We are in the process of archiving all weekly updates by the month. All of the weekly updates for this month are on this page.
Just scroll down to locate the desired update.
July 2021
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| Hamden Fire Retirees' Association |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
| Next Meeting: Oct. 9th at 6 p.m. at the Elks.
Menu: Chicken Cutlet sandwich with LT, 2 sides homemade potato salad and coleslaw, brownies with dash of whipped cream - All for $6.00
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| Burt Hillocks - October 1950 CLICK here to read Burt's obituary. |
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| Captain Burton C. Hillocks
It is with deep regret that we report the passing of brother fire retiree Burton Hillocks early Tuesday morning, September 4, 2012, in Vero Beach, Florida. He was 91. Burt's grandson, Franklin Wetmore, also of Vero Beach, reports that no funeral is planned.
Burton Hillocks was born on April 21, 1921 in Dundee, Scotland and came to the U.S. as a young boy. Burt served with distinction during World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 8th AF, where he flew on 30 missions in a B-17 in various E.T.O. campaigns, including Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe.
Burt joined the Hamden Fire Department on September 11, 1950. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1966, and captain in 1974. Burt retired on February 18, 1981, and had resided in Florida most of the time since his retirement. Survivors include his son Bruce Hillocks of Meriden, CT; grandchildren Melissa Wetmore of Sebastian, FL and Franklin Wetmore of Vero Beach, FL.
The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association extend condolences to the Hillocks and Wetmore families.
Posted 9/4/12
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A Time to Say Bye: Jeanine and Fran Retire
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| Jeanine Aceto |
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| Fran and Ff./Paramedic Greg Pereira. Frannie's broken heel did not keep her from the festivites. She'll be good as new in about 8 weeks. |
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| Jeanine and Fran - Retired
With a total of 52 years of service as secretaries in the Hamden Fire Department, Jeanie Aceto and Francine Monaco said goodbye to many present and former department colleagues on the last day of August. Fran, who recently suffered a broken left heel, was not detered. Many active and retired Hamden firefighters stopped by the Government Center last Friday morning to wish Jeanine and Fran a long, happy and healthy retirement.
Fresh from high school in 1984, Jeanine started working in the office as part-time assistant to Rita Ryan, who took over for Letitia Flagge in 1978. Jeanine became full-timer shortly thereafter. Fran came on board in 1988 following Rita's retirement. The Executive Board voted unanimously to admit both ladies as Honorary Members in the Hamden Fire Retirees Association. The tributes on their honorary membership certificates say it all.
Posted 9/1/12
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| The tribute on the certificate says it all - CLICK to enlarge |
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In his comments at the start of the reception, Chief Berardesca showered well deserved praise on the two secretaries, hastening to note that their 52 years with the department represented their combined years of service. Emails were read from from several retirees, all praising their service and wishing them well in their retirements.
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| Chief Berardesca and Fran |
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| Former Chief Wetmore, Jeanine and Dep. Chief Surprise |
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| Dep. Chief Surprise and Chief Berardesca |
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| Local 2687 President, Kurt Vogt and former Chief Jim Leddy |
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| CLICK to see all the calendars |
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Those Old Shift Calendars
Finally Available Online - HERE!
For those active and retired department members who might want to know if they were on duty (or off duty) on a given date, we have assembled almost all of the Hamden Fire Department shift calendars issued since the advent of the 42-hour workweek. The 24-hour schedule that began on December 1, 2010 is properly depicted in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 calendars.
We also have all the shift schedules back to December 2, 1950, when the 56-hour workweek began (but they will come later).
If nothing else, these calendars are an excellent reference for anyone who just might want to know what day of the week fell on a specific date.
CLICK on the 1977 shift calendar to visit the calendar page. And if anyone has original 2007, 2008 or 2009 HFD shift calendars, we'd sure like to hear from you.
