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July 2021
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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5 Years Ago!
Hamden Fire Retirees Association Started With an Invitation
April 7, 2009 - After years of talking about it, a number of retired Hamden firefighters decided it was time to do something about it. Five years ago this week a few retirees got together in the back of Bob Viglione's barber shop in North Branford to stuff scores of envelopes addressed to those fire retirees who could be located. The envelopes contained invitations to meet the following month to form a retirees' association. And we did! Five years later, nearly 80% of all retirees have joined.
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HFRA Spring Quarterly Meeting
Next Wednesday, April 9th, NOON
Hamden Elks' Lodge, 175 School Street
Meeting Agenda
Anything for the Good of the Association
Menu
Sausage, Pepper Parmesan sub or Meatball Parmesan sub,
all-you-can-eat Penne - $7.00!
All retirees and active HFD welcome!
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| Jim Moore took this nice shot of the refurbished '73 Maxim at Station 9 sometime in the late 1980s. |
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50 Years Ago - "Search and Communications Drill"
On Sunday, April 5, 1964, members of Hamden's paid and volunteer fire companies participated in a "search and communications" drill. A few days later, the New Haven Journal-Courier reported that the drill, conducted by Chief V. Paul Leddy and Civil Defense Director Dep. Chief Daniel Hume, was also a test of the "new citizen's band radio operation."
The object of the drill was to locate a supposedly radioactive 15" square box that had been hidden the day before somewhere in Brooksvale Park. The box was located by Co. 8 Capt. John DeMatteo after only two and one-half hours. Using radiological detection instruments, the box was determined to be safe for removal. Members of the West Woods Women's Auxiliary provided refreshments.
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| Courtesy of Gil Spencer and Chan Brainard - CLICK to enlarge |
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Not mentioned in the newspaper caption were Co. 5 members Jim Mathis and Don Steele, who were standing off to the right. Among the other drill participants pictured were future career member, Ed Doiron, who would join the department at the end of the year, and Fred Fletcher, who already was an 18-year department member. Fred was an elected line officer of Co. 5 at the time.
When significant emergencies occurred in those days, all off-duty career department personnel were expected to return to duty. So, career members who lived in volunteer districts were often active members of those volunteer companies.
Posted 4/4/14
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Firefighter Stan Brown took this portait of Station 2 sometime in the mid-1960s. When the 1913 fire station was enlarged to three bays in 1951, the IDs above the bay doors corresponded to the apparatus housed therein. But later interior changes dictated swapping of positions. (L-R) - Engine 2 (1959 Maxim), Truck 1 (1958 Maxim) and Engine 1 (1938 Seagrave).
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| Stan Brown Photo courtesy of Chan Brainard |
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Despite the "TRUCK 1" sign above the door, the official department term to denote this type of apparatus was "Ladder." On July 1, 1974, radio designations for all apparatus were changed and "Ladder 42" became "Truck 1." Previously, the department term for the 1941 Diamond-T and 1926 Maxim city service ladder trucks was "Hook and Ladder."
Photo courtesy of Chan Brainard - Posted 4/4/14
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April 9, 1976 - Mark Pratt mugged it up for the camera while driving Engine 2 to the Shop at the back of Station 2 for fuel. With the number of gasoline-powered engines dwindling, the gasoline pump located between the two bay doors of the Shop was gone by 1988.
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January 1, 1999
Between mid-1995 and the end of 1998, seventeen department members retired and fifteen vacancies were filled. Chief Paul Wetmore, Sr., who succeeded Chief John Tramontano in 1993, retired in 1996 after 34 years of service. Asst. Chief Tim Sullivan was appointed Chief to succeed Wetmore. Dep. Fire Marshal Ed Badamo was appointed Asst. Chief to succeed Sullivan. Lt. John Spencer was appointed Deputy Fire Marshal to succeed Badamo.
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Also in 1996, Battalion Chief Tom Doherty retired after 35 years on the job. In 1998, Capt. Paul Wetmore Jr. was promoted to succeed Doherty as battalion chief of Platoon 3. Lt. Dave Strawhince was promoted captain to succeed Wetmore.
