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Articles and photos added during
September 2010
Regular weekly Friday website updates commenced on April 1, 2011.
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Hurricanes!
The naming of hurricanes began in 1954, sixteen years after the most devastating hurricane to hit New England in the 20th century. Another hurricane did more damage to Hamden in 1950, although that storm was not nearly as devastating overall as the '38 storm. The last official hurricane to hit Hamden with significant damage was Gloria, in 1985.
Posted 9/3/10
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New England Hurricane of 1938
Damage in Hamden
but much worse east of the area
| Hurricane of November 1950
Hamden hit as bad as,
or worse than '38
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| Dixwell Avenue near Skiff - CLICK to view more Hamden photos of the '38 Hurricane |
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| Whitney Avenue where Whitney Manor Convalescent Home stands today - CLICK to view Hamden photos of the '50 Hurricane |
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Labor Daze
September 17, 1979 - Hamden Firefighters Protest Town's Intransigence
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| Paul Petrillo, Bill Coppola and Harry Cubbellotti were among dozens of Hamden firefighters picketing town hall. (Dan Satran photo from the New Haven Journal-Courier courtesy of Paul Petrillo) - CLICK to enlarge |
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| Frank Kafka, John Corbett, Bob Macauley, Dave Johnson and Wayne Lowry on the picket line at town hall. (New Haven Register staff photo by Patricia G. Barnes) - CLICK to enlarge |
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It's hard to imagine today, but in the late 1970s inflation was running at a crazy annual rate of 14%. Many employees in private industry were getting annual raises in the double digits. Municipal public safety emplyees, however, were getting raises in the low single digits - if they got raises at all.
It was a difficult time. Hamden firefighters hadn't received any raise in over two years and they were well into their second year without a contract. And the town wasn't "into" negotiating.
On Monday, September 17, 1979, members of the newly-formed Hamden Professional Firefighters, Local 2687, IAFF, hit the streets with picket signs in front of Memorial Town Hall.
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Chan Brainard's Amazing Collection!
Regular visitors to this website are probably familiar with Chan Brainard, whose numerous photos and written contributions have been published here since the website began over a year ago. Since he was a young kid in the mid-1940s, Chan has amassed an enormous collection of fire department equipment, photos, uniforms, documents, and other related artifacts and memorabilia from all over the world - all of which got started in Hamden.
Chan sent us some photos of his magnificent collection, which occupies a significant portion of his Signal Hill, California home. Among his Hamden items are Chief Spencer's helmet, a homemade annunciator used at Station 2 many years ago, and many one-of-a-kind photos which Chan has been kind enough to share with the website since the beginning. Enjoy!
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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. (I.A. Sneiderman photo) |
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September 4, 1975
Mt. Carmel Annex Dedication
Thirty-five years ago, the annex of Station 5 in Mt. Carmel was officially dedicated in a ceremony that featured Mayor Lucien DiMeo, Chief V. Paul Leddy and Rev. Owen Sandesron, department chaplain, as the featured speaker.
Two unrelated facts about the event stand out three and one-half decades later. First, it was the last time a completely new structure was built for the purpose of housing Hamden fire apparatus. And second, the event was video taped at a time when home video was still years in the future.
CLICK to view remarks by Chief Leddy, Mayor DiMeo and Rev. Sanderson. Several past and present members of the paid department (in 1975!) were introduced by Chief Leddy.
Posted 9/4/10
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| April 9, 1975 - Ff. Ron Altieri at the watch desk at Station 2. Within the next couple of hours Truck 1 would move to Station 5 to make room for Rescue 2. |
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| 1926 Maxim at the 2010 Engine 260 Muster - This pumper is most like Hamden's 1928 750 GPM Maxim that served as Engine 3 from 1928 until 1952. |
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