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, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2015
Website is updated the first and third Friday of each month.
Important interim updates will be posted when necessary.
Next regular update is Friday, August 21st.
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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VJ Day 70 Years Ago
Joy of victory celebrations undampened by some area fire activity
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August 15, 2015 - Today marks the seventieth anniversary of the end of World War II, with the unconditional surrender of Japan. Following the surrender of Germany three months earlier, hundreds of thousands of American troops in Europe were poised for the anticipated invasion of the Japan, which was pre-empted by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Within a year after VJ Day, the Hamden Fire Department was changing. Hamden fire personnel, Captain Joe Hromadka, Firefighters Paul Leddy, Mario "Bucky" Serafino, Stuart Keeler and Jim and Emil Strain, all returned home following service in the war. The Department was growing and war veterans were being hired to bolster department numbers. Bill Hines, who was stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was Hamden's first new postwar firefighter, hired on September 20, 1945. Francis "Chalky" Leddy followed on January 26, 1946. Art Smith, Fred Fletcher, George Reutenauer, John Hoffman and Paul Rosadina all joined the department before the end of 1946. By the end of 1950 the Hamden Fire Department would grow to 55 career members.
Posted 8/15/15
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Featured in this update . . .
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"Fitzy" Retires
| '59 Maxim Back Home
| Promotions
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| Battalion Chief Fitzmaurice |
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B/C Bill Fitzmaurice Retires
Joined HFD in 1987
Thursday, August 6, 2015 - Dozens of friends and fellow firefighters, active and retired, gathered at Station 3 Thursday afternoon, August 6th, to bid farewell to Batt. Chief Bill Fitzmaurice, who joined the department in February 1987 as a Firefighter-Paramedic, and who officially retires as of August 10th.
Platoon 2 presented Bill with a ceremonial gold-plated axe commemorating his more than twenty-eight years of service to the Hamden Fire Department. "It's been a great career," said Bill as he prepared to cut the cake honoring his retirement. Thanking the several retireees who were present, he noted, "You guys were my mentors." He expressed the hope that he had "passed something positive along" to the active guys during his career.
Bill told the crowd that he was moving forward to a new career, "but I'm gonna miss you guys." He concluded with, "Stay safe. Stay on top of the game. And keep training," sage advice from a consummate firefighter and fire service leader.
William Fitzmaurice began his career with the Hamden Fire Department as a firefighter/paramedic on February 9, 1987 and was later assigned to Platoon 2. He was promoted to lieutenant in August 1993. In May 1999, Bill was appointed to fill the position of Training Officer (now Director of Training), which had been vacant for nine years. His new assignment included the additional responsibilities of the EMS Officer, another former department position, that had been vacant for six years. Promoted to captain early in his eleven year tenure as Training Officer, Bill was again promoted to Batt. Chief in July 2010 and took over command of Platoon 2, following the appointment of Bob Surprise (now retired) as Deputy Chief.
Bill isn't really retiring. He has accepted the new position of Director of Operations with Northwest Connecticut Public Safety in Prospect, a regional fire, police and EMS dispatch center for twelve communities, including Waterbury.
Bill will definitely be missed on the job here in Hamden, but he was presented with a crisp new membership card in the Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. He promises to be at the October 14th meeting at the Elks.
The members of the HFRA thank Bill for his dedicated service to the Hamden Fire Department, the residents of Hamden and his fellow firefighters. We wish him all the very best in his new career.
Posted 8/7/15
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| Cake honoring "Fitzy" and a beautiful gold-plated ceremonial fire axe from Platoon 2 |
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| Getting ready to cut the cake. |
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Photos by Bob Mordecai
Any of the ten photos below may be enlarged by CLICKing on them.
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| Ffs. Larry Bowden and Pete Lynch with Pete's wife, Jamie, a Central Communications dispatcher |
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| Lieutenants Naples and Kobbe |
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| Petrillo & Johnson - Their first shift was 40 yrs ago today! |
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| "Coop" (Coppola) making a point |
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| Capt. Ron Desroches and Fitz, both members of the Class of '87 (ver. 1.0) |
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| Chief David Berardesca, "Fitzy" and Deputy Chief Gary Merwede |
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| The traditional "farewell" group photo in front of Station 3 - CLICK to enlarge |
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Battalion Chief Bill Fitzmaurice stands on the front step of Tower One holding
the ceremonial gold-plated fire axe presented to him earlier by Platoon 2.