Posted 9/1/12
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| October 6, 1973
This roster was printed in the program for Hamden Paid Firemen's Sick Benefit Association's 38th Annual Ball. Four new firefighter positions were added for the 1973-74 fiscal year. This roster shows the department at the new fully-manned figure of 116 line personnel, as well as displaying all staff personnel, including Secretary Letitia Flagge. The bottom four firefighters listed in each column were assigned to Stations 5 and 9. (Courtesy of Chan Brainard)
Two veteran chief officers retired since the 42-hour work week was inaugurated. Dep. Chief Joseph Hromadka retired in September 1972, and was replaced by Captain Paul Rosadina, who moved up to head Platoon 1. Lt. Thomas Doherty replaced Capt. Rosadina on Platoon 3, and Ff. Dick Stacey replaced Lt. Doherty. Dep. Chief Hromadka, who joined the department in 1937, was appointed to be one of the first two shift commanders when the Hamden Fire Department was reorganized under career officers in April 1942.
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Dep. Chief James Strain retired in 1973 after nearly 45 years in the fire service, 31 of which were served as a career department member. Dep. Chief Strain was replaced as shift commander of Platoon 2 by Capt. Joseph McDermott, who was replaced on Platoon 4 by Lt. John "Jackie" Laffin. Laffin's vacancy on Platoon 3 was filled by Ff. Walter Macdowall.
Posted 9/1/12
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| Hamden Fire Retirees' Association |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
| Next Meeting: Oct. 9th at 6 p.m. at the Elks.
Menu: Chicken Cutlet sandwich with LT, 2 sides homemade potato salad and coleslaw, brownies with dash of whipped cream - All for $6.00
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Engine 260 this Weekend
See poster below . . .
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| CLICK on photo to read Burt's obituary |
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Captain Burton C. Hillocks
It is with deep regret that we report the passing of brother fire retiree Burton C. Hillocks early Tuesday morning, September 4, 2012, in Vero Beach, Florida. He was 91. Burt's grandson, Franklin Wetmore, also of Vero Beach, reports that no funeral is planned.
Burt Hillocks was born on April 21, 1921 in Dundee, Scotland and came to the U.S. as a young boy. Burt served with distinction during World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 8th AF, where he flew on 30 missions in a B-17 in various E.T.O. campaigns, including Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe.
Burt joined the Hamden Fire Department on September 11, 1950. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1966, and captain in 1974. Burt retired on February 18, 1981, and had resided in Florida most of the time since his retirement. Survivors include his son Bruce Hillocks of Meriden, CT; grandchildren Melissa Wetmore of Sebastian, FL and Franklin Wetmore of Vero Beach, FL.
The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association extend condolences to the Hillocks and Wetmore families.
Posted 9/4/12
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| CLICK here to see IDs |
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Earlier this week we received an email from Sally Hines Row, daughter of Lieutenant William Hines, who served on the department from 1946 until his passing in 1979. We are grateful to Sally for sending along several photos and news articles from our department's past. The photo above was taken at the 13th Annual Firemen's Ball, held Wednesday, November 24, 1948 at Hamden's Memorial Town Hall.
The Grand March, the traditional opening of formal balls in those days, was led by Chief and Mrs. Raymond C. Spencer, Firefighter and Mrs. Emil Strain (Ball Chairman), Capt. and Mrs. Albert Purce and Capt. and Mrs. Joseph Hromadka. Click on the inset photo at left to view the IDs of the Hamden fire personnel in attendance whom we could identify. (Additions and corrections welcome.)
The annual ball, held each year until 1973, was the principal fund raiser for Hamden firefighters. The 1948 ball raised $2,785.68 for the newly formed Hamden Paid Firemen's Sick Benefit Association.
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Below are Sally's dad and mom, Ff. Bill Hines and wife Ernestine (center), flanked by Ff. and Mrs. James Strain and Ff. Daniel and Mrs. Daniel Hume. More of Sally Hines Row's contributions to our history will be posted in the coming weeks. Thank you, Sally!
