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July 2021
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2013
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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Don't forget the HFRA Fall Meeting this coming WEDNESDAY (not Tuesday) - Details Below
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HFRA President Mark Barletta Retiring to Florida
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| HFRA Trustees Bob Mordecai, Gil Spencer and Jim Leddy present HFRA President Mark Barletta with the gavel he used to preside at meetings, in gratitude for serving as Association president since the beginning. |
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Hamden Fire Retirees' Association president since the beginning, retired Fire Marshal Mark Barletta left for Florida during this past week. He and wife Marty will be residing in the Palm Beach area with their daughter while looking for a new home. On hearing of the Barlettas' impending departure, and since Mark will not be able to be present at the Fall meeting this coming Wednesday, the HFRA Trustees held an impromptu ceremony last Monday to present Mark with the Association's gavel. It will be engraved with a dedication to Mark for his years of service. Good luck, buddy - and thank you for your service!
Posted 10/4/13
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Thirteen years ago this week a New Haven Register photographer snapped a Branford firefighter congratulating Hamden Firefighter Kevin Recca while he was holding his four-year old son Justin at his swearing-in ceremony. Joining Kevin were new Hamden Firefighters Dave Beaton, Mike Battick, Vic Jackson, Mike Deline Sr, Charles Lubowicki, Kim Talmadge and John Slot.
Ff. Talmadge became the department's third female firefighter. Today, Ff. Beaton is vice-president of Local 2687, Ff. Lubowicki is now Lt. Lubowicki, and Ff. Mike Deline, Sr. has been joined on the job by Ff. Mike Deline, Jr. For most of his years on the job, Kevin has been one of the organizers of Local 2687's annual retirement dinner.
About the photo Kevin commented, "I was sworn into the Hamden Fire Dept, the best job in the world! The best second family anyone could ever ask for!" Amen, brother!
Posted 10/4/13
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Hamden Fire Retirees Assn., Inc.
Fall Quarterly Meeting
NEXT Wednesday, October 9th at NOON
Hamden Elks' Lodge
175 School Street
Meeting Agenda
Nomination and Election of Officers for 2014
Anything for the Good of the Association
Menu
"Brian Burgers" - $7.00
1/2 lb. burger on a sandwich roll
with your choice of any of five cheeses:
Provolone, Swiss, Pepper Jack, American or Muenster
and any two of three side orders:
fries, onion rings or cole slaw
All retirees and active personnel always welcome!
HOPE YOU CAN ATTEND!
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October 1953 - 14 Alarms in SIX DAYS!
(WOW!)
From The Hamden Chronicle, Thursday, October 8, 1953
(Courtesy of the Hamden Historical Society)
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"10-4!"
October 4th is affectionately know as "10-4" Day, harking back to the days of Broderick Crawford's relentless use of that radio signal on his popular 1950s TV show "Highway Patrol." From the 1950s until 1984, the HFD used the so-called 10-codes on the radio. "10-4" meant message received. 10-4? However, other area departments, most notably New Haven, almost always acknowledged radio messages saying "99."
In honor of 10-4 Day, we present the following transcription of an actual 1970s HFD radio aircheck, preserved on audio tape by retiree Ed Doiron. Volunteer Cos 7 and 8 had just signed on simultaneously, responding to a grass fire:
Dispatcher: "Engine 47 and Engine 58, you are responding to Orchard Heights Drive to assist Engine 2 on a grass fire."
Engine 47: "Engine 47, 10-4"
Engine 58: "Engine 58, Ninety-nine"
(pause)
Chief Leddy: "Chief's Office to Engine 58, we don't use 'ninety-nine' on this department!!"
Engine 58: "Engine 58, Ninety-nine"
Posted 99/13
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| April 1988 - "Markie" Barletta 25 years ago at Station 2. While a firefighter, Mark was dubbed "Batman" because of his knowledge of bats. He educated his fellow firefighters about the popular misconceptions about the flying rodents and how they can be handled properly when they are found in places where they are not welcome - like your house. And yes, they are found in Florida, too. Good luck, Mark! |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013
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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Bob Mordecai Elected HFRA President
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| HFRA VP Bob Viglione passes the gavel to newly elected HFRA President Bob Mordecai |
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Election of HFRA officers for 2014 took place at the 20th meeting of the association last Wednesday. Bob Mordecai was unanimously elected president of the Association. HFRA vice president Bob Viglione officially presented Bob with the gavel on behalf of former HFRA president Mark Barletta, who had moved to Florida the previous week. Bob served previously as one of the three HFRA trustees. Jim Dunlop was elected to fill the three-year trustee slot vacated by Bob, and will serve until Dec. 31, 2016. Bob Viglione and Dave Johnson were re-elected to serve as vice president and secretary/treasurer, respectively.