Lt. Jack Calamo retired in 1996 with 26 years of service. Lt. Bob Kelo retired in 1998 with 27½ years of service. The four lieutenant vacancies that occurred during this period were filled by Firefighters Jim Dunlop, Bernie Amatrudo, Dennis Harrison and Gary Couture.
Asst. Supt. of Alarms and Apparatus Ray Chase was appointed to replace Supt. Mike Murray, who requested reassignment back to the line. Firefighter Tom Conway was appointed to replace Chase as Asst. Supt.
Thirteen firefighters also retired during this period, leaving a total of 17 vacancies: Frank Kafka (28 years), Bill Davin (30 years), Tom Hart (16½ years), George Patten (34 years), Mark Pratt (22½ years), Tony Melillo (27½ years), Fred "Chick" Manware (25 years), Dave McDermott (28 years), Tom Mikolinski (26 years), Harold Prescher (17½ years), Jim Moore (30 years), Ralph Dievert (29 years), and Jim Koutsopolos (28 years).
Fifteen of the 17 firefighter vacancies were filled by Timothy Lunn, Jeffery Pechmann, Donald Paczowski, Paul Turner, John Bradbury, Paul Anderson, Brian Badamo, Jeffrey Woodford,, Edwin Evers, Kevin Shields, Bryon Tierney, Raymond Pouncey, Julio Lopes, Douglass Taylor and John Grasso.
Posted 4/4/14
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| January 1, 1999 |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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Nineteen members and two guests attended the HFRA's Spring Meeting at the Hamden Elks Hall on April 9th. Before the start of the meeting, the members gathered for a group photo in front of the hall. Following a brief meeting, the members sat down for another fine meal prepared by Brian Forsyth and the Elks' own Ollie.
Posted 4/11/14
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| (Thanks to Dave Beaton for snapping this photo.) |
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In Some Communities Whistles Replaced Sirens During WWII
This New Haven Evening Register article dated April 10, 1942 reported that whistles would soon replace sirens as warning devices on New Haven fire apparatus, lest the fire sirens be confused with those that provided air raid warnings. We would like to know if this practice continued for the duration of the war. And did it extend to Hamden? Maybe.
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| Courtesy of the New Haven Free Public Library Microfilm Collection |
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Co. 7's 1935 Dodge Bros. truck was equipped with a WWII-era whistle, and it was often used in place of the siren well into the 1970s. Whether or not other Hamden apparatus were also equipped with whistles during the war is a question that has yet to be answered.
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Three Honored at 2014 Local 2687 Annual Dinner
April 5, 2014
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| Retirees Surprise and Angiletta |
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Local 2687, I.A.F.F. honored three veteran firefighters during the local's annual retirement dinner last Saturday evening at the Laurel View Country Club. Local Vice President Dave Beaton emceed the event, which honored retired Deputy Chief Robert Surprise (33 years of service), Firefighter-Paramedic Roberta Angiletta (19 years of service), and Firefighter John Bradbury (15 years of service), who was not present.
Chief David Berardesca thanked and praised all three retirees for their service. He called Surprise as a true "gentleman's gentleman" and a "Renaissance Man," noting that Bob had worked himself up through all the ranks to become Deputy Fire Chief. "I could not have asked for a better deputy chief."
Receiving the Local's gift of a retirement watch from Local President Kurt Vogt, Roberta praised the personnel she worked with during her 19 year tenure. Noting the many sleepless nights on the rescue, she extended a special thanks to "two special people, Kurt Vogt and Paul Turner, for putting up with me all these years." On her first day on the job, a fellow firefighter riding Engine 4 lent her his bunker coat to keep warm. "I knew then it was going to be a good career; I knew I was accepted . . . It was my honor and my pleasure working with all of you guys."
Bob Surprise praised the many officers and firefighters he served with throughout his 33-year career, and gave special recognition to his family "for putting up with the nights, the weekends, and all the holidays and missed special occasions," something that all career firefighters and their families understand.
Music for the event was provided by DJ, Firefighter Doug O'Rourke.