Posted 9/7/12
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| Firefighter and Mrs. James Strain, Firefighter and Mrs. Williams Hines and Firefighter and Mrs. Daniel Hume |
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| September 10, 1983 - Co. 7's Vic Mitchell, John Gustafson, young Danny Wetmore and Jim Wetmore (driving) aboard Co. 7's 1918 Brockway at the Engine 260 Muster. The truck is still going strong and now sports a newer set of solid rubber tires. The 41st annual Engine 260 Muster was held Saturday, September 8th, at Eisenhower Park in Milford. |
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
You have wisdom to share. We have children who need it. Experience Corps is recruiting people age 55+ to tutor literacy with children in Hamden elementary schools 10+ hours a week during the school year. No teaching or tutoring experience is necessary and training is provided.
Volunteers also participate in fun community events. You must have a high school diploma or GED and be able to pass a background check and literacy screening. Small stipend with tuition help for children or grandchildren available.
For more information, please visit www.experiencecorps.org AARP Experience Corps - Greater New Haven is a program of the Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut in partnership with United Way of Greater New Haven and Hamden Public Schools. This project is a proud member of the AmeriCorps National Service Network.
NOTE: The HFRA website welcomes the opportunity to advertise worthy programs that help members of our Hamden community.
Reposted 9/7/12
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| October 1, 1975
Three vacancies occured since the previous roster: Dep. Chief Training Officer Daniel Hume reitred after 32 years of service and was replaced by Capt. Kenneth Harrington. Lt. Burton Hillocks was promoted to fill Capt. Harrington's vacancy on Platoon 2, and Ff. John Tramontano was promoted to fill Lt. Hillocks' vacancy on Platoon 4.
Also retired during this period was veteran firefighter Mario "Bucky" Serafino, who joined the department as a substitute in 1937 and became fulltime in 1942. Bucky was stationed at Mt. Carmel for many years and was a life member of the New Haven County Fire Emergency Plan.
Five-year veteran Ff. Steve Hitchcock left the department in July 1975. Steve went on to a career with the Waterbury Fire Department, where he eventually served as a company officer and championed the improvement of firefighter safety and working conditions.
Note that the four fire dispatchers are labeled as such. However, under the bargaining unit contract, "Dispatcher" was never an officially recognized fire department position. The following year, under the federally subsidized Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), Mayor Lucien DiMeo authorized the hiring of civilian fire and police dispatchers to replace the uniformed personnel who had performed those duties for decades. Hamden's four fire dispatchers, all of them over 50 - two in their 60s - were reassigned back to engine companies.
Posted 9/7/12
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| Hamden Fire Retirees' Association |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
| Flags to be flown at half-staff today.
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Eleven Years Later
We will always remember our brother firefighters who made the supreme sacrifice, and the thousands of other innocent victims who lost their lives eleven years ago on September 11, 2001.
Always keep them, their families and the FDNY in your thoughts and prayers.
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| Station 4 - Saturday, September 15, 2001 |
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| Town Hall - September 15, 2001 |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
| Next Meeting: Oct. 9th at 6 p.m. at the Elks.
Menu: Chicken Cutlet sandwich with LT, 2 sides homemade potato salad and coleslaw, brownies with dash of whipped cream - All for $6.00
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We are now the Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc.
We also have added website menu tabs for all shift calendars from 1970-present (Calendars),
and for certain milestone rosters of department personnel (Rosters).
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Another Era Has Ended
By the end of August, five voices familiar to us all signed off from KCG-711 for good. The five veteran Central Communications dispatchers, Brian Esposito, Chris Jones, Michelle (Martini) Lee, Bob Sjogren and Kirk Trofatter, all availed themselves of the retirement incentive offered by the town to more senior employees.
Dispatcher Brian Esposito, who frequently used the term "Fire Dispatcher" instead of "Central" while communicating with us, was the most senior of the five dispatcher retirees. Brian's first day on the job was Monday, August 16, 1982. He was also the last of the five to leave on the final day of August, which is when he treated the website to a glimpse at the new Central Communications located in the new wing of the old town hall building.
The HFRA wishes all five retired dispatchers a very long, happy and healthy retirement ("10-2").
Posted 9/14/12
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| Dispatcher Brian Esposito - Last Shift |
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CLICK on any of the five photos to enlarge.
