Chief bids farewell to friends and co-workers at Town Hall
The culmination of more than twelve years as Chief of the Hamden Fire Department, David Berardesca's last day before starting his retirement began with a large reception in the rotunda of Memorial Town Hall. Scores of friends, including Hamden's firefighters and department retirees, other department heads and assorted town hall employees, were on hand to congratulate the Chief on the final day of his 39-year career in the fire service.
Mayor Curt Balzano-Leng read a proclamation naming October 12, 2018 as "Chief David A. Berardesca Day in Hamden." State Senator Logan presented the Chief with a Proclamation from the Connecticut General Assembly.
A Very Full Career
David Berardesca began his fire service career as a volunteer firefighter in Wallingford. He was appointed to the career department there in 1978 and rose through the ranks to Deputy Chief, where he was in charge of training. He was appointed Chief of the Hamden Fire Department in August 2006, succeeding Chief James Leddy, who retired following 33 years of service.
In his proclamation, Mayor Curt Balzano-Leng noted, “Chief Berardesca (Chief B as we know him) has been an excellent leader in the Hamden Fire Department and in his role as Hamden’s Director of Emergency Management. We have counted on him to provide fire & emergency management services for over a decade and through his tenure, our medical, fire and emergency management response efforts have strengthened and improved, despite dramatic increases in call volume the Department receives.”
Many Accomplishments
Among many improvements during Chief Berardesca's tenure was the replacement of an aging fleet of apparatus. Throughout his tenure as Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management, Berardesca strongly advocated for and pursued the purchase and provision of modern fire safety equipment, major apparatus and emergency tools in an overarching effort to improve Hamden’s emergency response efforts and readiness. He replaced all major fire apparatus including paramedic rescues. Three new Paramedic vehicles and a new fire pumper are slated for delivery within the next few months.
Chief Berardesca was instrumental in modernizing the Fire Marshal’s Office and increasing fire prevention inspections with the creation of two permanent fire inspector positions, as well as modernizing the Department’s permitting operations by moving much to an easily accessible and more efficient online system.
Chief Berardesca was also on the forefront of ensuring that other helpful technologies were adopted for public safety; including implementation of electronic patient care reporting for medical incidents via the use of iPads in paramedic vehicles, iPads in all fire apparatus to assist with mapping, preplanning, hazardous material referencing and more. Furthermore, the Chief replaced all portable radios though the “Assistance to Firefighters Grant” or AFG.
Chief Berardesca elevated the Department’s training division though the addition of a well-coordinated approach of requiring mandatory training hours as implemented by the Department’s Training Officer.
Welcomed into the HFRA
Traditionally, new fire department retirees are given their first year's membership gratis, courtesy of the HFRA E-Board. The Secretary of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association presented Chief Berardesca with his freshly-printed HFRA 2019 membership card. The Chief replied that he looks forward to attending the next meeting - a breakfast meeting in January.
The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association thank Chief David Berardesca for his twelve years of dedicated service in the Hamden Fire Department and congratulate him on his retirement. We wish him and his wife Opal many happy and healthy years ahead.
Posted 10/12/2018
