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MARCH 2021
Important updates will be posted immediately.
Last updated on Thursday, Mar. 25, 2021 - 1310 hrs
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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for official COVID-19 notifications
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For the duration of the COVID emergency all password protected pages, except Members Only pages, are open to all website visitors.
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| CLICK for CBS News Feature |
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March 25, 1911
Triangle Shirtwaist Co. Fire
New York City
One hundred and ten years ago, 146 employees, mostly young women, perished in a tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York City.
Sweatshop conditions on the upper floors of the occupancy, including blocked fire doors, contributed to the horrendous death toll.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Co. fire, which gave rise to the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, would eventually result in improved conditions for garment workers and legislation to replace inadequate fire codes.
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Originally posted 3/25/201
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Governor Lamont: Flags Lowered To Half-Staff in Remembrance of the Victims of the Mass Shooting in Colorado
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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that, in accordance with a proclamation from President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. directing that all U.S., state, and local flags to be lowered throughout the country as a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the mass shooting yesterday in Boulder, Colorado, he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut to fly at half-staff beginning immediately until sunset on Saturday, March 27, 2021.
Posted 3/23/2021 - 1824 hrs.
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Hamden police, fire departments get a sweet "thank-you"
From "News Times"
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| Sisters representing the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pictured between Paramedic/Ff. Will Heiney (left), and Ff. J.P. Cristini (right), recently delivered homemade cookies to members of the Hamden police and fire departments “in gratitude for their tireless service and dedication to the community.” - Contributed photo (CLICK TO ENLARGE) |
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From "News Times"
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HAMDEN — The town’s fire and police departments recently received a sweet thank-you from a local religious group.
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The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which has a provincial house in town, recently delivered homemade cookies to members of the departments “in gratitude for their tireless service and dedication to the community,” according to a release.
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The cookies were delivered earlier this month in conjunction with the group’s annual Day of Giving fundraiser, the release said.
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“We wanted to take the opportunity to give something back on the day when so many generously gave to us,” Sr. Colleen Therese Smith, director of the Office of Mission Advancement for the congregation, said in the release. “It was our way of paying it forward and sharing the love of the Heart of Christ in the form of unexpected kindness.”
.The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus have called Hamden home since 1953, the release said. ( Read this story online).
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According to the release, “the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus are consecrated women of the Church who share the love of Christ through active ministry in the areas of education, health care, social services, and pastoral and Diocesan leadership. The Apostles minister in five states and 15 countries.” For information, visit www.ascjus.org.
Posted 3/19/2021
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 Under the the Healthcare Enhancement for Local Public Safety Officers (HELPS) Act, IAFF retirees can receive a tax-free distribution of up to $3,000 from retirement plans to help pay for health insurance or long-term care insurance premiums. The IAFF encourages affiliates to remind their retirees about the HELPS benefit.
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Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from IAFF Main E-activist Group, please click here. |
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CT fire officials' warnings about spring forest fire season
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Watch FOX61 News Report by Tony Terzi
The dangers of fire pits and the radiant heat they can generate are the focus of this article and FOX61 TV news report by Tony Terzi, who interviewed Hamden Fire chief Gary Merwede on March 16th.
Posted 3/18/2021
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HFD Shift Commanders Finally Get a Car
Saturday, March 11, 1961
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| From the minutes of the January 9, 1961 meeting of the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners |
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A vehicle for the exclusive use of department shift commanders was first placed in service 60 years ago this week, when a brand new 1961 Ford four-door sedan, purchased from Hamden's Bradford Ford on Dixwell Avenue for $1,788, was accepted by Chief V. Paul Leddy and representatives of the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners.
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Previously, HFD's battalion chiefs had responded from Headquarters (Station 4) in the 1938 "Squad" and finally in the 1960 International Travel-al designated as Rescue 2.
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| From The New Haven Register, Saturday, March 11, 1961 |
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The B/C's new car, designated as "Car 30" until changed to "Car 3" in 1983, enabled the shift commander a certain autonomy in making his rounds of the fire stations without taking the rescue out of its territory.
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In the 25 years that followed, new shift commanders' cars were purchased about every four or five years. The 1961 Ford was replaced with a white 1966 Ford wagon, red 1970 Ford Wagon, 1974 Chevy Malibu wagon, 1977 Dodge wagon, 1982 Ford wagon, and finally a 1987 GMC Jimmy. The more recent editions of Car 3 have been high end Suburban-style vehicles featuring various kinds of equipment for managing incident command.