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| Only Two Hours to Go! |
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| Fellow Retiree Bob Sjogren with Brian |
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| This status board is the 21st century descendant of the ancient magnetic labels. |
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| Just in case! The original running card file, placed in service in November 1981, is still available as an emergency back-up. |
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| May 1, 1976
This roster came out as the nation was celebrating the United States Bicentennial. No personnel were retired or hired since the previous roster, although a few officers and firefighters were transferred. The primary significance of this roster is the reassignment to Station 5 of two firefighters from each platoon to man Truck 1, which had been assigned to Station 2 since it was delivered in December 1958. The move was made possible by the construction of a new annex to Station 5, completed the previous September, and the purchase and delivery of a new Rescue 2, which was assigned to the same Station 2 bay vacated by Truck 1 on April 9, 1976.
Posted 9/14/12
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| Truck 1 Goes to Mt. Carmel |
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Above - A beautifully restored 1923 Seagrave pumper, owned and operated by Mr. William Garrett of Plainfield, New Jersey, was the featured apparatus at the 41st Annual Engine 260 Muster last Saturday at Eisenhower Park in Milford.
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Below - Posing on the ramp of old Station 3 on Putnam Avenue, Firefighters Joseph Hromadka (standing) and Ed Kromer (at the wheel), are pictured in this 1939 photo of the 1919 Seagrave 750 GPM. The pumper was purchased in June 1919 for $12.500 for the Humphrey Volunteer Fire Assn. on Circular Avenue. This was the first motorized apparatus purchased by the town for one of its volunteer companies. The balloon tires replaced the original solid rubber tires in 1925. Because of the odd way the truck is parked on the ramp, the solid front axle conforms to the contour of the driveway apron in such a way that the right front wheel is very close to the fender.
This is the only known photo of this piece of apparatus. Unlike most retired Hamden apparatus, which were either traded in or junked, there is no record of when or how this pumper was disposed. We do recall that it was stored for a time at Mt. Carmel in the late 1950s, easily recognized by the fact that it was righthand drive with chain drive. Any other photos of this (or others) out there?
Posted 9/14/12
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| Hamden's 1919 Seagrave 750 |
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| Courtesy of the Hamden Historical Society, this 1948 Hamden Chronicle photo is of a new business that is still operating here, although by another name. Any ideas? |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
| Next Meeting: Oct. 9th at 6 p.m. at the Elks.
Menu: Chicken Cutlet sandwich with LT, 2 sides homemade potato salad and coleslaw, brownies with dash of whipped cream - All for $6.00
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ATTENTION ALL RETIRED
HAMDEN FIREFIGHTERS!
The Hamden Guardian Services Retirees Association, LLC (HGSRA), an organization formed recently by retired Hamden cops and firefighters to oversee and protect our pensions and benefits, is now a legal entity in the State of Connecticut. (NOTE: This is NOT the same association as the HFRA, Inc.).
We recently contacted every retired Hamden firefighter for whom we have an email address or home mailing address*. Information on the HGSRA was provided along with an application form. If you did not receive the notification and application form please contact this website right away (HFDBadge102@aol.com).
Well over one hundred fire and police retires have signed up for membership in the HGSRA thus far. They will soon receive notification from HGSRA secretary Dave Johnson on the membership fee and where to send it. (Membership fee remittances had to wait until the HGSRA became an LLC.)
The Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. (HFRA), is pleased to provide a page for the Hamden Guardian Services Retirees Association, LLC on this website for informational purposes. See menu tab "HGSRA" Please be sure to check it frequently, particularly during the next few months.
A meeting for all new members of the Hamden Guardian Services Retirees Association, LLC will take place on Thursday, November 15th at 7 p.m. (location TBA). All members as of that date, or those retirees who plan to join at the meeting, are welcome. The Executive Board of the HGSRA will report on the status of the pension plan and on future HGSRA activities.
A specific meeting agenda and the location of the meeting - we are looking into several possible locations - will be posted on the HGSRA page of this website and sent to all HGSRA members as the meeting date nears.