Standing below (L-R): Ff. Pete Lynch, Supt. Paul Petrillo (Ret.), Ff. Larry Bowden, B/C Bill Coppola (Ret.), Dep. Chief Gary Merwede, Lt. Jeff Naples, Ff. Mike Battick, Lt. Paul Kobbe, Capt. Ron Desroches, Ff. Luis Torres, Ff. Kevin Recca, B/C Sam DeBurra (Ret.), Ff. Kevin Delaney, Lt. Rob Madigosky, Supt. Jim LaFond, Chief of Department David Berardesca. Kneeling (L-R): Capt. Dave Johnson (Ret.), Ff. Dave Beaton, Ff. Brian Gagnon, Ff. Ralph DeFonzo III, Asst. Supt. Glen Tricarico, Ff. Cerrone Davis and Ff. John Coughlin.
Many more people attended and other department units arrived to offer Bill their best wishes after this photo was snapped.
Photo by Lt. Bob Mordecai (Ret.), President, Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc.
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The "Cab-Forward" is Back Home!
Purchased last week by three Hamdenites with strong ties to the HFD
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| The 1959 Maxim in the 1966 Memorial Day Parade - Photo by Ed Doiron, Sr. |
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| 1959 Maxim in North Haven just before it was purchased last week by "Hamden 1959 Maxim, LLC" |
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| The New Haven Evening Register, Tuesday, July 7, 1959 (Courtesy of Gil Spencer) |
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| Co. 8's Dave Lockery and Co. 7's Vic Mitchell |
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It has taken twenty years, but the 1959 Maxim "cab-forward" is finally back home again. For the first time in the history of the Hamden Fire Department a former piece of career fire apparatus has been purchased by present and former career and volunteer members for the specific purpose of restoring it to its original condition, which will eventually include a white paint job just like the one it received before its 1959 delivery.
Dave Lockery of Dunbar Hill Co. 8 had discovered the whereabouts of the piece. Last year, plans failed at assembling a consortium of investors to purchase the rig, mainly due to storage issues ("Where the hell are you gonna park it?"). The plan was finally realized last week when Lockery, Vic Mitchell, a member of Mix District Co. 7 and a retired industrial fire officer, and one other fire department retiree each put up equal amounts of cash to purchase it. The three investors have formed an LLC to manage their goals of restoring and displaying "for historical purposes" the 56-year old pumper in parades and at musters.
Records indicate that this Maxim 750 g.p.m. pumper, Model No. F-2617-C, was delivered to the Hamden Fire Department on June 29, 1959 and was assigned as Engine 2. In 1968, the 1965 Mack became Engine 2 and the "cab-forward" became Engine 1. When Engine Co. 6 ceased to be an active career engine company in 1974, the "cab-forward" was reassigned to Station 3 as the department's spare and designated as "Engine 6."
Despite being a spare piece, the pumper was repowered with a Detroit diesel engine in 1981. It was removed from service in January 1995 and sold to a private party.
As reported in the July 7, 1959 Register newspaper article (above), Hamden's 1959 Maxim "cab-forward" was the first "F" model produced by the Maxim Motor Company of Middleboro, Massachusetts. According to local fire department lore, Hamden got Maxim's first "F" model because 44 years earlier Hamden's Whitneyville Volunteer Fire Association had purchased Maxim's first pumping engine. That was 100 years ago!
For now, the former Hamden pumper will be stored locally, but it is expected to be garaged nearby as restoration efforts begin. Look for it at the 2015 Engine 260 muster next month, but a decent restoration is still a long way off.
Posted 8/7/15
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| The New Haven Journal-Courier, Tuesday, July 7, 1959 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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NOTE: The image of the above newspaper article has been modified to correct several typographical errors.
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| Dave Lockery and Vic Mitchell with the original dedication plaque that will adorn the "cab-forward" once again |
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Check out the minutes of the November 1958 meeting at which the purchase was authorized, and the dedication plaque that adorned the pumper when it was delivered eight months later.
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Original invoice from Maxim Motor Co.
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CLICK on eiher image to enlarge.
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| Check out the minutes of the November 1958 meeting at which the purchase was authorized, and the dedication plaque that adorned the pumper when it was delivered eight months later. |
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NOTE: The November 1958 Fire Commission minutes gave the Maxim's Model number prefix as "E" not "F," which is either a typo on the minutes, or the Maxim Motor Company changed the designation of its cab-forward models sometime between November 1958 and the time of the delivery to Hamden.
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| Factory photo courtesy of Chan Brainard |
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Couture promoted to Battalion Chief
Replaces Retired B/C DeBurra on Platoon 4
Grasso promoted to Captain
Replaces Couture
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| Hamden Town Clerk Vera Morrison administers oath to Capt. Grasso and B/C Couture in the rotunda of Memorial Town Hall (HFRA photo) |
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Friends and co-workers gathered in the rotunda of Memorial Town Hall on Monday, July 23rd, for the swearing-in of HFD's newest battalion chief and captain. Hamden Town Clerk Vera Morrison administered the oaths to newly promoted Battalion Chief Gary Couture and Captain John Grasso.
