| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc |
| Please keep our first responders in your thoughts and prayers. |
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| MAY 2020
For the duration of the COVID emergency, we are opening up
all password protected pages except those for Members Only.
Enjoy!
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut to be lowered to half-staff as a mark of solemn respect for Connecticut State Police Trooper First Class Eugene Kenneth Baron, Jr, who passed away on Monday, May 25, 2020, following a courageous battle with cancer as a result of his response and service in support of New York City in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. His passing is classified as a line of duty death.
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Flags should be lowered immediately and remain lowered until sunset on the date of interment, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 30. Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags, including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise, should also be lowered during this same duration of time.
Posted on May 26, 2020
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WISHING EVERYONE A SAFE AND MEANINGFUL MEMORIAL DAY
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MEMORIAL DAY FLAG DISPLAY
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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut to be flown at half-staff on Monday, May 25, 2020, from sunrise until noon in observation of Memorial Day to honor and mourn those who have died while serving the United States Armed Forces. As is customary and unique for this holiday, flags are lowered throughout the duration of the morning and then raised to full-staff promptly at noon for the remainder of the day. Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags, including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise, should also be lowered during this same duration of time.
Posted 5/22/2020
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| Engine 5 at Hamden High School - CLICK to enlarge |
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| Old Glory displayed on south side of high school - CLICK to enlarge |
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| CLICK photo to read entire Register story. |
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| Hamden Firefighters Tackle Brush Fire on "Dangerous Terrain" on the Giant
May 20 - Hamden Chief Gary Merwede reported in a New Haven Register article earlier today that Hamden firefighters fought a difficult blaze last night on "dangerous terrain" at Sleeping Giant State Park.
Firefighters left once it was completely dark and were expected to return this morning to continue wetting down the area.
In addition to the fire, which was fought with the assistance of Department of Energy and Environmental Protection employees, some lost hikers were also reported but were later found uninjured.
An estimated 500 acres of state woodland are destroyed by fire each year.
CLICK HERE for the entire Register story.
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| May 14 - To salute Connecticut's health care workers for the service they are providing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Connecticut Air National Guard conducted Operation American Resolve on Thursday, May 14. The Guard's C-130H aircraft flew over hospitals and other health care facilities throughout the state.
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There are so many front line workers in Connecticut providing care, and this Connecticut's way of saluting them and saying thank you. They are true heroes, and the amount of good they are providing for our state is immeasurable.
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We photographed and videoed the C130H flying over northern Hamden at 11:55 a.m.
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May 14th Hamden Fly-over - 11:55 p.m. (CLICK on the icon) |
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| Video courtesy of Anna Johnson
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| Former HFD career Firefighter William "Bill" Bossoli |
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One of Our "New" Members Turns 101
William "Bill" Bossoli became a member of the HFRA last year on his centennial birthday. On September 11, 1950 he was sworn in with six other recruits, some of whom we worked with through the years. But like several other young firefighters at the time, Bill could not raise his family on the wages paid to Hamden firefighters in those days. So, by 1956, Bill packed it in to go into private industry - his own - as a watch and clock repairman. On Monday, May 18th, Bill will celebrate his 101st birthday,
Bill entered the fire service in 1938 as a new member of the Mt. Carmel Volunteer Fire Co. After World War II, he and his brother Charles opened up a Tydol service station at the corner of Whitney Avenue and Home Place, which was the site of a raging gasoline fed fire thirty-nine years later (check out May 17, 2019 page).
When their business went belly-up in 1950, Bill joined the Hamden Fire Department with six others, including Richie Lostritto, now a youthful 94 and an active member of the HFRA. Bill and Richie worked together in the same crew at Headquarters led by then-Capt. Paul Leddy, who was Bill's fellow 8th grade graduate of the Class of 1933 at Mt. Carmel School.
Happy Birthday, Bill!
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This COVID-19 video can be downloaded to your computer or viewed on your iPhone. Check it out.
It contains lots of important information about the coronavirus that may be new to most of you.
Please stay well, and stay safe!
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COVID-19 UPDATE -Very good info for everyone |
From North Brandord Patch - North Branford Emergency Medical Responder Antonio Grandetti was killed Monday in a motor vehicle accident, according to the North Branfiord Fire Department. "The heartfelt sympathy of the entire department is extended to the family of the deceased in the midst of the greatest loss that they and the department have sustained," a message from Chief William Seward reads. The HFRA extends condolences to the Grandetti family and the members of the North Branford Fire Department.
CLICK HERE
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Lois Sanderson
1934 - 2020
We are deeply saddened to report the peaceful passing of Lois Sanderson, 85, beloved wife of Hamden Fire Department and Hamden Fire Retirees Assn. Chaplain, Rev. Owen Sanderson, in St. Raphael's Hospital, on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
A Memorial Service celebrating Lois' life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are in the care of Beecher and Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. To send condolences to Lois' family, please see her obituary at www.beecherandbennett.com.