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*Confidentiality regulations prevent the Town from disclosing addresses of retirees. Does anyone know how we may contact retiree Thomas Hart? We also have a California address for a Roger Sulllivan, but we're not sure he's our retiree. Mail delivered to old addresses is often discarded by those presently living there and not returned to the sender.
Posted 9/21/12
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Deadline for entering the
Local 2687 Golf Tournament
is NEXT Friday, September 28th.
Looking for more foursomes.
Contact info on the poster below.
(CLICK to enlarge).
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Next Meeting of the HFRA: Oct. 9th at 6 p.m. at the Elks.
Menu: Chicken Cutlet sandwich with LT, 2 sides homemade potato salad and coleslaw, brownies with dash of whipped cream - All for $6.00
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We caught fellow retirees Jimmy Moore and Charlie Cargan this week at Traditions Golf Course in Wallingford, following a tourney there in which it is rumored that Jimmy's "Magic Pen" played a role in a victory. (Hmmm - Not exactly sure what that meant.) Nice to see lots of other active and retired HFD folks there, too.
Don't forget - Active Hamden firefighters welcome all retirees to join in the Annual Local 2687 Golf Tournament, Friday October 5th at Laurel View. Entries must be in by NEXT Friday, September 28. See poster above for more info.
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Bassett's Getty Service Station
3050 Whitney Avenue
Wednesday, September 9, 1987
Mechanic touched off blaze that enguled service station,
then blamed department for "not doing more" to save building.
On Wednesday, September 9, 1987, a mechanic using a torch underneath an automobile ignited a gasoline fire in Bassett's Getty Service Station at 3050 Whitney Avenue. The building was fully involved within minutes. Miraclulously, no one was injured.
CLICK on the photo at right to view more previously unpublished photos of the incident, as well as news articles about criticism that was leveled against the department by a Council member, whose brother's torch caused the fire.
Posted 9/21/12
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BP Convenience Store
3050 Whitney Avenue
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Still evident today are certain architectural features, particularly on the north side of the building, that were there in 1948 (see article below). So, it appears that the building at 3050 Whitney Avenue, heavily damaged by fire a quarter of a century earlier, is still around.
Instead of an automobile "service station," as it was in 1987, it is now a convenience store that also sells BP (British Petroleum) gasoline. Compare the 2012 prices to those in 1987!
Posted 9/21/12
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| Today - 3050 Whitney Avenue - CLICK to enlarge |
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Bossoli's Flying-A Service
3050 Whitney Avenue
Thursday, October 28, 1948
Future Hamden Firefighter Opens Service Station in the Same Building
Thirty-nine years before Bassett's Getty Service Station went up in smoke, Bill and Charles Bossoli of Mount Carmel opened a Tydol Flying-A service station in the same building.
In a video interview conducted in November of last year, Bill Bossoli admitted that their business enterprise was very short-lived because too many of their customers were also their friends, some looking for freebies and "good deals," which the good Bossoli Bros. were loath to deny.
Two years later, Bill Bossoli decided that he wanted more stable employement, in a field which he had enjoyed as a volunteer firefighter since 1938. On September 11, 1950, Bill joined seven other recruits who were sworn in as brand new Hamden firefighters. Bill, who is now a very sharp 93 years of age, left the department in 1956.
Posted 9/21/12
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| CLICK to enlarge (Hamden Historical Society) |
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| This mid-1950s postcard of Hamden's Memorial Town Hall was sent by Chan Brainard. The photographer was standing in front of Charlie Crook's drug store, where this and many other Hamden postcards could be bought for a nickel.
The gearheads among us are immediately drawn to the Shadow Gray and Coral 1955 Chevy Bel-Air in the foreground, as well as that pink and white 1955 Ford convertible on the opposite corner. Even the most discerning observer, though, might have a little trouble noticing the nose of the 1954 Maxim sitting in Headquarters at the far right (enlarge the photo).
Notice the HPD signal light sticking out from the upper righthand margin of the photo? When this orange light was flashing, the Centerville beat cop was supposed to use the PD "call box" on that corner to contact police HQ. As that signaling light flashed, it also caused static on the AM radio at fire headqaurters, which alerted any cop who might be taking a break at Station 4.