B/C Couture joined the department in September 1987. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1997 and captain eight years later. He is a certified fire marshal and has received numerous commendations during his career. He succeeds B/C Sam DeBurra, who retired at the end of June after twenty years of service. B/C Couture will be in command of Platoon 4.
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Capt. Grasso joined the department in 1998 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2006. He was appointed as the department's Director of Training in 2013 following the retirement of Capt. John O'Dea. He is a certified paramedic and fire marshal. Capt. Grasso will be assigned to take B/C Couture's vacated captain's slot on Platoon 2. It is expected that the Director of Training position will be advertised and filled in the near future.
In what now can be called an interesting role reversal, Bob Mordecai's 2000 photo at right shows Firefighter Sam DeBurra with Lieutenant Gary Couture at Station 4. Fifteen years later and a total of five promotions between the two of them, Captain Gary Couture would succeed retired Battalion Chief Sam DeBurra as the commander of Platoon 4
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| July 23, 2015 - Commissioner Jim O'Brien, Captain Grasso, Chief David Berardesca, Batt. Chief Couture and Mayor Curt Leng (HFRA photo) |
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| B/C Couture and his grandson, Philip, who pinned on his new badge |
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| Capt. Grasso's dad pins new badge on his son |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2015
Next regular update is Friday, September 4th,
at which time weekly Friday updates will resume!
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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Weekly Updates Resume Friday, September 4th.
('Tis much better to have only one, two or three features once a week* than to have five or six twice a month.)
* That's what it's going to be.
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Featured in this update . . .
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Flood of '55
| "The Mack" - 50 Years
| 106 Helen Street
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Valley Flood Disaster of 1955
August 19, 1955
Most of us retirees born in the first half of the twentieth century probably remember the great flood 60 years ago last week that devasted many communities along the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers and their tributaries. The effects of the flood rippled (no pun intended) through many communities like Hamden that remained relatively unscathed by the disaster, as shown in the newspaper photo below of a very swollen Clark's Pond. Hamden PW sent a steam shovel to one of the affected communities to help clean up the mess.
Twenty-seven years later our town would experience significant flooding following a late spring Saturday deluge. But that 1982 Hamden disaster could not approach the devastation wrought by the Great Flood of '55.
Check out the links below for more information. The first link includes a five-part audio documentary that was recorded by New Haven's WAVZ radio station. Very interesting to hear!
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| New Haven Evening Register, Saturday, August 20, 1955 |
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Indeed, the storm was tougher elsewhere, as seen in these photos from "Western Connecticut's Great Flood Disaster," published shortly after the flood by The Waterbury Republican-American. 87 people died statewide, 39 in Waterbury alone.
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The occupants in these two N. Riverside St. houses in Waterbury would perish just
minutes later when both houses were carried away by flood water. (CLICK to enlarge)
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Naugatuck
Only a few miles from Hamden on the northwestern side of Bethany, Naugatuck was among the hardest hit communities, with $40,000,000 in municipal damages in 1955 dollars ($356 million today) and $10.5 million in industrial losses.
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Seymour
Another valley town separated from our own by only one other town, Seymour sustained $6,355,000 in municipal losses (over $56 million today) and nearly $2 million in industrial losses that affected 17 firms.
During the height of the flood, telephone communication to and from Seymour was cut off. New Haven's radio station WAVZ broadcast an appeal to members of the Woodbridge Fire Department to stand by in their station in anticipation of being summoned to Seymour for mutual aid.
Notwithstanding all the flood devastation, and the fact that it has been sixty years, most of the buildings in the photo above still stand today in the heart of downtown Seymour. Many have become popular antique stores and malls for selling antiques.
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"THE MACK"
50 Years!
From the November 9, 1964 minutes of the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners:
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| At Fire Headquarters - August 1965 |
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At a cost of $21,940, Hamden's first non-Maxim fire apparatus in twenty-three years, and its last new full-size pumper built on a commercial chassis, was placed in service fifty years ago this week. According to department records, Hamden's new Mack, a Model ENF707C with a Waterous CMB-750 pump, was placed in service at Station 2 on August 18, 1965 as a temporary replacement for Engine 2, the 1959 Maxim cab-forward, which was "out for repairs." Once the '59 Maxim was repaired, the Mack was assigned to Headquarters as Engine 4.
"The Mack," as it was always referred to by HFD personnel, marked the return of red as the official color of Hamden's fire apparatus following the Board of Fire Commissioners' seven-year flirtation with white. It served as Engine 4 until 1968, Engine 2 until 1974 and Engine 9 until 1985, with six months as Engine 5 in 1975-76.
When two new Pierce Dash pumpers were placed in service in January 1985, the Mack was reassigned to Company 7, where it remained until it was sold in 2000. (See the story below for one of the Mack's last calls, in August 2000.)