Posted 10/11/13
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| New trustee Jim Dunlop with new president Bob Mordecai |
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Members Appreciate Brian's Meeting Meals
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As his first official act as the new HFRA president, Bob Mordecai presented member Brain Forsyth with a well deserved special plaque from the membership that reads, "The Membership of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association recognizes with sincere gratitude and appreciation your outstanding efforts and dedication in providing fine meals to your brother retirees at quarterly meetings since our first year." Brian has planned and prepared excellent meals for his fellow HFRA members since the first meeting to be held at the Elks Hall in November 2009. Thanks, Brian!
Posted 10/11/13
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65 Years Ago
Purce Named Hamden's First Full Time Fire Marshal
In October 1948, the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners appointed Captain Al Purce as Hamden's first full time fire marshal. For the previous five years Capt. Purce had been Hamden's part-time marshal in addition to his duties as one of two shift commanders. By 1948 the Board decided it was time to make the position full time. Purce had been among the first career line officers appointed when the department was reorganized in April 1942.
Posted 10/11/13
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| The Hamden Chronicle, October 15, 1948 (Courtesy of the Hamden Historical Society) |
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| August 21, 1968 |
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Twenty years later, Fire Marshal Al Purce was congratulated on his retirement by his successor, Bob "Bubby" O'Donnell. Hamden's second mayor (1968-74), William Adams, is pictured between them. Bob O'Donnell served until his own retirement in 1987. Marshal Purce passed away in December 1978, and Marshal O'Donnell in 2008.
Posted 10/11/13
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Hamden Fire Department History on Display
at the Hamden Historical Society
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Members of the HFRA History Committee are preparing two display cases at the Hamden Historical Society that will celebrate the history of the Hamden Fire Department.
The first display case (see photo) features old photos, original company badges and patches, as well as other memorabilia from Hamden's nine volunteer fire companies.
A second display case, now being planned, will feature similar items representing the career department, from its origins in the 1920s to the present. The career display case should be ready by the end of October. Both display cases are on the righthand side at the top of the main staircase.
Posted 10/11/13
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1950
Just found - This roster was printed in the 1950 Hamden Town Report. Thirty of these department members were still on the job in 1975 - twenty in 1980. The last of these guys to retire was John "Jackie" Laffin, who, as a three-striper, left Station 3 for the last time on the morning of January 1, 1990. Jack is well and living on Cape Cod.
The second to the last guy in seniority was a young firefighter named Richard Lostritto, who went on to serve as the department's Supt. of Alarms & Apparatus. Richie, looking good as always, was at the Elks' Hall earlier this week for the HFRA Fall meeting.
Posted 10/11/13
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| CLICK TO ENLARGE |
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| Richie Lostritto at Wednesday's Meeting |
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More Views of the Fall Meeting - October 9, 2013
Photos by Bob Mordecai and Dave Johnson
(CLICK to enlarge any of them)
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| Jimmy Dunlop, Chickie Manware, Kerry Castracane, Tom Doherty and Rev. Sanderson |
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| Gil Spencer and Bob Anthony |
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| Dave Johnson, Bob Viglione and Bob Mordecai |
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| Augie Williams and Eddy Doiron |
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| Bob Viglione, Harold Mangler and Ray Dobbs |
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| John O'Hare and Tom Doherty |
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| Mordecai, Yoga, Maybury, Mangler, Doherty, O'Hare and Castracane |
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| Forsyth, Dobbs, Moore, Anthony, Leddy and Lostritto |
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| Lostritto, Spencer, Doiron and Williams |
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| Viglione, Mordecai and Yoga |
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| "Hey, where's the dice?" |
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| Mangler, Doherty, O'Hare and Castracane |
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| Bob Westervelt and Augie Williams |
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| Mr. Bill and Rambo |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013
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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Tech Plywood, 1047 Dixwell Avenue
Wednesday, October 18, 1972
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| October 18, 1972 - Tech Plywood Co., 1041 Dixwell Avenue (Photo by John Mongillo, Jr.) |
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Platoon 4 was finishing its third day. The initial call came in right after 5 p.m. Robert "Ace" Callahan was the dispatcher at Headquarters. The first alarm brought Engines 1 and 2, Ladder 1, and Rescue 1.
