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July 2021
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| Hamden Fire Retirees' Association |
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FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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Next HFRA meeting is at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10th at the Elks!
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HFRA Spring Meeting
Next Tues., April 10th, 5 PM
Hamden Elks' Lodge, 175 School Street
Pension Plan
Idea for Memorial Plaques
Incorporation
Anything for the Good of the Assn.
Menu: Hamburgers, french fries and other sides - $6.00
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Dozens of Fire & Police Retirees Attend Budget Hearing
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Hamden fire and police were well represented on Tuesday evening at the Hamden Middle School, as dozens of retirees from both departments gathered to urge Hamden's Legislative Council to adequately fund Hamden's pension plan. The occasion was the Council's public hearing on Mayor Scott Jackson's proposed town budget for 2012-13.
The Mayor's budget calls for a $9.3 million infusion into the Town's pension plan. But the pension plan is likely to exhaust more than twice that amount during the coming fiscal year. The Town's contribution for the current fiscal year was only $3.3 million.
Speaking before the Council, HFRA spokesman Dave Johnson stated that the Town's pension funding has not kept pace with the rising number of retirees during the past 20 years, and emphasized that the problem was created entirely by the Town, not by Hamden's firefighters or police officers.
Police retirees Bob Maturo and Tony Mace also addressed the Council on the importance of maintaining the pension funding at proper levels and keeping the promises made to Hamden's police and firefighters. Maturo stated that, given the severity of the underfunding, the remedy may have to be combination of funding and bonding.
The history of Hamden's underfunded pension plan goes back to 1975, when the Town agreed to pay firefighters' and police officers' individual pension contributions in addition to its own - and then failed to do so.
Since 1992, the Town's yearly pension contributions have been either inadequate or nonexistent. Hamden's fire and police agreed to the resumption of co-paying their pension contributions in the late 90s. However, in the three fiscal years between 1999 and 2002 the Town's contribution to the pension fund was zero. (See full remarks and Ann DeMatteo's Register article by CLICKING on the images to the right.) We'll keep you posted.
Posted 4/6/12
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Check out the two websites below to see how municipal pensions around the country are in jeopardy.
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| Website thanks go to Dick Carney for providing this photo, taken between 1961-63, showing a number of Hamden career and volunteer personnel at the Repair Shop being trained on mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. CLICK on the photo for IDs. |
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| This house at 39 Ives Street was heavily damaged on New Year's Eve 1965-66. In the 1930s, it had been the home of Fire Marshal Al Purce; in the 1940s it was the home of Firefighter Ray Carofano. And some years before this fire, Deputy Chief James Strain, who was in command of this incident, resided next door at #41. (Newspaper article courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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| Whatever happened to Badge 101? That's what Rich Maybury would like to know. He was the first Hamden firefighter to get that badge. Hamden firefighters were assigned numbered badges from the 1940s until about 20 years ago when, for some reason, new non-numbered badges were distributed. The lower your number, the higher your seniority. If you have #101, Rich has #92 to trade. Email Rich at oldcrowozzy@sbcglobal.net. (The above image is NOT #101, but it's exactly what it would look like. This image was photo-shopped from another badge.) |
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| April 5, 2012 - Tower One crew: Ff. Daryl Osiecki, Capt. Ron Desroches and Ff. Dave Beaton. |
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| THURSDAY!! Batt. Chief Sam DeBurra, shown here with Ff. Daryl Osiecki, continues a decades old tradition that started with Chief R.C. Spencer - delivering the paychecks on Thursday. This reminded a visiting old-timer of when his Platoon 3 buddies at 2's worked Thursdays, they had their checks cashed at a nearby bank. One of the guys named Ronnie would take the portable radio off Engine 1 and walk up the street to the bank with all the checks. On one such occasion, a fellow firefighter named Ray waited until Ronnie was inside the bank for about 15 seconds. Then, taking Engine 2's portable radio, Ray keyed it and declared, "This is a stick up!" Ronnie was not amused. (We thought it was a riot.) |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees' Association |
DAILY FLAG STATUS
CLICK here!
