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July 2021
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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FRIDAY, JULY 3, 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, July 17th.
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| Batt. Chief DeBurra |
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Battalion Chief Sam DeBurra Has Retired
The department lost another battalion chief to retirement at 0800 hours on June 30th, when 21-year department veteran Sam DeBurra finished his last shift. An informal reception for Sam at Station 3 took place the previous afternoon. The entire platoon and other friends of his stopped by to wish him all the very best. Sam's departure came just two months after B/C Don LaBanca retired on April 30th.
Following his recruit training, Sam reported to Station 3 on October 18, 1994 and was assigned to Engine 3. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2002, captain in 2006, and battalion chief in 2010 following the retirement of Platoon 4 B/C Dave Strawhince. Sam is also certified in Fire Investigation and Code Enforcement.
Deputy Chief Gary Merwede informed the website that Sam was instrumental in planning and implementing the mobile data terminal (MDT) program, "a tremendous upgrade in information technology available directly to responding units field." He added, "Sam's command presence will be missed on the fireground and in the firehouse." Prior to his 1994 appointment to the HFD, Sam had served as Chief of the Madison Fire Department.
The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association congratulate Battalion Chief Sam DeBurra on his retirement and wish him many happy and healthy years ahead.
Posted 7/3/15
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| Lt. Daryl Osiecki, Ff. Paul Anderson, Capt. Ron Desroches, B/C DeBurra, Ff. Mike Dowling, Lt. Richard Lennon, Ff. Dave Beaton and Ff. Doug O'Rourke (Photo courtesy of Dave Beaton) |
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| Dep. Chief Gary Merwede and Batt. Chief Sam DeBurra on Sam's last day on the job. |
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1995 Special Olympics World Games
From July 1 to July 10, 1995 the Town of Hamden hosted three of the several sports venues for the 1995 Special Olympics World Games: Bowling, at the Hamden Bowling Lanes; Baskeball, at the Quinnipiac College Gym; and the Bicycle Race, along Whitney Avenue from New Haven to Cheshire.
For over a year the Hamden Fire Department, with the assistance of several other area fire departments, spent hundreds of hours preparing for the enormous ten-day increase in the town's population.
Hamden Safety Coordinator for the games was Batt. Chief Tom Doherty, assisted by Batt. Chief Mike Ambriscoe. They headed the Game's Safety Committee for all Hamden venues. Capt. Dave Johnson and Capt. Bob Viglione coordinated Fire Safety operations, Capt. Paul Wetmore, Jr. organized Emergency Medical Services, and Capt. Don LaBanca was responsible for Logistical operations.
The 1995 Special Olympics World Games were the single largest athletic event in the world that year. Batt. Chief Doherty began organizing department members toward this effort early in 1994. From the beginniung of the planning stages until the last day, virtually all Hamden career and volunteer personnel contributed their time and effort to make the department's safety mission a success. Fire personnel from North Haven, Bethany, Cheshire, and Madison offered a tremendous amount of assistance as well.
Originally posted 7/1/2010
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65 Years Ago!
July 4, 1950
Horrible Lightning Tragedy on West Shepard Avenue
On the Fourth of July 1950, a freak lightning strike killed three and injured several others outside the 65 West Shepard Avenue home of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard A. Dorman, where the organizational meeting of the Mix District Volunteer Fire Co. No. 7 had taken place in November 1924.
The occasion was a gathering of family members and friends to celebrate the birthday of the Dormans' son, Leonard E. Dorman, 20, who was among the injured. The younger Dorman had been a member of Mix District Co 7 since 1945. Also among the injured was the late Frank Warner, then 26, also a member of Co. 7. He reported that there was no indication of storm activity in the area. The lightning strike was totally unexpected.
The Hamden Fire Department responded under the command of Capt. Everett Doherty. According to details provided in the Hamden Chronicle article below, a chain hanging from a nearby tree conducted the fatal electrical charge.