Please keep Rev. Sanderson and his family in your thoughts and prayers at this very sad time.
CLICK HERE to read Mrs. Sanderson's complete obituary in The New Haven Register
Posted 5/10/2020
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May 8, 2020 - 75th Anniversary of VE Day!
HFD WWII Survivors: William Bossoli, John Laffin, and Richard Lostritto
God Bless You!
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| Photo courtesy of Hamden Fire Department Twitter - CLICK to enlarge |
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For the last several weeks, volunteer researchers with the Hamden Historical Society have been designing an online survey to allow adult Hamden residents to share their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
Take the COVID Survey!
Posted 4/19/2020
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G'bye Car 44!
May 2, 2020 - For the past several weeks, Lt. Jay McCarthy (AKA "Car 44") was attached to the Training Office as the department's Safety Officer during the height of the COVID response. When his temporary assignment concluded this past week, Lt. McCarthy was given this solemn send-off by the guys, which included removing the special ID shield from his helmet while a piper played "Amazing Grace." Now it's back to the line, Loo.
If you're not in the fire service you may not fully appreciate the chemistry at work here. Kudos to Lt. McCarthy for a job well done.
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50 Years Ago!
MAY DAY 1970
It was a very different and tulmultuous era. Connecticut National Guard soldiers were stationed on the four corners of all central downtown New Haven streets. In Hamden, fire and police department preparations for the 1970 May Day Weekend were perhaps the most stringent since Pearl Harbor. Nine members of the Black Panther Party were about to stand trial in New Haven for the 1969 murder of an alleged FBI informant. Hamden's fire and police departments were among the many New Haven Area public safety agencies that went on high alert due to the possibility of civil unrest promoted by "outside leftwing agitators."
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| Courtesy of the Miller Memorial Library Microfilm Collection - CLICK TO ENLARGE |
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The number of Hamden career firefighters assigned to each of three platoons, already bolstered by the impending addition of a fourth platoon several months later, was enhanced even further over the three-day weekend that began with Friday, May 1st.
Hamden's four volunteer fire companies also manned their stations continuously from Friday evening until Monday morning. For the first time in memory, if ever, a career officer was assigned to Station 5 for the Friday and Saturday night shifts, Lieut. Bill Hines on Friday and Capt. Paul Rosadina on Saturday. Department-wide anxiety was heightened ever further on Saturday night with reports of a bombing at Yale's Ingall's Rink on Prospect Street.
Fortunately, when the standby was all over, the only fire department activities in Hamden were a number of false alarms, most originating from Quinnipiac College (see the May 7, 1970 Hamden Chronicle article below).
Don Steele was the captain of Co. 5 at the time. At right is the page from his record book showing the May Day stand-by the company's volunteers. Other logbook entries list the remaining volunteer calls for the 1969-70 fiscal year, which ended on September 30th.
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Brush fires, especially on Sleeping Giant, usually covered large areas and were very time consuming. The two career firefighters assigned to Station 5 truly appreciated their volunteers for those jobs. Most of the "paid men" at 5's were also members of the company. Several of them are also mentioned among the volunteer personnel who responded. It was a very different era.
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| Courtesy of the Miller Memorial Library Microfilm Collection - CLICK TO ENLARGE |
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Platoon 3, Station 3
L to R: B/C Rich Otlowski, Ff. Brian Leddy, Ff. Mike Onofrio, Lt. Kurt Vogt, Capt. Jeff Naples, Ff. Seth Patrick, and Ff. Zach Criscuolo. CLICK to enlarge.
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| FROM HAMDEN ELDERLY SERVICES; A BIG THANK YOU!! Goes out to Hamden CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) for helping Hamden Elderly Services today!! CERT delivered prepared frozen meals & supplemental bags of food to Hamden Seniors! We appreciate all you do for our community! pic.twitter.com/Se25jk9BGu |
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| 4/28/20, 10:28 PM |
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| Hamden CERT Volunteers - CLICK to enlarge |
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| N. Branford Mayor Bob Viglione |
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| Bob Viglione came on the department in 1969. He retired twenty years ago at the rank of captain. For many years Bob was in charge of the department's Haz-Mat Team, but in all those years he never faced the kind of invisible enemy that he faced during the last few weeks.
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After Bob retired in 2000, he opened his barber shop on Rt. 80 in North Branford. Many of our other local retirees are his regulars (he gives damn good haircuts). Several years ago Bob got involved in local politics and last November, by virture of acquiring the most votes of all council candidates, he was elected Mayor.
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Sometime in March, Bob Viglione became infected with the coronavirus that has been plaguing the nation and the world. He endured some very scary moments - indeed, weeks.
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NEVER FORGET!
We will always remember our brother firefighters who made the supreme sacrifice, and the thousands of other innocent victims who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Always keep them, their families and the FDNY in your thoughts and prayers.
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