|
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All material on this website, not otherwise in the Public Domain, including all original photos, essays, articles, descriptions and commentary published herein, are © Copyright 2010 by the Hamden Fire Retirees' Assn., and may not be copied, republished or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission of the Hamden Fire Retirees' Assn.
|
June 21, 1916 - Hamden Volunteer Firefighters at Savin Rock Parade in West Haven
|
 |
| CLICK to enlarge (Courtesy of Hamden Historical Society) |
|
|
|
June 21, 1916
Hamden Firerfighters at Savin Rock
This photo of Hamden volunteer firefighters, courtesy of the Hamden Historical Society, was taken on June 21, 1916 at West Haven's Savin Rock. The group appears to be comprised of members from all of Hamden's fire companies, who organized to march as a single unit under the banner "Hamden Volunteer Fire Co - Hamden, Conn."
The group is photographed next to what appears to be a burnt out structure - perhaps as a joke - at the once locally popular amusement park, which closed in 1966 for "redevelopment."
|
 |
| 1938 Connecticut State Firemen's Association Parade at Milford - Hamden's new Seagrave 600 GPM pumper (Photo by G. Donald Steele) |
|
|
|
1951 Fire Apparatus Parade
Photos by Chandler Brainard
|
During the 1940s, 50s, and early 60s, the Hamden Fire Department observed Fire Prevention Week with a parade of Hamden fire apparatus. Conducted on a Sunday afternoon, the apparatus parade started on Dixwell Avenue near the New Haven city line, proceeding to Whitney Avenue, then north to the Cheshire line.
Chan Brainard took these photos in 1951. When Chan sent these photos several months ago he noted, "These four pictures were taken on Dixwell Avenue, as the annual kick-off parade for Fire Prevention Week was just "stepping-off." I clearly recall watching Danny Hume directing the placement of apparatus during the formation."
Posted 1/22/11
|
 |
| Engine 1 - 1938 Seagrave 600 GPM - In the background are the Art Deco style Dixwell Theater and Sterling & Sussman Dept. Store. The nose of Engine 4, the 1939 Diamond-T, can be seen as it pulls out of Goodrich Street on the extreme left. - CLICK to enlarge |
|
|
 |
| Engine 2 - 1951 Maxim 750 GPM pumper delivered a couple of months earlier. Unfortunately, the nice looking '49 Chrysler in the foreground was not part of the parade - CLICK to enlarge |
|
|
 |
| Engine 5 - 1930 Maxim 600 GPM - CLICK to enlarge |
|
|
 |
| Engine 3 - 1942 Diamond-T 600 GPM - CLICK to enlarge |
|
|
 |
| 1954 - Mt. Carmel Volunteers in Cheshire Parade |
|
|
 |
| May 30, 1964 - This was when the parade began in Highwood and ended at the high school |
|
|
 |
| 1964 - Volunteer Co. 7's chemical hose cart and 1918 Brockway. In the distance is West Woods Co. 9 marching contingent and 1929 Seagrave aerial ladder truck. This photo was taken on Dixwell Avenue just south of the parkway overpass near the high school. |
|
|
 |
| Memorial Day 1965 |
|
|
 |
| (Photo by Chan Brainard) |
|
|
Our thanks to HFRA Honorary Member Chan
Brainard, who recently sent in this photo of Hamden’s 1959 Maxim “cab-forward” pumper in
the 1961 Connecticut State Firemen’s Convention Parade.
It was assigned as Engine 2 at the time. Chan wrote, “I took this photo from somebody's front lawn, high up on a bluff in (I
think) Danbury. But, here's
something interesting: note the red wooden sign mounted along the hard
suctions. It reads ‘West Woods Fire Company #9.’
"Clearly, the volunteer company persuaded the paid department to
allow them to "Showcase" the new pumper. I believe that the paid firefighter riding the rear step was Art
Smith."