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FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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To Our Website Visitors:
Starting now, only those items posted within the past FOUR weeks will be kept on the current Home Page.
Earlier home pages, beginning with April 1, 2011, can now be viewed just as they appeared when they were first published. Tabs for links to the "2011 Home Pages" and "2012 Home Pages" are now on the above menu, right next to the HOME tab. Articles about fires and other major incidents can be retrieved by using the "Action!" tab. Other articles may be retrieved by going to the "Past Articles" tab.
We hope to eventually post Home pages published between June 2009 and March 2011.
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HFRA Spring Meeting at the Elks
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Our 14th meeting was held at the Hamden Elks Lodge, with 22 members attending.
CLICK at left for photos.
CLICK at right for meeting minutes.
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| Where and When was this photo taken? We finally got an answer. |
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| Lieut. Adam Barletta |
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The HFRA congratulates Hamden firefighter Adam Barletta on his recent promotion to the rank of Lieutenant. Adam, a nine year veteran of the Department, is the son of retired Fire Marshal and current HFRA president Mark Barletta and his wife, Margaret.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Hamden Government Center on Monday, April 16th at 2:30 p.m.
Posted 4/13/12
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| 1962 - At the height of the Cold War, Ff. Dick Carney foots the step ladder for Ff. Kenneth Harrington as he mounts a Civil Defense Fallout Shelter sign to the side of the New Haven Savings Bank building on Dixwell Avenue, across from the Acme Wire Co. (now the Acme Mall). Also pictured (L-R) are Dep. Chief Daniel Hume, Chief V. Paul Leddy, First Selectman John DeNicola, Sr., and an unidentified gentleman. (Photo courtesy of Dick Carney) |
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| Jim Wetmore provided this nice photo of the 1965 Mack 750 pumper after it was assigned as Engine 7 in 1985. |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees' Association |
DAILY FLAG STATUS
CLICK here!
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FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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REFRESH!
If you are a frequent visitor, we recommend that you hit the F5 key every time you visit this website to make sure you are receiving the most recently published HOME page.
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Brotherhood
A very poignant moment last Thursday morning, April 19th, as dozens of Hamden firefighters gathered at Hamden Plains Cemetery for the interment service for Susan Recca, wife of Hamden firefighter Kevin Recca. Hamden Fire Department chaplain, Rev. Owen Sanderson, officiated.
Sue Recca, who was a paramedic with AMR, passed away on April 14th after being stricken on March 19th. The thoughts and prayers of all Hamden's fire retirees are with Kevin and his family. (Photo by David Beaton)
Posted 4/21/12
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May 1991 - New Pierce Tower One Arrives
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May 1991 - Training with the new Tower 1 - L-R: Batt. Chief Tom Doherty, Ff. Tony Melillo (HFD Mechanic), Capt. Mike Ambriscoe, Lt. Howie Hurlburt, Jr., Lt. Frank Critchett, unidentified Pierce technician, Firefighters Ernie Braun, Frank Kafka, Harold Mangler and Supt. Paul Wetmore, Sr. Photographer Shirley Mangler noted that Firefighter Ed Emerson was also present but is not in the photo (probably at the watch desk)
NOTE: From 1984 to the early 1990s, HFD had a position of Mechanic in the Shop that was filled by a uniformed department member; also, light blue uniform work shirts were worn by both captains and lieutenants until the mid-1990s. (Photo by Shirley Mangler, courtesy of Tom Doherty)
Posted 4/20/12
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| 1977 - Chief V. Paul Leddy throws out the first pitch during opening day ceremonies for the Hamden Fathers' Baseball League at Bassett Field. (Photo by Leland Robinson is courtesy of the Hamden Historical Society) |
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| April 7, 2000 - Firefighters Julio Lopes and Joe Anderson at Station 4 with Rescue 1. Julio and Joe, still on the job, are now company officers. (Photo by Bob Mordecai) |
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1958 - Company 8 Station Expansion
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| From The New Haven Evening Register, Friday, January 3, 1958 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) CLICK to enlarge for easier reading |
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| c. 1938 - Hamden Public Works personnel with their vehicles along the Dixwell Avenue side of Memorial Town Hall (Photo courtesy of the Hamden Historical Society) CLICK to enlarge |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees' Association |
DAILY FLAG STATUS
CLICK here!
