Lieutenants Vogt and Smart to be Sworn In Monday
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Lieutenant Kurt Vogt
| Lieutenant Craig Smart
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August 23 - Earlier this week, the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners promoted veteran Hamden firefighters Kurt Vogt and Craig Smart to the rank of lieutenant. They will be sworn in at 11:00 Monday morning, August 26th, in the rotunda of Hamden's Memorial Town Hall. Retirees are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Lieut. Vogt, who is a paramedic, was appointed 25 years ago. He has been president of Local 2687 for the last seven years. Lieut. Smart, an EMT and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, came on the job in 2000 and has been leading the department's Honor Guard for the last several years.
Lieuts. Vogt and Smart will fill line vacancies created by the recent retirement of Lieut. Jeff Pechmann and the appointment of Lieut. Rich Lennon to the position of department Training Officer.
Posted 8/23/2019
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| " . . . veterans of the fire service, with beginnings as volunteer firefighters in their own communities, becoming well-respected senior career firefighters, and earning a reputation for dedicated service to the Hamden Fire Department." |
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August 26 - Dozens of colleagues, retirees, friends and family members turned out Monday to witness two senior Hamden firefighters, Kurt Vogt and Craig Smart, being sworn in as the department's newest lieutenants.
In remarks before the large crowd in the town hall rotunda, Chief Gary Merwede noted that Lieut. Kurt was a member of that "great class of '94" and served as a paramedic well beyond the minimum requirements for his certification, handling countless high-stress medical interventions. "Part of the appreciation that I have for the work paramedics perform," noted the chief, "comes from the years that I had the opportunity to work with Kurt on the line." Recognized statewide as an innovative labor leader, Vogt has been president of the Hamden Professional Firefighters Assn., Local 2687 of the IAFF, since 2012 and sits on the Executive Board of the Uniformed Fire Fighters of Connecticut.
Lieut. Smart, who came on the job in 2000, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and holds multiple certifications in the field of technical rescue. He is a member of Connecticut's Urban Search and Rescue Team and a qualified operator of every department apparatus. Lieut. Smart also has worked with the Squad Captain on the purchase of tools and equipment. For the last several years he has led the department's Honor Guard.
Both men will be assigned to Platoon 3, Lieut. Vogt on Engine 3 and Lieut. Smart on Engine 2.
The members of the Hamden Fire Retirees Association wish both of these gentlemen continued success and fulfillment in their new roles. Be safe, guys!
Posted 8/26/2019
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Lieut. Craig Smart and Lieut. Kurt Vogt being sworn-in by Town Clerk Vera Morrison
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Heretofore the most senior firefighter presently on the job, Vogt surrenders HFD's coveted Firefighter Badge No. 1 in exchange for his new lieutenant's badge, which was pinned on by his wife, Lori.
| Lieut. Smart's son, Michael, did the honors for his dad, pinning on his new lieutenant's badge while the lieutenant's mom, Martha, looked on.
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| Lieut. Smart, Asst. Chief Charles Lubowicki, Chief Gary Merwede, and Lieut. Vogt |
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These two photos are each worth the proverbial "1,000 words."
(Make that 10,000.)
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Pure joy is in this pic of Lieut.Vogt
and granddaughter Blair Nihill.
| A hug for dad says it all.
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| L-R: The lieutenant's mother, Martha Smart, son Michael, and wife, Ruth Doyle. |
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| Chief Merwede, Lieut. Smart, Commission Chairman Henry Candido, Commissioner Jim O'Brien, Lieut. Vogt, and Commissioner Eric Curtis |
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