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(Photos by Bob Mordecai)
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| Bob Mordecai, Austin Williams, Bob Anthony, John Bellmore, Tom Doherty, Gil Spencer, Dave Johnson, Ed Kopjanski, Mark Pratt, Jim Leddy, John Poe, Bob Slater, Harold Mangler, Chick Manware, Jim Dunlop, Bob Westervelt, Rev. Owen Sanderson and John O'Dea |
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Future History Dept.
Newest Firefighter Sworn In
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| Chief Berardesca, Firefighter Borrelli and D/C Merwede (Photo by Ff. Kevin Shields) |
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| The rotunda of Memorial Town Hall was the setting last Monday for the swearing-in of Hamden's newest firefighter, West Haven native Nicholas Borrelli.
In an email to the website, Deputy Chief Gary Merwede noted that Nick "put himself through paramedic school following UCONN to achieve his goal of becoming a career firefighter." Prior to his appointment, Firefighter-Paramedic Borrelli had served for three years with the New London Fire Department.
D/C Merwede also noted that in Borrelli's interview with the Fire Commission, he "took the time to recount some of our [HFD] history, and was very informed as to the current structure of the department."
D/C Merwede credits the HFRA website and the Local for "making a good impression on the web!"
The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association wish Firefighter-Paramedic Borrelli a long, fulfilling and safe career with the Hamden Fire Department.
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| Photo courtesy of @NEFirebuff and @pictureboston |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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30 Years Ago - "Hamden at Work"
During 1983-84, Storer Cable Television of New Haven produced "Hamden at Work," hosted by former newspaperman Frank Whalen. The program showcased a different town department each week. On April 17, 1984, "Hamden at Work" featured the Hamden Fire Department in two simulations, a priority one medical emergency and a mountain rescue at the quarry at Sleeping Giant State Park off Tuttle Avenue.
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| Chief V. Paul Leddy on "Hamden at Work" - April 17, 1984 |
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| Mr. Whalen began the broadcast by introducing outgoing Hamden Fire Chief V. Paul Leddy, who retired less than two weeks later after more than 23 years as chief. Chief-designate John Tramontano and Assistant Chief-designate Walter T. Macdowall were also present to narrate the mountain rescue and EMS simulations, respectively. They would be sworn in on April 30th.
Lasting just over eleven minutes, this video is the first half of the broadcast, which featured the stabilization a cardiac arrest victim and the various associated procedures and protocols in effect at the time. (The mountain rescue simulation will be posted with next Friday's website update.)
In the EMS scenario, which was taped in a small office in the town hall, "Mr. Johnson" was portrayed by Ff. Charlie "Chaz" Cargan. His secretary was Jill from the town clerk's office. Lieut./EMT Bob Westervelt and Firefighter/EMT Paul Petrillo of Engine 4 arrived first, followed by Rescue 1's Firefighter/Paramedic Tom Conway and Firefighter/EMT Ray Ramelli.
Posted 4/18/14
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Website thanks to retired captain and HFRA member Dennis Baker for providing some photos he took of his Platoon 4 buddies at Station 2 in 1979, about a year after coming on the job.
Posted 4/18/14
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Ff. Ronnie Altieri at the desk in the officer's room, such as it was, at Station 2.
The officer assigned to Station 2 on Platoon 4 was Lieut. John Tramontano (his photos to be featured next week).
| Ff. Billy "Badass" Mulcahy at the watch desk. Note the rotary dial phone on the desk and the Gamewell tape register on the shelf behind. The object on the shelf next to the tape take-up reel was a huge rolodex with running cards listing the apparatus on each fire alarm box.
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Mulcahy is reading, apparently unaware that Ronnie is up to something. Watch desk amenities consisted only of a radio - note the make-shift antenna - and whatever reading material was available. Firefighters "sat watch" in two-hour shifts from 0800 to 1800, and one-hour shifts from 1800 to 2300. Last man on watch cleaned the kitchen.
Posted 4/18/14
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45 Years Ago
Tuesday, April 22, 1969 - The members of Co. 5 were just leaving the firehouse following a very long regular monthly meeting when the bell hit for this water rescue at the Ives Street bridge over Mill River. The driver of the 1966 Pontiac was rescued by Hamden police Sergeant Burton Brockett.