This was one of Hamden's earliest mass casualty incidents on record. Police, fire and ambulance personnel worked valiantly to render assistance to the survivors. Rev. Joseph Peters of the Mt. Carmel Congregational Church also responded to render spiritual support to the surviving family members. Three months later, Rev. Peters would be appointed with Fr. Bernard Miller, assistant pastor at St. Rita's Church, as one of the first two chaplains of the Hamden Fire Department.
In the years that followed, this tragic incident was often cited in local warnings for people to avoid standing beneath trees during electrical storms.
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Posted 7/3/15
Revised 8/16//15
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| The Hamden Chronicle, July 6, 1950 (Courtesy of the Hamden Historical Society) |
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Capt. Everett Doherty started his career on the Hamden Fire Department in late 1927. He retired in 1966 at the rank of deputy chief. Lt. Paul Leddy was appointed in November 1941. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1949, captain in 1951 and named battalion chief in 1954. In November 1960, B/C Leddy was appointed Chief of the Department, a position in which he served until his 1984 retirement.
Lt. James Strain was appointed in 1942, became a lieutenant in 1949, captain in 1954 and deputy chief in 1961. He retired in 1973. Firefighter Francis "Chalkie" Leddy was appointed in 1946, was promoted to lieutenant in 1956, captain in 1964 and deputy chief in 1970. He retired in 1986.
Firefighter Fred Fletcher was appointed in 1946 and retired in 1980. Firefighter Dan O'Connell joined the department in 1948 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1963. He retired in 1986. Co. 5 volunteer firefighter Joe Rahl joined the department as a career member in 1956. Joe served 33 more years before his retirement in late 1989. Joe, who turns 91 this year, is the only surviving member of the crew mentioned in the 1950 article. He is currently a member of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association.
Posted 7/3/15
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Humphrey Badge Donated
by Great-grandson
The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association thank former Hamden resident, Mr. Barry Edmonds of East Hampton, for donating to our archives Humphrey Hook & Ladder Fire Association badge #69 that had been issued to his great-grandfather, Frederick William Edmonds. From examination of old Humphrey photos, the badge appears to be at least 100 years old.
Mr. Edmonds' generous gift completes a set of badges from each of Hamden's Volunteer Companies 1 through 5. The Association still hopes to acquire at least one badge for Companies 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Posted 7/3/15
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50 Years Ago
An "Atta Boy!" from Hamden Politicos of the Day
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| Courier-Register Saturday Special, July 10, 1965 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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40 Years Ago
July 1, 1975 was a busy day for the HFD
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| New Haven Register, July 1, 1975 (Courtesy of Gilbert Spencer) CLICK to enlarge |
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| New Haven Journal-Courier, July 2, 1975 (Courtesy of Rich Maybury) |
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July 1, 1975 marked the signing of a three-year contract between the town and the Hamden Paid Firemen's Sick Benefit Association, the bargaining unit for Hamden's 112 non-management fire personnel. The members had been without a contract for two years.
Members received 5% raises for each of the 1973-74 and 1974-75 fiscal years. For the 1975-76 fiscal year, along with a 1% raise the town agreed to pay the future pension contributions for all members, a promise that frequently went unfulfilled, leading to a pension fund crisis that has been addressed only recently.
On the same date, Paul Petrillo and Richie "Rambo" Maybury were appointed to fill vacancies resulting from the 1973 retirements of Firefighter Mario "Bucky" Serafino and Dep. Chief Dan Hume. The resignation of five-year veteran Ff. Steve Hitchcock a few days later resulted in the July 8th appointment of Dave Johnson. The three recuits started work on July 21st.
Posted 7/3/15
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Spark Time
Branford Co. 8 took delivery of this nice 750 GPM Maxim open cab pumper in 1953. The Civil Defense logo on the cab doors suggest that, like Hamden's Maxim pumper purchased the following year, the federal government footed half the purchase price.
Posted 7/3/15
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| Photos courtesy of Chan Brainard (CLICK to enlarge) |
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In an effort to obtain more information on this pumper - specifically, to see if it was still around - the website found this 2012 photo of the pumper (below) on Branford F.D.'s FaceBook page, when it was nearly 60 years old. Sadly, as far as we know, all three of Hamden's early 1950s 750 GPM Maxims were junked years ago. Thank you, Branford, for keeping yours - and in such great condition.
