Haddam Volunteer Fire Company March 2012 Activity

Haddam Fire March 2012 Activity

Members of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. responded to 34 calls for emergency services in March. The breakdown of calls is as follows: 

Medical Emergencies -      21                  

Fires, alarms etc. -             8                    

Motor Vehicle Crashes -      2

Other -                             3                   

On Thursday, March 15th, Firefighters responded to the Haddam-Killingworth High School to assist State Police with a reported bomb scare. Haddam Fire provided search assistance and Emergency Medical Services standby services for several hours.

On Monday, March 26th, the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company responded to the Town of East Haddam to assist battling a 25+ acre brush fire. The request came in late in the evening for Forestry firefighting equipment. Approximately 15 Firefighters either stood by or responded to the scene, along with several off-road vehicles.  Units were cleared early the next morning at about 2:30am, only to be called back at approximately 6:00am. The fire was brought under control and turned over to DEEP Forestry Crews to complete the extinguishment.

Training for the month included an evening dedicated to handling complex medical emergency simulations and visiting a town building that was made to look like a structure fire. On March 12th, groups of Firefighters responded to medical emergencies inside the fire house, in truck bays, and out in the woods.  Skills such as rescuing injured hikers off the sides of steep hills, and rescuing injured Firefighters in hazardous environments were practiced.

On March 19th, Firefighters visited a building owned by the Town of Haddam where stage production smoke machines were used to create an environment similar in visibility to that of a true structure fire.  During this exercise, teams had to simulate extinguishing a fire at the same time another group was searching and removing a victim. A third team providing Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) services practiced rescuing downed Firefighters.

On March 26th, Probationary and Junior Firefighters practiced with portable power equipment including portable pumps, chain saws, and other tools designed to assist Firefighters at all types of emergency scenes. 

At the April Monthly Meeting, Fire Police Chief Fred Maynard was inducted into Life Membership. Fred first joined the Fire Company in January of 1975. Over the years Fred has served as Radio Engineer, on the Station #3 Building Committee, Tanker 2-13 Replacement Committee and many years as Fire Police Chief. Chief Klare and the members of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. wish Fred all the best and thank him for all his years of service.

More information on the activities of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. and ways you can get involved can be found on our website – www.HaddamFire.com. 

Submitted by Bob Norton, Public Relations Liaison for the