Posted 9/21/12
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The department roster of February 1, 1979 will be posted in next week's update.
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Hamden Then and Now
2600 Whitney Avenue
"Sun" Cleaners opened in 1948; became "Rainbow" Cleaners in 1960.
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| 1948 - SUN Cleaners |
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| 2012 - RAINBOW Cleaners |
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Website visitors Charlie Lubowicki, Bob Slater and Joe Murray identified the 1948 photo on the left as the current Rainbow Cleaners at 2600 Whitney Avenue. The name of the original establishment was Sun Cleaners. The Verneris brothers acquired the Whitney Avenue site in 1960, when it became the northern branch of Rainbow Cleaners. Their other Rainbow Cleaners store was, and still is, located at 1540 Dixwell Avenue.
Posted 9/21/12
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
| Next Meeting: Oct. 9th at 6 p.m. at the Elks.
Menu: Chicken Cutlet sandwich with LT, 2 sides homemade potato salad and coleslaw, brownies with dash of whipped cream - All for $6.00
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| Old Recordings Preserve
Department Radio Transmissions
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Hamden Firefighter Ed Doiron collected fire department news in the southern Connecticut area for Keith Victor, Hartford firefighter and publisher of The Alarm Room News (see Home [Archived] for April 27th webpage). To provide even more depth to the coverage in the event of a major fire, Ed had connected his scanner radio to a sound actuated tape recorder, which taped any area fire department radio transmission that broke squelch.
The website recently discovered several cassette tapes of these radio transmissions, including a major apartment fire on Dix Street in July 1981, which will be posted soon on YouTube.
In the course of collecting these radio transmissions, Ed also captured some of the more mundane activities of the department in that era, including the daily 9 a.m. radio test to all apparatus and the nightly 6:15 tone test to the four volunteer fire companies.
We begin with the tone test. Ed's cassette deck just happened to catch one of the original civilian fire dispatchers, Donna DePino, conducting the volunteer tone test on Sunday, July 12, 1981. For the benefit of those who have heard about "the Plectron" but never heard how it sounded, the recording can be heard on YouTube.
Posted 9/28/12
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This early 1960s photo, courtesy of Clark Hurlburt, shows Firefighters Tom Doherty and Dick Stacey along side "Pop" Murray & Son, preparing to load an accident victim into their ambulance. The location appears to be an overpass of the Wilbur Cross Parkway, possibly at Skiff Street. (Mongillo photo)
Posted 9/28/12
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| February 1, 1979
This platoon roster was based on the revised badge number list, but does not indicate station assignments. There were many changes since in the previous roster. With nearly 150 years of total service, veteran firefighters Wilbur Baker, Art Smith, Ray Carofano, Frank Cubbellotti, Larry Bellemore all retired. Firefighters Paul Sparapani, John Reilly, Guy White, and John Poe left to pursue other careers. Poe joined the West Haven Fire Department and is an active member in the HFRA by virture of his seven years' service in Hamden. (Anyone who has ever served as a career Hamden firefighter is welcome to join the HFRA.)
In 1978, eight new firefighters were appointed. Among them was Ff. Donald LaBanca. Now a battalion chief, Don is the only one listed on this roster who is still on the job.
Also in 1978, a shortage of paramedics led to moving Paramedic Firefighter Charlie Esposito to Platoon 3, and Lieutenants Bill Hines and Walt Macdowall swapping shifts. Walt, an original paramedic, went to Platoon 1. Bill Hines went to the Platoon 3. Sadly, Bill passed away only three months after this list was issued.
Posted 9/28/12
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| 45 years ago a Hamden Chronicle reporter snapped this previously posted photo of Hamden firefighters Bob Slater and Bill LaVelle assisting Supt. Clem Wetmore (far right), Assistant Supt. Richie Lostritto and future Assistant Paul Wetmore (descending beneath the street) while they stretched fire alarm cable underground somewhere on Dixwell Avenue. (Courtesy of Bob Slater) |
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