Posted 7/3/15
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Honorary Member Laura Ann (Wetmore) Wolf
We regret to report the passing on July 5, 2015 of Hamden Fire Retirees' Association honorary member and Hamden Guardian Services Retirees Association member Laura Ann (Wetmore) Wolf, 84, widow of our brother Hamden firefighter, the late Gerald Wolf (1927-2013), and sister of former Hamden fire chief and brother HFRA and HGSRA member, Paul Wetmore, Sr.
Friends may visit with Laura's family on Wednesday evening, July 8th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Beecher and Bennett funeral home, 2300 Whitney Avenue, Hamden.
Funeral service will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday morning, July 9th, at the funeral home, followed by burial in Mt. Carmel Cemetery (Whitney, north of Tuttle Avenue).
For complete details or to offer a condolence to the family please go to the Beecher and Bennett webpage for Laura's obituary (link below):
Our thoughts and prayers are with Wolf and Wetmore families.
Posted 7/7/15
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, JULY 17, 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 7th.
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| Remembering the Fallen: July 16, 2015 |
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Honorary Membership for Shirley Mangler
At the Association's recent summer meeting, HFRA President Bob Mordecai presented a certificate of membership to Shirley Mangler, who was unanimously voted to Honorary Memership at the April meeting. Shirley, who is the wife of Hamden's longest continuously serving career member, Firefighter Harold Mangler (Ret.), has contributed to the Association's archives hundreds of her photographs taken at scores of Hamden Fire Department activities since the 1980s.
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A Sampler of Shirley's Photographic Contributions
ACTION!
Treadwell Office Park
March 30, 1991
This fire devastated a significant portion of the industrial park that early spring
Saturday morning. Shirley was right there to capture some amazing action.
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| March 30, 1991 |
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TRAINING
Paradise Avenue
November 28, 1987
Shirley's classic group photo following interior fire training in a derelict house. "Let 'er rip!"
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| November 28, 1987 |
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MEMORIAL DAY
May 30, 1988
Only days after the department faced its worst challenge in decades, the Davenport Residence fire, Shirley captured this image of the department contingent marching to the praise of Hamden citizens as it passed the reviewing stand on Dixwell Avenue.
We have many of Shirley's photos of Hamden Memorial Day Parades.
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| November 28, 1987 |
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MEMORIAL DAY
May 30, 1988
Only days after the department faced its worst challenge in decades, the Davenport Residence fire, Shirley captured this image of the department contingent marching to the praise of Hamden citizens as it passed the reviewing stand on Dixwell Avenue.
We have many of Shirley's photos of Hamden Memorial Day Parades.
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| May 30, 1988 |
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Capt. Bob Viglione and Firefighters Gary Couture and Dave McDermott posed with Shirley in front of Station 3 following a Tower 1 training exercise in the summer of 1993. The photo was probably snapped by Harold - but it was Shirley's camera!
Posted 7/17/15
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Washdown
Whitney and Day Spring
December 1968
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| 1966 - Whitney and Day Spring (Photo by Irving R. Saslow) |
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Lt. William Hines and the crew of Engine 4 use two 1-1/2" lines to dissipate a fuel oil spill at the corner of Whitney and Day Spring Avenues in Centerville. This was standard operating procedure for all fire departments when dealing with almost all types of spills on roadways, especially following motor vehicle accidents. L-R: Ff. Paul Reutenauer, Ff. Milner Benham, Lt. Hines, and Ff. Jim Moore.
When this photo was taken in late 1968, the brick building in the background was an architectural hardware company. It later housed Shopper's World. The building was razed a few years ago and a Dunkin' Donuts shop is presently located on the site. This photo was taken by Irving R. Saslow, who served on the Board of Fire Commissioners numerous times from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Originally posted 7/19/10
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1962 - Chief Leddy Receives His First New Car
It was a Rambler. But, hey, it was new!