Ironically, fifty years later, the 1965 Mack and the 1959 Maxim were both sold to different private buyers on the same day by the same party who originally purchased the trucks from the town many years ago.
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| Mack dedication plaque |
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Pump testing at Lake Whitney in late July 1965
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| Courtesy of Chan Brainard |
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Cold Weather Attire for the Bulldog
Firefighter Johnny Hoffman was Platoon 2's driver of "the Mack." For those cold Connecticut winter months, Johnny's daughter knitted a nifty woolen "overcoat" for Engine 4's bulldog radiator mascot, seen here in a late-1960s photo that included Dep Chief Training Officer Danny Hume and Chief V. Paul Leddy.
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106 Helen Street
Thursday, August 31, 2000
Three Alarms!
Originally posted 8/29/10
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On one of his annual trips back east fifteen years ago, Chan Brainard took some action photos of a three-alarm fire at 106 Helen Street. 19 full-size photos are displayed below. This was one of the last responses to a working fire by the 1965 Mack 750. "The Mack" was placed in service 35 years earlier on August 18, 1965. It was Engine 7 at the time of these photos.
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| Staff car in the foreground may be Car 4 (Training Officer), a 1988 GMC Jimmy with a storied past. |
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| Haz-Mat unit on the left is the former Rescue 1, on a 1988 GMC chassis. |
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| Engine 8 - 1978 Pierce 250 GPM Mini-Pumper |
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| Engine 7 arriving on third alarm |
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| Engine 7 - 1965 Mack 750 GPM pumper - at 35 years, it was the longest serving first line piece in the history of the Hamden Fire Department |
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| Engine 5 was one of two 1984 Pierce Dash 1000 GPM pumpers delivered in December 1984. |
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| Rescue 1 - a 1998 Ford 3-D |
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Department Fights Nasty Brush Fire on August 14th
5-7 Acres
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| Photo courtesy of Dep. Chief Gary Merwede |
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From the Office of the Fire Chief:
On Friday morning, August 14th, between 10:02 and 10:05, Hamden Central Communications received multiple 911 calls describing heavy smoke rising in the wooded area West of Hill Street and North of Dunbar Hill Road. HFD Squad 1 was dispatched to locate the source of the smoke.
The fire was located on the western edge of the pond below West Rock Ridge in an area of approximately 5-7 acres. Working with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection [DEEP], department personnel determined the best access to the burning area was with brush truck pumpers from the Mountain Road access point to the west of the Farm Brook Reservoir.
Six career and four volunteer firefighters worked alongside the DEEP rangers and extinguished the burning field, underbrush and root systems. The fire was declared under control at 11:04 a.m.
Hamden fire marshals were called to the scene to assist the State in investigating the origin and cause of the fire. This area is frequented by day hikers, several of whom stopped to watch the operation. Anyone who may have information about this fire is encouraged to contact Fire Marshal Brian Dolan at 203-407-3182.
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Hamden Firefighters Donate School Supplies to Kids in Need!
CLICK on the photo to read the Hamden Patch article by Vincent Salzo.
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| (L to R): Ff. Pete Lynch, Ff. Vic Jackson and Ff. Brian Gagnon. |
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The website thanks former Hamdenite, Mr. David Ormstedt of Bloomington, Indiana, for his recent email that provided more information about the 1950 lightning strike at the West Shepard Avenue residence of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard A. Dorman that killed three and injured several others. Twenty-six six years earlier, the Dorman home was the scene of a significant event in the history of one of Hamden's major volunteer fire companies.
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The July 3, 2015 Update includes a story about lightning killing three people and injuring seven others at a July 4, 1950 picnic at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Dorman on West Shepard Ave. It is interesting, perhaps ironic to note that the first organizational meeting of the Mix District Volunteer Fire Company was held at that same Dorman home in 1924. There is an article about that on your web site here http://www.hamdenfireretirees.org/firestations/7mixdistrict.html Among others at the birth of Mix District was Clement Wetmore, who later served as HFD Supt. of Alarms and Apparatus for many years.
One of the people injured by the lightning strike is identified in the NH Register article as Leonard Dorman, Jr. (although he really isn’t a “Jr.” as he has a different middle name). At the time the younger Leonard was himself a Mix District volunteer, having joined in 1945 at age 16. He recovered from the lightning strike and remained an active volunteer for many years. Having married Lenny’s oldest daughter Sharon, I remember the sound of the Plectron being ever present.
Lenny still lives on West Shepard in the house he built across the street from his parents.
David Ormstedt
Bloomington, IN
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In a follow up email, David noted that his dad, Capt. Henry Ormstedt, had served on the the Hamden Police Department from 1945 until 1972.
David Ormstedt's clarifications and further insights regarding the Dorman tragedy are sincerely appreciated and have been included in the archived update of July 3rd.
Posted 8/21/15
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