Public Education & Community Outreach
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For over sixty years, the Department has conducted public education demonstrations during Fire Prevention Week. These presentations were designed to raise public awareness of fire safety in the home. Over the years these public demonstrations, often conducted at the Hamden Plaza or Mart, consisted of live fire burns in confined spaces, high rise elevation rescue techniques, Jaws of Life demos on junked cars, and simple home fire safety demonstrations.
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| This photo, which appeared in the December 4, 1994 edition of The Hamden Chronicle, shows Firefighter Jim Koutsopolos demonstrating an Akron nozzle to some kids from the Spring Glen School. The 1973 Maxim Telesqurt and the 1991 Pierce Tower can be seen in the background. Our appreciation to Jim for this and numerous other photos and articles that will be posted in the coming weeks. |
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| 2003 - Ffs. Jason Blyth and Greg Bannon conducting a public education session in Mrs. Morrissey's Kindergarten class at Shepard Glen School (Photo by Bob Mordecai) |
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| L-R: Firefighters Charles Lubowicki, Jr, Ralph Purificato and Capt. Bob Surprise - June 4, 2001 - Photo by Bob Mordecai |
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Fire Prevention Week
October 6, 2011 marked the 140th anniversary of the infamous Chicago fire, and the less heralded but far more deadly Peshtigo, Wisconsin fire which occurred the same day. The Great Chicago Fire gave rise to Fire Prevention Week, observed annually throughout the U.S. during the second week of October.
Since
the 1950s, the Hamden Fire Department has conducted firefighting and
related demonstrations for the public during Fire Prevention Week,
generally observed during the second week of October. There are many
photos of these demonstration in the FHRA files. Some of the smaller photos
may be enlarged by CLICKing on the image, and additional information is
also provided.
Posted October 7, 2011
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| October 1982 - In front of Bradlees at the Hamden Mart. An unknown spectator watches at left as Ff. Paul Reutenauer monitors Engine 4's pump panel during a fire department demonstration for Fire Prevention Week. Truck 2, as it was designated at the time, the 100' Maxim aerial, can be seen right behind. (Photo by Ed Doiron, Jr.) |
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| 1961 - CLICK to enlarge and get details |
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| 1961 - CLICK to enlarge and get details |
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| 1962 - CLICK to enlarge and get details |
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| October 11, 1986 |
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| October 10, 1987 |
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| October 11, 1986 |
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| October 1982 - Wayne Lowry demonstrates Gamewell fire alarm telegraph to some youngsters at the Hamden Mart during the Department's annual Fire Prevention Week presentation. Note the old Sears building across Dixwell Avenue, razed in late 1994 to make way for the new mall. (Photo by Ed Doiron, Jr.) |
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| October 10, 1987 - Hurst tool demo at the Hamden Mart. L to R: Lt. Dave Strawhince, Ray Dobbs, Mike DiStefano (with Jaws), Gary Couture, and Kerry Castracane, the latter three being new recruits at the time. (CLICK to enlarge) |
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| October 1982 - Dep. Chief Training Officer John Tramontano, commander of the HFD mountain rescue team, demonstrates a rope climbing technique during the October 1982 Fire Prevention Demonstration at the Hamden Mart. The mountain rescue team was formed in 1976 to handle the emergencies, many resulting from new Quinnipiac students attempting to climb the head at Sleeping Giant every autumn - and at other locations, too. |
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| October 1985 - Tom Conway demonstrates dry chem extinguisher on oven fire (Photo by Ed Doiron, Jr.) |
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| October 1965 - Fire Prevention Week - Several unidentified Hamden school kids pose with, L-R, Lt. William Hines, Deputy Chief Everett Doherty, Lt. Daniel O'Connell, Chief V. Paul Leddy and Deputy Chief Daniel Hume. (Photo by I.A. Sneiderman) |
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| In a photo dated October 12, 1962, Chief V. Paul Leddy and Supt. Clem Wetmore observe a young lady showing how to transmit a fire alarm from a Gamewell box during a Fire Prevention Week demonstration at the Hamden Plaza. The young lady in the photo was (and is) the wife of a Hamden firefighter, who retired as a BC thirty years later. She is also closely related to a present HFD BC. Gamewell boxes numbered in the 800s were assigned to schools. Box 815 was Margaret L. Keefe School (now the M.L. Keefe Center) on Pine Street. Hamden's Gamewell system was in service until 1998. (I.A. Sneiderman photo) |
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| October 10, 1987 - During a Fire Prevention Week demonstration twenty-five years later, Hamden firefighters demonstrate FFFP foam on a combustible liquid fire right next door at the Hamden Mart. |
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| 1965 - Three unidentified Hamden High School student government participants are given a quick tour of Hamden's 1954 Maxim 750 pumper at Headquarters. Fire personnel (L-R) are Dep. Chief Daniel Hume, Chief V. Paul Leddy, and Marshal Albert Purce. The new Mack 750 replaced this piece in August of that year. |
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