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FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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REFRESH!
If you are a frequent visitor, we recommend that you hit the F5 key every time you visit this website to make sure you are receiving the most recently published HOME page.
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New Haven County Fire Emergency Plan
Celebrates 75 Years
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| Early 1960s - Some members of the New Haven County Fire Chiefs' Emergency Plan at Station 8. CLICK to enlarge. (Photo courtesy of Gil Spencer) |
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2012 marks the 75th 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 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 gentlement are not identified. Any ideas?
Posted 4/27/12
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| August 31, 1962 - New Haven Fire Department Capt. Walter Suski congratulates Hamden's John O'Hare, captain of the HFD softball team, following Hamden's 11-10 victory at Blake Field. Paul Wetmore's hit drove in the winning run. John led the team into the late 1970s. |
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| CLICK on this image to read entire issue. |
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The Alarm Room News
April 1983
Shortly after this website started in June 2009, HFRA member Ed Emerson emailed us scanned images of the April 1983 issue of The Alarm Room News, which featured Hamden as the monthly "City of Discussion." While preparing to include the scans in this week's website update, we got to thinking about ARN publisher Keith Victor, who was also influential in helping the Hamden Fire Department establish its radio fire dispatch system in the late 1980s. We recently caught up with Keith to find out what he's been up to lately.
Over forty years ago, when he was a young Hartford firefighter, Keith began publishing The Alarm Room News from his East Hartford home. Championing the principle that "Knowledge is of no value until shared with others," The Alarm Room News was a monthly statewide publication aimed at keeping firefighters in Connecticut and western Massachusetts communities informed on the latest local fire service news.
Each issue of The Alarm Room News was filled with well-researched information on major fires in Connecticut and western Massachusetts during the previous month, as well as photos and specs of new apparatus deliveries. Every month, the "City of Discussion" offered readers a comprehensive profile of a different local fire department, listing its leadership, organizational make-up, station locations, descriptions of apparatus and the types of communications and alarm systems.
Hamden's Ed Doiron was one of Keith's southern Connecticut contacts for obtaining fire news each month, conducting 24/7 radio airchecks of New Haven area fire departments. Keith continued to publish The Alarm Room News until 1992.
Now 66, Keith Victor has spent two-thirds of his life in public safety. He joined the Hartford Fire Department in 1968. During his 26-year career as a Hartford firefighter, Keith was assigned to Engine 2 at Main and Belden, Engine 15 at Fairfield and New Britain Aves., and Engine 14 at Blue Hills and Albany Aves, where he was driver. Keith returned to Hartford's Station 2 as driver before retiring in 1994.
After 26 years with the Hartford Fire Department, Keith continues to enjoy his work in public safety. He is currently Communications Director for the Town of West Hartford, chairs the Region 3 Emergency Support Functions for Communications (ESF2) for FEMA, and sits on the State Technical Advisory Committee for Homeland Security. Keith is also with the Lafayette Group, teaching Communications for the federal government. Keith and his wife still live in their home in East Hartford.
Posted 4/27/12
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| Another mystery: This 50+ year old photo shows numerous members of the West Woods Volunteer Fire Co. 9 at a house fire somewhere in, of all places, West Woods. Any ideas ('cause we really don't know)? (Photo by I.A. Sneiderman) |
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| CLICK to enlarge |
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Despite the IDs above the bay doors in this 1957 photo of Station 2, the 1952 Maxim (left) and the 1938 Seagrave canopy cab (right) were Engine 2 and Engine 1 respectively.
The marking on the door of the Seagrave is another curiosity: When it was placed in service as Engine 4 in 1938, the number "4" was painted on both doors. The Seagrave was transferred to Station 2 a year later, where it remained until it was "disposed of" in 1968 - the number "4" still adorning both doors. Go figure. (Photo by Chan Brainard)
Posted 4/27/12
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