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Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc.
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FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2013

Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary

CLICK to go to HGSRA webpage
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HFRA Spring Meeting at the Elks
 
About 20 members gathered at the Elks Hall last Tuesday, April 9th, for the 18th regular meeting of the Hamden Fire Retirees' Association.  President Mark Barletta welcomed our old friend and colleague Ed Kopjanski to his first meeting.  We'd been trying to find Ed for four years!  Ed retired in 1984 after 26 years on the job.  He and his wife Judy now live in Madison.
 
NOTE:  Minutes of the April 9th meeting will not be published on the website at this time.  Members wishing to receive the minutes should email the website: HFDBadge102@aol.com.
Posted 4/12/13

Ed Kopjanski, Bobby Viglione, Mark Barletta and Ray Dobbs
John Reynolds, John O'Dea, Ed Kopjanski, Gil Spencer, Bobby Viglione and Chick Manware
Chick Manware, Harold Mangler, Tom Doherty, Richie Lostritto, and Augie Williams. Ray Dobbs, Jim Leddy and Ralph Purificato at the table in back.
Richie Lostritto, Augie Williams, Brian Forsyth and Joe Yoga
Mark Barletta and Dave Johnson
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April 1976
 
Thirty-seven years ago this month the second rescue, funded partly through Hamden's Unitas Club, was placed in service in conjunction with the certification of Hamden's first paramedics.  Although this newspaper photo was shot at Station 4, the new Rescue 2 was placed in service at Station 2 on April 9, 1976.
Posted 4/12/13

Newspaper Article courtesy of Gil Spencer
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Reporter Joe Zeigler photographed 16-year old Chan Brainard on Co. 4's 1939 Diamond-T pumper with station mascot "Blackie" for an article that was published in July 15, 1954 edition of The Hamden Chronicle.  The building to the far right is still standing.  The building to the left is long gone - now a parking lot for Eli's on Whitney.
 
Note the SNET repair truck with the Bell System logo on the door, parked at the curb.  Bell System vehicles were painted dark olive green until the late 1960s when they went white.  Curbside parking on Whitney between School and Dixwell was permitted until the early 1970s.
Posted 4/12/13

Hamden Chronicle photo by Joe Zeigler
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A few weeks ago, the website ran a small item about the 1998 demise of the Gamewell telegraph fire alarm system in Hamden.  Many municipalities today still employ Gamewell fire alarm street and master boxes.  Below are a couple of pages from a 1930s Gamewell catalog, courtesy of Victor Mitchell, which show the Cleveland, Ohio Class "A" Gamewell alarm center.  Each alarm circuit had its own tape register to record fire box locations when alarms were received, and the dispatcher then retransmitted the box to the appropriate stations.  CFD must have had a man whose sole job was just to keep the tape registers and take up reels wound.  More Gamewell catalog photos will be published here in the future.
Posted 4/12/13

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