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One fatality in Tuesday night house fire at 775 Hill Street
Investigation in progress
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| Peter Hvizdak photo - New Haven Register |
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At 10:16 Tuesday night, March 9, 2021, the Hamden Fire Department was dispatched to 775 Hill Street for a reported house fire that was called in by numerous neighbors. The first apparatus arrived on-scene at 10:20.
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Assistant Chief Charles Lubowicki reported heavy fire in the breezeway and garage that was spreading into the house. Two occupants were able to safely evacuate the premises, one of them exiting through a bedroom window. The other occupant exited through the front door and notified fire department personnel that another person was still inside the house.
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Rescue crews began an aggressive interior search of the home while other crews worked to extinguish the fire. A 59-year old male, identified as Frank Mangiero, was found deceased in the living room. Two family pets also perished in the fire. The two other occupants were transported to Yale New Haven Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and were released from the hospital this morning.
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The Hamden Fire Marshal’s Office, Hamden Police Department, and Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit were called to the scene to investigate the cause and origin of the fire. The breezeway between the garage and the home was the primary area of focus. The investigation is ongoing at the time of this release.
Read the complete story in the March 11, 2021 edition of The New Haven Register
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Revised 3/11/2021 - 1055 hrs.
Information provided by the Hamden Fire Marshal's Office
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H.F.D.'s New Operational Support Vehicle
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At 0800 last Friday morning, March 5th, the department placed a new Operational Support Vehicle in service at Station 3.
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With only 4,200 miles on the odometer, this 2005 Freightlner (Damlier) truck is almost like new. It was acquired for free earlier this year from the Meriden Fire Department through Region 2 of the Department of Homeland Security. The unit is equipped to respond to any large scale emergency in Hamden. North Haven and, if needed, to any other area community.
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The OSV is equipped with a cascade air system, numerous spare SCBA bottles, as well as many tools used to abate hazmat situations.
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Personnel on duty either at Station 3 or any other station can respond with the truck to the incident and operate under the IC in charge.
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| CLICK ON THIS PHOTO and enjoy this video of a futuristic piece of fire apparatus designed for congested cities with numerous high-rises. This video, employing some awesome CGI, has been out there for a few years, but Chick Manware just sent it here and we thought it should be shared. Thanks, Chick! |
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| Ray Shea (1930-2021) |
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Raymond D. Shea
Former Pres. of the CT UPFFA
We are deeply saddened to report the sudden passing on February 28, 2021 of Raymond D. Shea, former President of the Connecticut chapter of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut.
Ray Shea was a well-known and admired firefighter, labor leader, mediator, arbitrator, Knight, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend to all. He blessed every person that he met with his huge smile and generous spirit. At age 90, Ray continued his work at the Labor Board, and though he much preferred talking with people in person, he managed to conduct meetings during the pandemic over Zoom.
Ray was an army veteran, serving in the Korean war from 1952-1954. Ray then had a distinguished career as a Lieutenant with the West Hartford Fire Department. It was there that he began a lifetime of advocacy for firefighters and union workers across the State of Connecticut. He served as local union President and negotiated the first municipal contract for firefighters in the Town of West Hartford in 1966.
Ray was also a delegate to the State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. He negotiated contracts for firefighters in every corner of the State. He will be widely remembered for his lobbying the State Legislature to pass the Heart and Hypertension law in 1977. For the past 40 years he had served as union arbitrator at the State Labor Board of Mediation and Arbitration.
Ray served as State Chair of the Muscular Dystrophy Association drive, co-hosting the annual Labor Day Telethon for many years. For his entire adult life, Ray was deeply involved with the Church of St. Brigid and the Knights of Columbus (4th Degree).
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 am on Friday, March 5, at St. Brigid Church in West Hartford. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery.
Calling hours will be Thursday, March 4, from 3pm – 6pm. at St. Brigid Church (Parking available across the street at Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Ave, West Hartford). In light of the ongoing pandemic, we welcome the option to submit remembrances of Ray on-line at www.RayShea.com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the St. Brigid Knights of Columbus, 97 Randal Ave, West Hartford, CT 06110 or the West Hartford Firefighters Scholarship Fund at 2458 Albany Ave, West Hartford, CT 06117. Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home, West Hartford has care of the arrangements. www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com.
Much of the information in this obituary was posted on the SHEEHAN-HILBORN-BREEN FUNERAL HOME website. CLICK HERE to read the entire obituary.