Dazed from his ordeal, the 23-year old vehicle operator insisted that a female companion was with him in the vehicle when it went off the road. Hamden police officer John O'Connor was injured while trying to locate the woman in the wreckage. Several police and career and volunteer firefighters waded around in the swollen Mill River for about twenty minutes in a vain atempt to locate the woman, who was apparently safe at home with her parents.
Posted 4/18/14
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| The New Haven Register, Wednesday, April 23, 1969 - Courtesy of Chan Brainard |
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| The Hamden Chronicle - Thursday, April 24, 1969 |
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Seasonal Delivery for the Kids
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| Easter 1969 - Firefighters John Tramontano and Frank Eitler make a delivery to Brooksvale Park (New Haven Register, April 1, 1969 - Courtesy of Gil Spencer) |
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| Hamden Fire Retirees Association, Inc. |
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| CLICK here for daily flag status |
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FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014
Website is updated every Friday - Important interim updates will be posted when necessary
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| CLICK to monitor HFD radio |
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30 Years Ago
An end to one era; the start of another
Today there are only three active department members who worked under Chief V. Paul Leddy, who retired thirty years ago this coming Sunday following a 42-year career on the department, the last 23 as fire chief. Chief Leddy was succeeded by Chief John Tramontano, who was already a 25-year department veteran when sworn in as Hamden's third career fire chief on Monday, April 30, 1984.
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| Chief V. Paul Leddy |
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| CLICK TO ENLARGE |
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| Chief John Tramontano |
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John Tramontano's tenure as fire chief was noted for, among other things, an emphasis on company unity of command and the introduction of the incident command concept. A department-wide reorganization was implemented that eventually resulted in the creation of twelve new lieutenant positions from existing firefighter positions. Career and volunteer personnel were trained and certified to a minimum level of Fire Fighter I. A reduction in career personnel continued through attrition, reaching the minimum manning number of 25 personnel per platoon (later 23) which, despite an increase in overtime hiring to maintain minimum manning, resulted in significant savings to the town in salaries and benefits.
Posted 4/25/14
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"Hamden at Work" - Part 2
HFD's Mountain Rescue Team 30 Years Ago
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| Hamden Mountain Rescue Team Demonstration (1984) |
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| Last week's website update featured Part 1 of the 30-year old Storer Cable TV broadcast of "Hamden at Work." Asst. Chief Walt Macdowall narrated a simulation of Hamden Fire Department EMS personnel treating and preparing a cardiac arrest patient for transport.
In Part 2 of the April 17, 1984 broadcast, newly-appointed Fire Chief John Tramontano narrated a video of the department's Mountain Rescue Team performing a simulated rescue of an injured climber at the old quarry in Sleeping Giant State Park.
Also featured is host Frank Whalen's brief interview with outgoing Hamden Fire Chief V. Paul Leddy, who retired ten days after the broadcast following 42 years with the department, the last 23 as chief. Chief Tramontano was sworn in on Monday, April 30, 1984.
Posted 4/25/14
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November 14, 1960
Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners Names V. Paul Leddy to Replace Chief Raymond Spencer
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| The New Haven Evening Register, Thursday, November 17, 1960 |
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40 YEARS AGO!
John Reynolds, Jaycees 1974 "Outstanding Fireman of the Year"
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Named Jaycees "Outstanding Fireman of the Year" for 1974, John Reynolds joined the department in 1970 and was assigned to Platoon 3 his entire career. John and his wife Mary Ellen still reside in Spring Glen, and he frequently attends HFRA quarterly meetings.
Posted 4/25/14
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Here are a couple more Dennis Baker photos from 1979, when he worked at Station 2 with Lieut. John Tramontano, one of the department's first paramedics and future Chief of the Deparment. Rescue 2 was the 1975 Ford, which served later as "TAC One." CLICK either photo to ENLARGE.
Posted 4/25/14
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| 1979 - Lt. John Tramontano displays Rescue 2's generator |
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| 1979 - Lt. John Tramontano and Rescue 2 |
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