| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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| CLICK to go to HGSRA webpage |
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1965 - Testing Hose at Station 2
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| (Photo by Stan Brown) |
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Chan Brainard sent this 1965 photo by Stan Brown of the old 1st Platoon testing hose at Station 2. Those whose faces can be seen are (L-R) Ff. Dave Herrmann, Capt. Francis "Chalky" Leddy, Ff. Sid Trower, Ff. Howard Hurlburt, Sr., and Ff. John McKee.
Posted 10/12/12
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New Home for Hamden's First Tower 1
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| Jennings Township, Indiana Tower 1 - 1991 Pierce Lance 1500/350/100' (Photo by Frank Wegloski) |
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Firefighter Daryl Osiecki found these photos of Hamden's first Tower 1, by photographer Frank Wegloski, on the www.firenews.org website. Mr. Wegloski generously gave permission to the HFRA to post them on our website. The 1991 Pierce Lance 100' "quint" tower ladder was in service here until early last year. When Hamden's new Smeal Tower was delivered in March 2011, the Pierce was sold to the Jennings Township Fire Department of Austin, Indiana.
Looking as good as it did the day it was delivered, Tower 1 continues to serve the city of Austin, Indiana as an active piece of firefighting apparatus.
Posted 10/12/12
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| Jennings Township, Indiana Tower 1 - 1991 Pierce Lance 1500/350/100' (Photo by Frank Wegloski) |
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The sale of Hamden's 1991 Pierce Tower to Austin, Indiana was not the first time one of our trucks was purchased by another fire department. In 1963, Hamden's 1941 Diamond-T city service ladder truck was sold to New Milford's Water Witch Fire Co. for $2,200. The 22 year old truck had been stored at Station 5 since the delivery of Hamden's first aerial truck more than four years earlier. The truck resurfaced in Hamden just in time for the 1986 Hamden Bicentennial, although the snazzy rear fender skirts that accompanied its 1942 delivery were long gone. Does anyone know its present whereabouts?
Posted 10/12/12
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| Brand new in '42 - CLICK to enlarge |
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| Still looking good in '86 - CLICK to enlarge |
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October Meeting at the Elks
A record number of HFRA members attended the recent October meeting of the Association. Election of officers for 2013 took place.
Chairman Bob Maturo of the newly organized Hamden Guardian Services Retirees Assn. LLC spoke to the members regarding that association's goal of protecting the pensions and benefits of those Hamden police and fire department retirees who join the HGSRA.
In less than one month, more than half of the retirees of both departments have joined. For more information, CLICK on the HGSRA tab on the menu at the top of this page.
Posted 10/12/12
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| March 1973 - Don on his 1951 Seagrave pumper |
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G. Donald "Don" Steele
1919 - 2012
It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of G. Donald "Don" Steele, 93. A memorial service for Don was held last Tuesday at Elim Park in Cheshire.
Don was an active member of Co. 5 from the early 1960s until well into the 1980s, having served as its captain from 1967 to 1972. Don was also very active in other fire service organizations in Connecticut, including New Haven's Box 22 Associates and the New Haven County Fire Emergency Plan, of which he was secretary for many years.
An enthusiastic fan of the fire service, Don was also an experienced ham radio operator. Since it was established in June of three years ago, the HFRA website has featured many of Don's photos of the early days of the Hamden Fire Department.
Don attended the April 26, 2011 Co. 5 member reunion and the November 11, 2011 Centennial Celebration at the Elks, at which he was one of three World War II veterans presented with a quilt from Quilts of Honor. Our thoughts and prayers are with Don's family.
Posted 10/12/12
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