The Tech Plywood Company was only a short distance up Dixwell Avenue from Station 2. As soon as the apparatus cleared the fire station they could see the flames. The second alarm brought Engine 3, Engine 6 and Truck 2, all out of new Station 3.
In the photo below, the men on the right are moving the 2-1/2" lines to one side to make way for Truck 2, which Doug Yocher (in the foreground) is directing toward the driveway. The driver backed the truck in along side the building. The truck crew attached the ladder pipe to the top fly of the aerial, raised the aerial, charged the ladder pipe, and began deluging the flames. The main concern was City Fuel, the exposure immediately south of the fire building.
Doug recalled that the radiant heat was so intense on the firefighters manning 2-1/2" lines on the ground, that some of their bunker coats caught fire. But a quick repositioning of the ladder pipe stream took care of that.
Reposted 10/18/13
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| October 18, 1972 - Firefighter Doug Yocher directs Truck 2, just out of camera range (Photo by John Mongillo, Jr.) |
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October 18, 1961
The Cold War Was Heating Up
World events of the early 1960s drove the priorities of public safety services just as it did twenty years earlier during the Second World War. The Hamden Fire Department acquired Geiger counters and dosimeters because of the ever-present threat of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union. Events would get even hotter a year later with the Cuban Missile Crisis. CLICK on the news article for more on that very scary time.
Posted 10/18/13
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| Cold War Necessities - Geiger Counters and Dosimeters |
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| October 18, 1961, Journal-Courier (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) CLICK photo for more on Hamden's preparations for M.A.D. |
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| The New Haven Register, Friday, August 16, 1963 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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The sincerest form of flattery: "Same Circus, Different Clowns"
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ABOVE: Sept. 1995 - Hal Prescher, Dave McDermott (in his new "Lolita" sunglasses) and Johnny Longo doing some needed landscaping at Station 3.
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BELOW: October 2013 - Website thanks to Lt. Gary Merwede, who sent the photo below with the following commentary: "The men decided to re-do the walk way at 3's....so naturally, being clowns, we decided to recreate a rather famous picture. Left to right: as Prescher, Daryl Osiecki, as McDermott, Paul Anderson, and making his debut as Longo, Dave Beaton."
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| This begs the question: Who will portray Osiecki, Anderson and Beaton in the 2031 re-remake? |
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(ED. NOTE: McDermott's sunglasses in the original 1995 photo were not available for the 2013 remake. They now belong to the estate of Vladimir Nabokov.)
Posted 10/18/13
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After his retirement, Hamden fire retiree Joe Yoga began a 25-year career as a dispatcher for the Cheshire Police Department. Joe recently came across this mid-1980s Cheshire Herald article which shows him in an interesting pose with some evidence seized from a disgruntled local. Joe once saved a young child. While EMS was en route, Joe provided life-saving instructions to the child's distraught mother over the phone. We will post that article in the near future.
Posted 10/18/13
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| January 12, 1968 - Ff. Charlie Carlson, Lt. Kenny Harrington and Ff. Joe Shields attempt to thaw out a bit with some hot coffee after the Fleming Co. fire was under control. CLICK to see article. (Mongillo photo) |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013
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 HARRY CUBBELLOTTI
1928 - 2013
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It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of retired Hamden firefighter and HFRA member Harry Cubbellotti on October 23rd. Harry served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a proud and dedicated member of the Hamden Fire Department from 1957 until his retirement in 1993.
Harry was the husband of the late AnnMarie Rose Martone Cubbellotti. He was the father of Dawn (Daniel) Farricielli, Joseph J. (Karen) Cubbellotti, and the late Lisa Marie Cubbellotti; and the grandfather of five. Harry's brothers, Fiore (Frank) and Albert Cubbellotti, were also career firefighters with Hamden and West Haven, respectively.