Posted 3/4/2021
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243 Residents Vaccinated Tuesday at Wilder Hall
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The Hamden vaccination clinic was held Tuesday, March 2nd, at Thornton Wilder Auditorium. 243 residents received their first doses of the Moderna vaccine at this “closed” clinic, meaning the vaccines were available only to Hamden residents who met the vaccination criteria in-place by the State of Connecticut as of the time of the event.
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| At Wilder Hall on Tuesday, Department Training Officer, Lt. Rich Lennon, while medic Firefighters Mike Mordecai and Alan Sedlak check data on the laptop. |
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| Hamden Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Mordecai administers the Moderna vaccine to an unidentified Hamden resident, one of 243 who received their first dose on Tuesday. |
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Photos courtesy of the Fire Chief's Office - CLICK TO ENLARGE
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From Chief Gary Merwede:
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The Quinnipiak Health District and Hamden Emergency Management formed a Unified Command structure under the NIMS system to coordinate and oversee the event.
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The Hamden Fire Department created an Incident Action Plan (IAP), which was enacted to define the responsibilities of all agencies involved in the vaccination effort; and to record the necessary information required under FEMA regulations for possible reimbursement in specific areas as permitted by regulation.
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The IAP was transmitted to all agencies and a site walk-through and briefing was held on 2/17/2021 to finalize planning. The following agencies / departments participated:
· Quinnipiak Valley Health District
· QVHD Medical Reserve Corps.
· Quinnipiac University Nursing Program
· Hamden Fire Department
· Hamden CERT Team
· Hamden Public Works Department
· Hamden Elderly Services
· Hamden Library
· Hamden Arts Department
· Hamden Community Services
· Hamden Risk Management
The cooperative effort across eleven agencies was unprecedented and speaks to the commitment and professionalism of everyone involved. We are pleased to report the following:
· 243 Hamden Residents were vaccinated
· All vaccine allotted to the site was successfully distributed
· There were no adverse reactions to the vaccine reported to on-scene medical staff
· No injuries occurred while the site was in operation
· The Hamden site represents the largest distribution of vaccine to date through QVHD
A follow-up (2nd Dose) clinic at the same location has been scheduled for March 30th. Residents receiving their first dose of the Moderna vaccination on March 2nd have already received their confirmed appointment times for the second clinic. IAP Division Heads who participated in the original planning will receive an invitation to a debriefing session prior to the next event. We have every expectation that “round-two” will have the same success.
Posted 3/4/2021
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Cornell Scott-Hill Health CENTER:
Administering COVID Vaccines in Hamden Starting March 1st
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| Asst. Supt. Tracarico |
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Asst. Superintendent Glen Tricarico Retiring
February 26 - COVID resulted in small gatherings of firefighters rotating in and out of the Legislative Council chambers at town hall Friday afternoon to wish Asst. Supt. of Apparatus Glen Tricarico well as he retires from the departrment after 21 years on the job. A registered nurse and exellent "street medic," Glen joined the department on February 28, 2000 and was assigned at various times to Stations 2, 3, and 4 before being appointed Assistant Supt. of Apparatus in February 2015.
CLICK HERE for more of the story and photos from Friday's gathering.
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160 Years Ago
Whitney Gun Factory Explosion
This March 1, 1861 New Haven Palladium article provided fascinating details of a devastating explosion at Hamden’s Eli Whitney gun factory, resulting in one fatality, several serious injuries, and halting the factory’s production of arms on the eve of America’s Civil War.
The article was provided by Tony Griego, one of several volunteer researchers at Hamden Historical Society's history room at Miller Library. Griego, a retired New Haven Police Department sergeant, has been investigating some of the Whitneyville landmarks that disappeared because of the 1860-62 construction of the dam that created Lake Whitney.
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| New Haven Palladium, March 1, 1861 - Courtesy of Tony Griego, Hamden Historical Society |
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With the "War of the Rebellion" still six weeks off, and President Lincoln’s inauguration in just three days, this news account mentions several pieces of fire apparatus from New Haven that responded to the incident, which was located at the base of the Whitney Dam, then still under construction.
The explosion at the Whitney gun factory occurred one year before New Haven established its career fire department and about 35 years before the formation Hamden’s first volunteer fire company, Highwood's Pioneer Hose Company, organized in December 1896.
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The Al Gorman History Room, on the third floor of Miller Library at 2901 Dixwell Avenue, has been closed during the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They hope to reopen soon. When it reopens, the hours are from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. every Tuesday.
Originally posted 3/2/2018
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NEVER FORGET!
We will always remember our brother firefighters who made the supreme sacrifice, and the thousands of other innocent victims who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Always keep them, their families and the FDNY in your thoughts and prayers.
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