The Board of Fire Commissioners was still calling the shots, and white was still their choice of color for all apparatus.
That all would change with a town charter revision that took effect January 1, 1966.
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| March 5, 1962 |
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The year after the Deputy Chiefs (shift commanders) received a brand new 1961 Ford sedan, Chief V. Paul Leddy was issued a brand new white 1962 Rambler sedan, purchased from Goodman Motors for $2,971.50. The new car replaced the 1956 Pontiac that was originally issued to former chief, Raymond C. Spencer. This was when the department was still in its short-lived "white" period, which lasted from 1958 until 1965. Department records indicate that this car was junked by 1971.
Pictured (L-R) are Chief Leddy, Fire Commission President Elton Wetmore, and Stewart Goodman, of Goodman Motors in Hamden, which continued to sell American Motors autos until the 1970s.
Originally posted 7/22/11
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| Car 40 - 1962 Rambler |
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Hamden's 1978 Pierce "Fast Attack" Minipumper
July 21, 1978
A New Haven Register reporter covered a Platoon 1 training session conducted by Dep. Chief Training Officer Ken Harrington to acquaint department personnel with Hamden's newest apparatus, a 1978 Pierce "Fast Attack" minipumper on a Ford chassis.
After a two-week familiarization on all four platoons, the minipumper went in service as Engine 5, replacing the 1954 Maxim pumper that had been Engine 5 since the early 1970s. The 1978 minipumper subsequently served as Engine 8 and then Engine 15. It was only recently removed from service and is awaiting disposal through the bidding process.
Posted 7/17/15
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| New Haven Register, Friday, July 21, 1978 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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| 1978 - Right after it went in service as Engine 5. (Edward Doiron, Sr. photo) |
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| 1980 - Engine 5 - At the "Y" Camp. Car 55 (later "Brush 5"), a 1960 GMC 3/4 ton pickup, right behind (Ed Doiron, Jr. photo) |
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| 1991 - Assigned as Engine 8 (Chan Brainard photo) |
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| 2011 - Assigned as Engine 15 (HFRA photo) |
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Honorary Member Laura Ann (Wetmore) Wolf
We regret to report the passing on July 5, 2015 of Hamden Fire Retirees' Association honorary member and Hamden Guardian Services Retirees Association member Laura Ann (Wetmore) Wolf, 84, widow of our brother Hamden firefighter, the late Gerald Wolf (1927-2013), and sister of former Hamden fire chief and brother HFRA and HGSRA member, Paul Wetmore, Sr.
Funeral service was Thursday morning, July 9th, at the funeral home, followed by burial in Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
For complete details or to offer a condolence to the family please go to the Beecher and Bennett webpage for Laura's obituary (link below):
Our thoughts and prayers are with Wolf and Wetmore families.
Revised 7/9/15
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| Stan Brown photo courtesy of Chan Brainard |
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Gladys Wetmore Brown was a member of Mix District Volunteer Company 7's Ladies Auxiliary back in 1966, when her husband, Hamden career firefighter Stan Brown, snapped this photo at a parade in the Town of Middlebury. Gladys (on the right) was helping to carry Company 7's ladies' banner.
Company 7's 1918 Brockway chemical truck, still roadworthy today, can be seen in the background right behind the gals. It was being driven by Gladys' dad, Clem Wetmore, who was the department's Supt. of Alarms and Apparatus at the time of this photo.
Posted 7/17/15
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LITERACY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Experience Corps needs people age 50+ to tutor literacy three times a week with young students in New Haven, Hamden & East Haven elementary schools or at an after-school program. Training and a small stipend are provided. Volunteers also encourage reading at fun community events to. You have wisdom to share. We have children who need it.
For more information, call Sheila at 203-752-3059 x2900 or email volunteer@aoascc.org
Experience Corps - Greater New Haven is a program of the Agency on Aging of South Central and a proud member of the National Service Network (AmeriCorps). For more information, please visit www.aoascc.org/experiencecorps
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