Norwich, Ct is a small city, of about 40,000 people and is ranked the 25th largest city in Connecticut, covering about 29 square miles.
The CITY Fire District, called the "City Consolidated Fire District" (CCD), is protected by a fully paid department career fire department of about 60 firefighter/officers, including 4 battalion chiefs, four fire marshals, and a training/safety battalion.
Plus the Chief of Department.
Residents of this "CCD" pay a separate fire tax to cover those firefighter/officer salaries, while the four fire marshals, the training/safety officer, and chief of departments salary and benefits come out of the city's general fund.
Meanwhile, within the entire city of Norwich there are Five Totally Separate Volunteer Fire Districts as well.
They are:
1) The Yantic Volunteer Fire Department
2) The East Great Plains Volunteer Fire Department
3) The Taftville Volunteer Fire Department
4) The Occum Volunteer Fire Department
5) The Laurel Hill Volunteer Fire Department
Each of those Five Volunteer Fire Departments have their own Fire Chief and Officers, along with their own separate budgets.
The citizens within those Five Volunteer Fire Departments do NOT pay any separate fire tax for fire fighter salaries, except for the 4 fire marshals, the training/safety officer, and I believe the Norwich Career Fire Chief.
Their budgets come from the city's General Fund.
All fire apparatus purchases and repairs also come from that General Fund.
Confused yet ?
I can certainly understand that.
But what I would like to tell you about is what began on November 1, 2022, as a Six Month Trial Basis, an "Automatic Aid Policy" which put together the nearest City Career (CCD) Engine Co, the Ladder Truck, and the on Duty Battalion Chief, along with additional "AUTOMATIC AID" from some of the volunteer fire companies.
Just as AUTOMATIC AID from the Volunteer fire districts now go into the City Fire District.
NO "AUTOMATIC AID" WAS EVER DONE BEFORE.
With the words; "AUTOMATIC AID" changing a long over due policy of getting enough help on the scene of a working fire to Save Lives and Property, including both Our Career and Volunteer Firefighter LIVES.
But this newly adopted "Automatic Aid Policy" has NOT been very easy for this city.
The story has been covered in such National Fire Department Web Sites and Magazines as:
Fire Engineering - www.fireengineering.com
Firehouse - www.firehouse.com
Firefighter Nation - www.firefighternation.com
I hope to tell you the final success story of a troubled city with it's six different fire departments, being able to bring about a Very Positive Result because of the efforts done by TWO VOLUNTEER FIRE CHIEFS, the CITY CAREER FIRE CHIEF, and One City Alderman - who stood strong to help make ALL of this city's Citizens and Firefighters SAFER.
While a mayor worked very hard to eliminate it.
I hope to tell you more in this topic, about the difficult road our firefighters, as well as its citizens and taxpayers traveled since the beginning.
The end result being "TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK".
I hope you will tune in.
The CITY Fire District, called the "City Consolidated Fire District" (CCD), is protected by a fully paid department career fire department of about 60 firefighter/officers, including 4 battalion chiefs, four fire marshals, and a training/safety battalion.
Plus the Chief of Department.
Residents of this "CCD" pay a separate fire tax to cover those firefighter/officer salaries, while the four fire marshals, the training/safety officer, and chief of departments salary and benefits come out of the city's general fund.
Meanwhile, within the entire city of Norwich there are Five Totally Separate Volunteer Fire Districts as well.
They are:
1) The Yantic Volunteer Fire Department
2) The East Great Plains Volunteer Fire Department
3) The Taftville Volunteer Fire Department
4) The Occum Volunteer Fire Department
5) The Laurel Hill Volunteer Fire Department
Each of those Five Volunteer Fire Departments have their own Fire Chief and Officers, along with their own separate budgets.
The citizens within those Five Volunteer Fire Departments do NOT pay any separate fire tax for fire fighter salaries, except for the 4 fire marshals, the training/safety officer, and I believe the Norwich Career Fire Chief.
Their budgets come from the city's General Fund.
All fire apparatus purchases and repairs also come from that General Fund.
Confused yet ?
I can certainly understand that.
But what I would like to tell you about is what began on November 1, 2022, as a Six Month Trial Basis, an "Automatic Aid Policy" which put together the nearest City Career (CCD) Engine Co, the Ladder Truck, and the on Duty Battalion Chief, along with additional "AUTOMATIC AID" from some of the volunteer fire companies.
Just as AUTOMATIC AID from the Volunteer fire districts now go into the City Fire District.
NO "AUTOMATIC AID" WAS EVER DONE BEFORE.
With the words; "AUTOMATIC AID" changing a long over due policy of getting enough help on the scene of a working fire to Save Lives and Property, including both Our Career and Volunteer Firefighter LIVES.
But this newly adopted "Automatic Aid Policy" has NOT been very easy for this city.
The story has been covered in such National Fire Department Web Sites and Magazines as:
Fire Engineering - www.fireengineering.com
Firehouse - www.firehouse.com
Firefighter Nation - www.firefighternation.com
I hope to tell you the final success story of a troubled city with it's six different fire departments, being able to bring about a Very Positive Result because of the efforts done by TWO VOLUNTEER FIRE CHIEFS, the CITY CAREER FIRE CHIEF, and One City Alderman - who stood strong to help make ALL of this city's Citizens and Firefighters SAFER.
While a mayor worked very hard to eliminate it.
I hope to tell you more in this topic, about the difficult road our firefighters, as well as its citizens and taxpayers traveled since the beginning.
The end result being "TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK".
I hope you will tune in.
