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| APRIL 2021
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Important updates will be posted immediately.
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Last update: Monday, Apr. 26, 2021 - 1448 hrs
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2021 marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of
Hamden's first fire company, Highwood Pioneer Hose Co. No. 1.
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65 Years Ago!
April 26, 1956 - 1040 Ridge Road
Tragic Fire Follows Birthday Celebration
Hamden-North Haven Mutual Aid
Mrs. Walter Shaw, who had just celebrated her 80th birthday with family and friends the night before, perished tragically in an early morning fire that detroyed the Ridge Road home of her daughter and son in law, Mr. and Mrs. Rollin Mettler.
Subsequent news accounts stated that the family dog had alerted the family's maid, whose living quarters were near those of Mrs. Shaw. The maid awoke Mrs. Shaw and the two of them started to make their way out. However, Mrs. Shaw insisted that the maid alert other family members and that she would be able to exit the home unaided. She apparently lost her way in the smoke and later was found lifeless but unburned, the victim of smoke inhalation.
The fire at the home, located near the Hamden-North Haven town line, was discovered by a patroling North Haven police officer who alerted North Haven Fire Department, then an all-volunteer department, which dispatched West Ridge Volunteer Co. 3. On arrival, North Haven fire personnel alerted Hamden. Hamden Engines 4, 3, the ladder truck and emergency squad responded. Four units from North Haven assisted Hamden. Fire apparatus from both towns were on scene for five and one half hours.
Originally posted 4/22/2016
Revied 4/26/2021
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| Both articles courtesy of Chan Brainard |
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Governor Lamont Directs Flags Lowered To Half-Staff
In Honor of Vice President Walter Mondale
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut to be lowered to half-staff as a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding public service of Vice President Walter F. Mondale.
The Office of the Governor will send out a notification when flags should be returned to full-staff.
Posted on April 20, 2021
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This apparatus on a commercial chassis (Dodge Bros.?) was new to the Tampa Fire Department when this photo was taken in 1920 in front of Tampa's nine-year old fire headquarters. Website thanks go out to our regular contributor Mel Kooper for capturing this great photo that he saw hanging in a Tampa area restaurant where he and his wife Connie recently celebrated her 39th birthday. Thanks, Mel!
The building served as Tampa Fire Headquarters from 1911 until 1974, and now houses Tampa's fire museum. CLICK on the photo to check out their website.
Posted 4/23/2021
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| CLICK ON PHOTO TO VISIT TAMPA F.D. MUSEUM WEBSITE - Courtesy of Mel Kooper |
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45 Years Ago!
April 1976 - Second Rescue is Placed in Service
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| April 9, 1976 - Ff. Ray Reilly backing Rescue 2 in for the first time |
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The new rescue contained a 4,000 watt generator and an air cascade system for refilling Scott bottles on scene.
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| 1960 International Travel-al |
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| Rescue 1 when new on a 1971 Ford Chassis |
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Two small International suburban-like trucks called "Travel-als" were Hamden's rescue units from the late 1950s until November 1971. Originally assigned to Station 2, then Station 3, Rescue 1 covered the south end. Rescue 2 covered the north end out of Station 4.
The white rescue units were removed from service in November 1971 when the "new" Rescue 1, a 1971 Ford with a modular body, went in service at Station 4 to cover the north end. EMS calls in the south end, however, were covered by Engine 2 until the "new" Rescue 2 was placed in service four and a half years later.
Rescue 2's addition to the inventory in 1976 coincided with the certification of Hamden's first paramedics and the introduction of Advanced Life Support services in the department.
Originally posted 4/15/16
Revised 4/15/2021
NOTE: This news photo was taken in front of Station 4 at Town Hall.
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| From The New Haven Register, April 1976 - (Photo ©1976 The New Haven Register) |
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WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
(or is there any?)
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Last year on April 12th your webmeister ventured out to document the shutdown that had only recently affected Hamden and the rest of the country. This was at the very beginning of the "Stay Home - Stay Safe" campaign that was intended to curb the spread of COVID-19.
People were definitely staying home, as shown in these photos taken at the start of the day at Hamden's own Times Square, the corner of Whitney and Dixwell Avenues. Ghost town.
A year later we have a vaccine, now received by more than 50% of the state's population. And despite a significant loosening of restrictions, many establishments continue to have limited seating or remain closed altogether.
A year ago on March 13th schools were closed for "two weeks," then remained closed until May 1, then till the end of the school year. Our active firefighters paid the price, too, with several contracting the virus and some of them being hospitalized with the most significant and debilitating effects of COVID. It has been a rough year, indeed. Bravo, HFD - Bravo! And thank you.
Posted 4/13/2021
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Whitney and Dixwell - One Year Ago
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| The Hamden Chronicle, Thursday, April 13, 1067 - CLICK TO ENLARGE |
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April 10, 1967
Tipsy MART Sign Victim of Windy Hamden Weather
Every year the Hamden Fire Department will rack up a few oddball calls that do not fit into any category of emergency responses. In 2021, those of us living in the southern Connecticut area have been experiencing some very wild and windy April weather, not unlike the April weather of 54 years ago when the wind wreaked havoc with the sign at the main entrance to the Hamden Mart. Our guys responded to handle the situation.
