| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2015
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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New Toys and Old Coats Wanted
Local 2687 is holding a drive to collect new toys and good used coats for families in need this Christmas season.
New unwrapped toys and used (or new) coats in good condition can be dropped off anytime at Station 3, corner of Hartford Tpke and Ridge Road.
Posted 12/11/15
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55 Years Ago!
December 13, 1960
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| New Haven Evening Register, Wednesday, December 14, 1960 (Courtesy of Chan Brainard) |
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| Retired Battalion Chief Tom Doherty is one of the HFRA's most active retirees. He was appointed to the department fifty-five years ago this week and retired in 1996 after nearly 36 years on the job.
Oh yeah, also this week Tom turned 80. The members of the HFRA wish Tom a Happy 80th.
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| BC Doherty September 1994 |
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Aug. 30, 1996 at 0800 hrs. - After more than 35 years on the job, many present and former members of Platoon 3 bid farewell to B/C Tom Doherty at the conclusion of his final shift. Four of the attendees that morning nearly two decades ago are still on the job.
Standing L-R: Lt. Frank Critchett, Dep. Chief Tim Sullivan, Capt. Dave Johnson, Capt. Paul Wetmore, Jr., Batt. Chief Doherty, Dave McDermott, Ed Emerson, Kurt Vogt, Jim Moore, Paul Frodel, Mark Pratt, Rich Otlowski, Harold Mangler, Bob Stacy, Roberta Angiletta, Capt. Don LaBanca, John O'Dea, Rob Madigoski, Paul Durkin, Joe Anderson, John Longo, and Lt. Doug Yocher. Kneeling: Harold Prescher, Mike Green, Henry Puciato, and Bob Anthony.
Tom was succeeded as Platoon 3 shift commander by Paul Wetmore, Jr., who was succeeded by Don LaBanca, who was succeeded earlier this year by Rich Otlowski. All three are pictured here.
CLICK to enlarge.
(Photo by Ff. Scott Chasney)
Originally posted 8/19/09
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Happy Birthday B/C Doherty!
The Man Hits the Big 8-0
Friday, December 11th - About ten active department members were on hand at Station 3 Thursday afternoon to wish Tom Doherty many happy returns on his 80th birthday the previous Monday. The crew at 3s provided a tasty chocolate cake for Tom as well as for Dave Johnson, whose birthday was Thursday.
While everyone sat around the kitchen table enjoying their cake, Dep. Chief Gary Merwede recalled his first encounter with Battalion Chief Doherty twenty-one years earlier. While perched upon the fender of the 1988 GMC that was Rescue 2, brand new recruit firefighter Merwede watched Batt. Chief Doherty whisk by him to speak to the lieutenant, "Ya wanna tell the bald guy to get off the rescue?"
Everyone roared, especially Tom. And that was only one of dozens of classic firehouse stories shared in Station 3's kitchen Thursday afternoon, many of which involved our brothers who are long gone but not forgotten. And, as D/C Merwede correctly noted, "You just can't make this stuff up."
Tom revealed afterward how glad he was to know that his no-nonsense management style - firm, always fair, and usually peppered with a hint of humor - and many of his patented expressions were known to many of today's active personnel who came on the job long after Tom left it. And, hopefully, never to be forgotten.
Posted 12/11/15
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Lt. Rich Lennon, Ff. Dave Beaton, Ff. Doug O'Rourke, B/C Gary Couture, B/C Tom Doherty (Ret.),
Capt. Dave Johnson (Ret.), Ff. Paul Anderson, Capt. Brion Tierney and Ff. Mike Dowling.
CLICK to enlarge.
(Photo by Dep. Marshal Tim Lunn)
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| "I remember this guy!" |
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| Dave and Tom feted by Pl. 4 at 3s. Thank you, guys! |
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The guys at Station 3 helped retirees Tom Doherty and Dave Johnson celebrate their birthdays when
they stopped by Station 3 on Thursday afternoon. Tom hit the Big 8-0 on Monday. Dave's not talking.
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Posterity Project
Platoon 2 - Car 3
The website is celebrating today's future HFD retirees with the HFRA "Posterity Project," a collection of photographs
of every current active member of the department, line and staff. A new photo will be posted here each week.
Featured this week is the shift commander of Platoon 2, Battalion Chief Ronald Desroches.
Posted 12/11/15
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| Battalion Chief Ronald Desroches beside Car 3 at Station 3 |
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Spark Time
The HFRA thanks website contributor Rob Palmer for these two photos, new to the website, of Hamden's 1938 Diamond-T "Emergency Squad," taken c. 1939 by photographer Arthur Selleck (from the collection of the Connecticut Firemen's Historical Society in Manchester).
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| Photo by Arthur Selleck (Connecticut Firemen's Historical Society) |
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| Photo by Arthur Selleck (Connecticut Firemen's Historical Society) |
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For the guys at Station 3 yesterday . . .
(You had to be there)
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| CLICK TO SEE KERMIT IN CONTEXT |
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