Connecticut Fire Department Apparatus and Profiles

[nfd2004]

Under this topic, I would like to present to you some of Connecticut's Fire Departments.

In this first profile, we have Fairfield, Hamden, and Milford, all fairly active departments and similar in size.

Also of interest is that one or two of the engine companies operate as a Quint.

Of course it is my hope that we may have members here who can contribute additional information to us, or answer our questions.

Hopefully we can follow up with other Connecticut Fire Department profiles as well.

All credits given to - firenews.org

1) Fairfield, Ct (population - 62,000)

www.firenews.org/ct/f/fairfield/fairfieldct.html

2) Hamden, Ct (population - 61,000)

www.firenews.org/ct/h/hamden/hamdenct.html.

3) Milford, Ct (population - 52,000)

www.firenews.org/ct/m/milford/milfordct.html.

 

[Signal73]

Missing From Hamden

Ops 1 aka new Haz-Mat Unit

 

[nfd2004]

Under this topic, I would like to present to you some of Connecticut's Fire Departments.

In this first profile, we have Fairfield, Hamden, and Milford, all fairly active departments and similar in size.

Also of interest is that one or two of the engine companies operate as a Quint.

Of course it is my hope that we may have members here who can contribute additional information to us, or answer our questions.

Hopefully we can follow up with other Connecticut Fire Department profiles as well.

All credits given to - firenews.org

1) Fairfield, Ct (population - 62,000)

www.firenews.org/ct/f/fairfield/fairfieldct.html

2) Hamden, Ct (population - 61,000)

www.firenews.org/ct/h/hamden/hamdenct.html.

3) Milford, Ct (population - 52,000)

www.firenews.org/ct/m/milford/milfordct.html.

I have a special interest in the Fairfield, Ct Fire Department because I was a volunteer firefighter there in Station 3 from 1970-1975.
The Fairfield FD was always a very progressive fire department, not only with responding to fires, but also responding to medical calls long before most departments gave it consideration.
The term EMT was new back then but the Fairfield FD would try to encourage everyone to take that basic 80 (?) hour course back then.

As volunteer firefighters we would receive the same training once a week as the career firefighters received during that same week.
I remember being taught and encouraged to use an air pack by the late Fairfield FD Training Captain Joe Elias.
He was certainly ahead of his time.
Today the regional fire training academy in Fairfield is named after Capt Elias.

I was a member of Station 3 which had Engine 3 manned by two firefighters and Rescue 15 which was manned by us volunteer firefighters.
As I understand it, now Engine 3 is manned by a Lt and Two Firefighters, and Rescue 15 is now manned with part time, on call volunteer firefighters.

It was similar at Station 4 with two firefighters on Engine 4 and Squad 14 manned by volunteers.
Today Station 4 has Engine 4 with a Lt and two firefighters, and Squad 14 is now manned with part time, on call volunteer firefighters.

Engine 1 and Rescue 1 at Station 1 today is each manned with a Lt and two firefighters (total 6).
Years ago, each was manned with two firefighters (total 4), having a Lt on Engine 1

Station 2 had Engine 2 with a Lt and I think 3 firefighters (total 4).
Also Ladder 2, an aerial ladder truck had two firefighters (total 2).
The shift commander, Car 2 - a captain, also operated out of Station 2
Today Engine 2 and Truck 2 (tower ladder) is each manned by a Lt and 2 firefighters.
Car 2 is the captain, plus he has an aide.

I look back now and feel how lucky I was to be able to spend that time as a volunteer firefighter there.
It was a great place to learn the business, and today I am very THANKFUL to all those who helped me.
I miss the guys who have passed on, both the career firefighters and officers, as well as the great group of dedicated volunteer firefighters I served with.

 

[nfd2004]

Regarding the mention of being a volunteer firefighter in Fairfield, it will be 50 years in August, 1973 that we all got to meet "Johnd248", a young guy from the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and FDNY Auxiliary Firefighter of Engine Co 248.
JohnnyD., as I call him, had lots of stories to tell us about those early "FDNY War Years".

I believe "Johnd248" now has a son who is a career firefighter (Lt - ?) working in that department.

 

[BCR]

Hamden and Milford have unique situations requiring the quints.
Hamden went back to the quint at engine 5 in 2017. From 1991- around 1999 they ran a 100ft Pierce quint as “Truck 5” serving primarily as an engine and then a standard engine until they got the 2017 quint. For those that don’t know, Engine 5 is first due to Quinnipiac university which has massively grown in the last 20 years. They now have tons of buildings in the 3-6 story range. The only truck in hamden has about a 10 minute plus ride to most of those buildings. I believe they were required to put a second stick in service to maintain ISO ratings.
Milford being a shoreline community was hit hard by hurricanes which caused flood insurance rates to sky rocket. In response to the flood insurance requirements and federal guidelines. Many houses were either raised up on pilings or knocked down and rebuilt on pilings causing a 2.5 wood to actually be about 3.5 stories high or a 3 wood being 4 stories high. Which has made the extra aerial ladders a necessity. https://ctmirror.org/2013/06/18/coastal-communities-adapt-change-razing-and-raising/

 

[Signal73]

Hamden and Milford have unique situations requiring the quints.
Hamden went back to the quint at engine 5 in 2017. From 1991- around 1999 they ran a 100ft Pierce quint as “Truck 5” serving primarily as an engine and then a standard engine until they got the 2017 quint. For those that don’t know, Engine 5 is first due to Quinnipiac university which has massively grown in the last 20 years. They now have tons of buildings in the 3-6 story range. The only truck in hamden has about a 10 minute plus ride to most of those buildings. I believe they were required to put a second stick in service to maintain ISO ratings.
Milford being a shoreline community was hit hard by hurricanes which caused flood insurance rates to sky rocket. In response to the flood insurance requirements and federal guidelines. Many houses were either raised up on pilings or knocked down and rebuilt on pilings causing a 2.5 wood to actually be about 3.5 stories high or a 3 wood being 4 stories high. Which has made the extra aerial ladders a necessity. https://ctmirror.org/2013/06/18/coastal-communities-adapt-change-razing-and-raising/

Not sure if its now a SOP or a Platoon thing but in Hamden Engine 5 is utilized as a truck company when 2nd or 3rd due getting there before the tower.

Few months back all of Milford Ladders/Quints were all OOS