According to the article, the incident happened on Monday, April 10th, when Platoon 2 was on duty. The Engine 4 crew pictured in the photo - CLICK on it - would have included Lieut. Bill Hines, probably the fellow in the soft hat, and Firefighter Gilbert Spencer, probably the tall guy standing on the right.
This photo might give one the impression that Hamden was "Ford Country." Note the 1959, 1960 and 1963 Fords parked in a row at left, with one lone 1964 Chevy way off in the distance at right. Bradford Ford, now Bob Thomas Ford, is still there not far from where this photo was taken. Partyka Chevrolet had just opened on Skiff Street a couple of years earlier. It replaced Dixwell Motors, which sold new Chevys just up the street from Bradford Ford opposite the Plaza.
The Ambassador Restaurant was a fixture at the Mart for many years, located between the Hamden Mart Bowling Lanes and Howland's Department Store. Posted 4/9/2021
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Discarded Cigarette Starts Fire
2480 Whitney Avenue
Saturday, April 3, 2021
At 11:08 Saturday night, the Hamden Fire Department was dispatched to a smoke condition in the basement of a condo complex at 2480 Whitney Avenue. Squad 1 arrived on-scene at 11:12 to find smoke coming from the basement of a 2 story condo unit. The homeowner had used a portable fire extinguisher to put the fire out.
The crew from Squad 1 advanced a hose line to the basement and checked for extension while extinguishing any remaining fire. Fire damage was contained to the molding around the sliding door and immediate wall space. There was no extension and the unit was ventilated.
The fire started from an improperly discarded cigarette that a resident had been smoking in the doorway while waiting for her dog to return from the outside. The resident stated that she smelled smoke inside her condo and went to investigate. The smoke detector in the basement activated alerting her. The resident used a portable fire extinguisher to put the fire out and evacuated the building with her son.
The Hamden Fire Department advises residents to extinguish cigarettes in a proper container. If you cannot safely extinguish the fire call 911 and exit the home immediately.
Posted 4/4/2021 - 1046
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After one year of free access to our archived articles and photos, we are returning today to secured web pages for our members and those subscribers who wish to make a recommended annual ten dollar donation. The old passwords still apply until further notice, but new ones will be sent out to members and subscribers shortly. All subscriptions that had not expired by April 1, 2020 will be automatically extended to 3/31/2022.
Posted 4/2/2021
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Governor Lamont Directs Flags Lowered To Honor United States Capitol Police Officer William F. Evans
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(HARTFORD, CT - April 2) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that – in accordance with a proclamation from President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. directing flags to be lowered throughout the country as a mark of solemn respect for United States Capitol Police Officer William F. Evans, who was killed in the line of duty Friday while defending the U.S. Capitol – he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut to fly at half-staff beginning immediately until sunset on Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Posted 4/3/2021 - 0823 hrs.
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| New Hamden Firefighters Russell Quick, Michael Mordecai, and Stephen Postemsky are sworn in by Town Clerk Vera Morrison. |
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Friday, March 4 - Three new firefighters were sworn in at the Hamden Government Center today, all of them with previous experience as career firefighters.
Firefighter Russell Quick, who comes from Middletown South District Fire Department, is a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan.
Firefighter Michael Mordecai, son of retired Lieut. Jack Mordecai, is a paramedic who was with the West Shore Fire Department in West Haven.
Firefighter Stephen Postempsky comes from the Willimantic Fire Department and has B.S. degrees in Fire Arson Investigation and Fire Administration from UNH.
The members of HFRA wish Russell, Mike, and Stephen long, successful and safe careers with the Hamden Fire Department.
Posted 3/9/11
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35 Years Ago
Hamden-Bethany Mutual Aid Pact
On March 27, 1986, Bethany Fire Chief George Quinn sat down with Hamden Chief John Tramontano to ink a mutual aid agreement that has endured for the benefit of both communities for the past thirty-five years. The need for the agreement stemmed from the June 1982 flood that wreaked havoc with border areas of both towns, preventing Hamden and Bethany apparatus from reaching occupancies in their respective communities.
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| Chiuef John Tramontano and Bethany Chief George Quinn (Photo courtesy of Tara Tramontano Madison) |
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Chief Tramontano retired in 1993. He passed away in September 2015 at his home in Gilford, New Hampshire. Chief Quinn led one of the most progressive and well-trained volunteer fire departments in Connecticut. Now retired from his fire service duties, George Quinn is well and still living in Bethany. Our own Tom Doherty runs into him frequently at a popular Bethany eatery following his weekly Wednesday golf outings.
When Chief Quinn recently saw this photo he chuckled and noted that, like Hamden a couple of years before this photo was taken, Bethany subsequently dumped the eight-pointers and adopted the traditional firefighter's "bell" cap.
Originally posted 4/1/16
Revised 4/1/2021
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| The New Haven Register, Friday, April 2, 1976 |
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Governor Lamont Orders Flags Lowered To Half-Staff
In Remembrance of the Indianapolis Mass Shooting Victims
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that – in accordance with a proclamation from President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. directing flags to be lowered throughout the country as a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the mass shooting last night in Indianapolis, Indiana – he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut to fly at half-staff beginning immediately until sunset on Tuesday, April 20, 2021.
Posted 4/16/2021 - 1625 hrs.
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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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