Posted 5/20/11
|
 |
| Memorial Day 1966 - 1959 Maxim 750 GPM "Cab-Forward" (Photo by Ed Doiron) |
|
|
 |
| "An unscheduled way to participate in the Hamden Parade" was the newspaper caption for this Memorial Day photo snapped by I.A. Sneiderman in 1967. |
|
|
 |
| Memorial Day 1970 - Co. 8's 1942 Diamond-T 500 GPM pumper, purchased from Prospect by Company 8 on December 10, 1957. This is NOT the same 1942 Diamond-T 600 GPM pumper that was purchased by Hamden in April 1942 to be Engine 1. (Photo by Ed Doiron) |
|
|
 |
| May 28, 1978 - Memorial Day Parade (Photo by Barb Olson) |
|
|
The Eight-Point Uniform Hat
The "eight-point" uniform hat was once standard department issue. All personnel were issued two - one for the dress uniform and one for the work uniform. From Labor Day until the day before Memorial Day, everyone wore blue hats. But from Memorial Day until the day before Labor Day, all officers wore white hats.
In 1985, the Hamden Fire Department adopted the traditional round firefighter's dress hat for use with the dress uniform only. Baseball caps were issued for work uniforms. (The reason for the change is a story all by itself and will be shared at a later date). The department policy of summertime white hats for officers' dress uniforms continued for a year or two, but then white became the standard officer dress hat all year round.
It is believed that Hamden adopted the eight-pointers in the late 1930s because they were the standard uniform hats used by the New Haven Fire Department at the time. Ironically, the New Haven Fire Department only recently dropped the eight-pointers in favor of the traditional round firefighter's dress hat.
In the photo above, department members are at parade rest on Dixwell Avenue at Marietta Street. Lt. Frank Eitler from Engine 3 is in the foreground, sporting the white officer's hat that he and other fire department officers would wear all summer until Labor Day.
Also pictured are Lt. John Tramontano and Ff. Bob Slater in the background. Lined up behind Lt. Eitler are Asst. Supt. Paul Wetmore, and Firefighters Sal "Cookie" Ferraro, Mark Pratt and Jimmy Leddy. This was during the time when the parade route ended at the High School.
|
 |
| Memorial Day 1979 - Bob Slater in Truck 2 (Maxim 100' Aerial) in driveway of high school, getting ready to enter the parade. The old natatorium, razed in 1997, can be seen in the background at the far left. (Photo courtesy of Bob Slater) |
|
|
 |
| Memorial Day 1979 - Joe Shields at the wheel of Engine 3, a 1973 Maxim Telesqurt. (Photo courtesy of Bob Slater) |
|
|
Hamden's Bicentennial Parade
Sunday, May 11, 1986
In May 1986, Storer Cable TV videotaped Hamden's Bicentennial Parade, which was broadcast on the company's local access station. A four minute excerpt of the video, featuring the Hamden Fire Department marching unit and apparatus, is now on YouTube. Also included are the Mix District Volunteer Fire Co. marching unit and its vintage fire apparatus.
Click on the photo to watch the video.
Posted 8/19/11
|
 |
| CLICK on photo to view video |
|
|
 |
| Memorial Day 1988 (Photo by Shirley Mangler) |
|
|
 |
| Memorial Day 1998 |
|
|
Members of the Hamden Professional Firefighters Local 2687 little league baseball team pose with department members opposite the high school just before stepping off in the 1998 Memorial Day Parade. L-R: Jim Moore, Dep. Chief Ed Badamo, Paul Turner, Batt. Chief Paul Wetmore, Jr., Don Paczowski (driving Engine 2) Dave Proulx, Jeff Pechmann, Capt. Don LaBanca, Batt. Chief Jim Leddy, Lt. Bernie Amatrudo, Ed DeFrancesco, Ed Evers, Brian Badamo, Lt. Jeff Stoehr, Rob Madigosky, Lt. Mike DiStefano, Lt. Bill Fitzmaurice, Lt. Bob Surprise, Dep. Marshal John Spencer, Ron Mikolinski (team coach), Don Buechele, Capt. Dave Johnson, Mark Barletta, Bob Macauley, Scott Chasney, Ron Desroches, Harold Mangler, Paul Anderson, Mike Murray, Kevin Shields, and Julio Lopes. (Photo courtesy Tim Sullivan)
|
|