Calling hours are Friday (today), October 25th, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue (corner of Clintonville Rd.) in No. Haven. Harry's funeral procession will leave the funeral home Saturday morning at 9:30. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated in St. Therese Church, 555 Middletown Avenue, North Haven at 10:00. Interment with full military honors will follow in All Saints Cemetery.
Contributions in Harry's memory may be sent to Ali's Angels Fund, c/o Yale-New Haven Hospital Office of Development, P.O. Box 1849, New Haven, CT 06508-1849.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Harry's family.
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October 27, 1978 New Haven Journal-Courier Article
A Snapshot of Firefighters' Lives 35 Years Ago
Thirty-five years ago this week, Journal-Courier reporter Regina Hawkes spent the day with the men of Platoon 4 at Station 2 to glean insights into life in a Hamden fire station. One of the guys was Firefighter Harry Cubbellotti, who passed away this past Wednesday. Harry was 85.
Posted 10/25/13
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| (Courtesy of Gil Spencer) |
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Saxony Coat Company
1443 Dixwell Avenue
Saturday, September 15, 1984
A two-alarm fire at the Saxony Coat Co. at 1443 Dixwell Avenue broke out right after midnight on September 15, 1984. The news photo below shows the crew of Engine 3, the 1973 Maxim Telesqurt. The fire was thought to have been of suspicious origin, but the subsequent report of the fire marshal was that the fire was electrical in nature.
Firefighter Harry Cubbellotti can be clearly seen standing by Engine 3 in the lower of the two color photos.
Posted 10/25/13
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| The Hamden Chronicle, Thursday, September 20, 1984 (Courtesy of Gil Spencer) |
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| New Haven Register, Saturday, September 15, 1984 |
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| New Haven Register, Sunday, September 16, 1984 |
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| The Hamden Chronicle, Thursday, September 20, 1984 |
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The HPD "arson squad" mentioned in the above article was quite a contentious issue at the time. However, the unit was relatively short-lived as Connecticut state law mandated that the role of fire marshal was a fire department function. When needed, additional fire investigative resources were always available from the Connecticut State Police.
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| Officer Rick Orser, Asst. Chief Walt Macdowall and Cmdr. (B/C) Tom Doherty |
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Website thanks to retired Deputy Chief Clark Hurlburt for providing these
two color photos taken at the Saxony Coat Company fire (photographer unknown).
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| Those who can be identified: Asst. Chief Walt Macdowall (yellow coat), Ff. Ralph Tomaselli talking to Chief John Tramontano (white coat), unknown, Ff. Rick Kenyon (facing left), Ff. Harry Cubbellotti (in helmet), and Ff. Doug Yocher by Engine 3 door. |
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| Capt. Albert Purce in 1942 |
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Purce's Dedication Obviously
Not Motivated by Remuneration
A couple of weeks ago we posted a newspaper article from 1948 about Capt. Al Purce's appointment as Hamden first full-time fire marshal. From 1944 until his 1948 appointment, Capt. Purce had been performing the duties of fire marshal in addition to his duties as one of the two shift commanders.
According to the 1946-47 Hamden town budget, and notwithstanding the enormous inflation of the past sixty-seven years, what do you suppose Capt. Purce's additional services as fire marshal cost Hamden's taxpayers per week?
a. $0.48
b. $1.15
c. $3.27
d. $4.62
Scroll to the bottom.
Posted 10/25/13
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Classic Old HFD Helmet Donated to HFRA
Dep. Chief James Strain served as a career firefighter from 1942 until his retirement in 1973, when he was Deputy Chief of Platoon 2. Strain was promoted to Batt. Chief (later retitled "Deputy Chief," and now Batt. Chief, once again) in January 1961, replacing V. Paul Leddy, who had been appointed Chief two months earlier. Chief Strain's daughter, Jean, recently donated his helmet to the HFRA - yet another piece of HFD history for the archives. Thank you, Jean!
Posted 10/25/13
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| D/C Strain at the Reilly's fire, Christmas Day 1964 |
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| Helmet of Dep. Chief James Strain |
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Answer: You get an A if you answered "a."
In addition to Capt. Purce's duties as an 84-hour a week shift commander, for taking on the duties and responsibilities of fire marshal from 1944-48, Purce's annual salary was boosted by a whopping twenty-five bucks!
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