Haddam Volunteer Fire Company's April Report

Members of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company responded to 38 calls for emergency services in April:

Medical Emergencies – 16
Fires, alarms etc. – 14
Motor Vehicle Accidents – 7
Other – 1

April began on a solemn but inspirational note as members of Haddam Fire joined thousands of First Responders from across the nation on April 3 in a funeral procession for Boston Firefighter Michael Kennedy. The 33-year-old Kennedy, of Ladder Company 15, died battling a blaze in a Back Bay brownstone. A day earlier, Lt. Edward Walsh, 43, of Engine Company 33 was also laid to rest.

Locally, several serious motor vehicles accidents occurred on Route 9.

On April 7, the driver of a vehicle that crashed between exits 6 and 7 was extricated with serious injuries and airlifted by Life Star. On April 10, a three-vehicle MVA involving two cars and an oil truck occurred southbound between exits 9 and 10. The occupants were transported with non-life threatening injuries.

In the early morning of April 27, a car struck with a highway guardrail. Because the driver’s injuries were not life threatening, firefighters took the precaution of using a Kendrick Extrication Device (K.E.D.). The car was also pinned against the guardrail, leading members to remove the roof, extricate the victim and transfer care to ambulance personnel.

A fiery head-on collision occurred April 28 on the Route 82 Connector. Police report that a Ford Ranger traveling eastbound crossed the center line and collided with an Isuzu box truck heading westbound. Both vehicles went up in flames. Haddam and Chester firefighters extinguished the fires. The driver of the pickup self-extricated and was airlifted via Life Star to Bridgeport Hospital. The driver of the box truck also escaped on his own, was treated and transported via ambulance to Hartford Hospital.

There were seven brush fires in April, several that the Fire Marshal is investigating as suspicious. Two brush fires were extinguished April 21 and 22: the first off of Pokorny Road and the second along Beaver Meadow Road – the latest in a series of brush fires including a prolonged incident that covered several miles of Route 9. Even though April is considered a rainy season, Connecticut experiences high forest fire danger from mid-March through May.

In fire prevention news, the Ladies Auxiliary is asking area residents who need to replace outdated or non-functioning smoke alarms, or who don’t have alarms at all, to contact the Fire Company at (860) 345-4945 or Haddam Public Health Office at (860) 345-4621. The free smoke alarms are available thanks to a grant from commercial property insurer FM Global.

In community news, members of the Fire Company took part in the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Climb April 5 at City Place in Hartford. At $3,185, the team was the top fire department and seventh overall fundraising team. The team – Dan Casey, Chet Crocco, Jeff Doskos, Robert Norton Jr., Mike Mancuso, Jed Morrissey, Jay Selmer and Kate Zarbo – ascended 34 floors (750 steps) in full gear and SCBA.

At the HVFCo. monthly meeting April 7, firefighter Gary Klare received a Life Membership plaque after 18 years with the company. Gary recently stepped down as Fire Chief after serving for six years.

Lastly, drills included station cleaning and an extrication refresher.

Do You Have What It Takes? Find more information on the activities of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. and ways you can get involved at our website www.haddamfire.com, or connect with us on Facebook.