at 12:19 and found the side of an attached garage in flames. The fire was quickly extinguished by the crew of Squad One. Rescue One personnel entered the home and were able to safely evacuate an 82 year old male occupant.
The fire was called in by a neighbor, Marjorie Wolfe, who noticed a trash receptacle on fire. After attempting to alert any possible occupants she called 911. By this time the fire had spread to the garage.
The alertness of Ms. Wolfe and quick response time of the Hamden Fire Department prevented the fire from spreading into the living quarters of the home.
The Fire Marshal has determined that the fire was caused by a cigarette discarded in the trash receptacle.
Website thanks to Fire Marshal Brain Dolan for this information. Pictures courtesy of Brad Young.
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62 Years Ago
Sunday, November 30, 1958
Major house fire on Armory Street was but one of three that kept Hamden firefighters busy that day.
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| New Haven Journal-Courier, Monday, December 1, 1958 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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December 1, 1958
95 Killed in Dreadful Chicago Parochial School Fire
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On Monday, December 1, 1958, the same day the above article appeared in The New Haven Journal-Courier, ninety-two children and three nuns died in one of the worst school fires in U.S. history. A fire of undetermined cause consumed the fully occupied, 48-year old Our Lady of the Angels parochial school in Chicago.
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December 6, 1960
Shocking Pre-Christmas Blaze 60 Years Ago
Claimed Three Children
Landlady's Code Violations Blamed
Chief V. Paul Leddy had been head of the Hamden Fire Department for less than a month when an early evening fire killed three young children at 135 Shepard Street. A few days later a manslaughter warrant was signed against the landlady because authorities believed that code violations in the residence had led to the blaze. Charges against the landlady were later dropped when the coroner could not determine that the code viiolations led directly to the fire that caused the three deaths.
If this tragedy had occured today, charges most certainly would have been filed against others. Read the article.
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Originally posted 12/4/15
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| CONTINUED BELOW |
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| New Haven Evening Register, Wednesday, December 7, 1960 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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20 Years Ago
'Tis the Season!
Hamden Cheerleaders, Firefighters and Toys . . .
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| December 2000 - Hamden Councilman Henry Candido (third from right in green coat) and the Hamden High School Cheerleaders enlist the help of Hamden firefighters outside the Toys-R-Us Store at the Hamden Mart for their annual Toy Drive. Austin "Augie" Williams (far left) is next to an unidentified Hamden police officer. Harold Mangler is at the far right. (All of these 2000 photos by Bob Mordecai) |
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| Website thanks to Richie Maybury for providing this photo of Local 2687 members at Station 3 preparing to deliver hundreds of toys to Yale-New Haven Hospital for Christmas 1997. L-R: Mark Bareltta, Richie Maybury, Unidentified Rep. from Y-NH, Dave Johnson and Ray Ramelli. |
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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and State of Connecticut flags to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday, December 7, 2020, in recognition of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
The observance honors the lives lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags – including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise – should also be lowered during this same duration of time.
CLICK HERE to read the Governor's entire proclamation.
Posted 12/6/20
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Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and State of Connecticut flags to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday, December 14, 2020, in remembrance of the twenty children and six adults who were killed eight years ago in the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.
“The memories of the twenty young children and six educators whose lives were tragically taken on that horrible morning eight years ago will forever remain in our hearts,” Governor Lamont said. “We can continue to honor them by performing acts of kindness, love, and humanity that brighten the lives of others and bring comfort to our community.”
CLICK HERE to read the Governor's entire proclamation.
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Posted 12/12/20
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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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