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Crime & Safety

'Hot Off The Press' East Haddam Volunteer Fire Department News

East Haddam Volunteer Fire Department monthly incident report, 'Truck of the Month' and a training session at the firehouse.

Fire Department News

The 'Truck-of-the-Month', East Haddam Volunteer Fire Department's 'Rescue 1-15' is a 1995 Ford L-8000, with an Exelance custom-built body. It has a 6-cylinder Ford deisel engine, with an Allison automatic transmission.Β 

Rescue 1-15 serves an important function within the department's fleet of firetrucks. The majority of tools and supplies for responding to fires, motor-vehicle accidents, and other emergencies are carried in this truck.

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A thermal-imaging camera, oxygen tanks or SCBA's (self-contained breathing apparatus), two 'Hurst Tools', also known as 'The Jaws of Life' with attachments, a 5000-watt gas-powered generator, a 'Stokes Basket' (for transporting victims), hand-held fire extinguishers, an assortment of miscellaneous hand and power-tools, road cones, halogen light-bars and other supplies are among the equipment on board. An electromechanical Federal Signal "Q" siren is mounted on the front bumper of the truck.

At a recent training session at Company-1 Firehouse on Town Street, members participated in a review of some of the trucks and tools, (Rescue 1-15 included) and equipment and storage. As a result, Patch became acquainted with some of the equipment, procedures and protocols, as well.

At the meeting, a demonstration was given for thermal-imaging cameras. The department currently maintains two of these units, one of which is no longer functional and needs to be replaced.

Thermal-imaging cameras give firefighters an extra 'hand-up' in low-visibility situations such as darkness, smoke, or mist and can read variances in temperature by using infrared radiation. They can detect body heat and are used in cases where victims are trapped and rescuers would otherwise be unable to find them.

The cameras are helpful during search & rescue or recovery operations and can also detect fires that could be smouldering inside the wall of a building that could otherwise be undetectable. They can be crucial in ascertaining that a building is safe to re-enter after a fire has been extinguished.

These high-tech devices are one of the most expensive single pieces of firefighting and safety equipment and can range in cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 or more, but can be invaluable for saving lives and homes, as well as insuring the firefighters' safety.

The East Haddam Volunteer Fire Department reports the following incidents for the month of August:

Find out what's happening in The Haddams-Killingworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

WIRES DOWN - Mill Road, Thursday, Aug. 4 at 2:40 p.m.

GOOD INTENT - 41 Dogwood Road, Thursday, Aug. 4 at 6:40 p.m.

FALL FROM A HORSE - 77 Tater Hill Road, Thursday, Aug.4 at 9:49 p.m.

MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENT - 1 Hopyard Road, Friday, Aug. 5 at 1:08 a.m.

MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENT - 138 Leesville Road, Friday, Aug. 5 at 1:28 a.m.

WIRES DOWN - 123 River Road, Friday, Aug. 5 at 10:36 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - 200 East Haddam-Colchester Turnpike, Saturday, Aug. 6 at 11:33 p.m.

MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENT - East Haddam-Colchester Turnpike, Sunday, Aug.7 at 6:30 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION- 86 Hemlock Valley Road, Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 6:15 a.m.

WIRES DOWN - 225 Haywardville Road, Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 2:10 p.m.

OUTSIDE FIRE INVESTIGATION - Alexander Road, Wednesday Aug. 10 at 6:40 p.m.

BRUSH FIRE - Banner Road, Thursday, Aug. 11 at 1:37 p.m.

MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENT - 6 Main Street, Thursday, Aug. 11 at 4:46 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - 58 Honey Hill Road, Friday, Aug. 12 at 1:36 a.m.

CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR INVESTIGATION - 8 Stone Ridge Road, Friday, Aug. 12 at 8:08 a.m.

MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENT - Norwich Road, Saturday, Aug. 13 at 12:35 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - 7 Main Street, Sunday, Aug. 14 at 3:48 a.m.

WIRES DOWN - 97 Lake Shore Drive, Monday, Aug. 15 at 5:11 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - 534 Town Street, Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 7:50 p.m.

STRUCTURE FIRE - 101 Mott Lane, Friday, Aug. 19 at 6:05 p.m.

ASSIST STATE POLICE - Route 149, Friday, Aug. 19 at 9:23 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - William F. Palmer Road, Monday, Aug. 22 at 12:00 p.m.

TRANSFORMER FIRE - 41 Oak Road, Tuesday, Aug. 23 at 5:29 a.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - William F. Palmer Road, Tuesday, Aug. 23 at 10:00 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - 4 Hall Kilbourne Road, Friday, Aug. 26 at 11:49 a.m.

MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENT - 479 Town Street, Friday, Aug. 26 at 11:27 p.m.

MOTOR-VEHICLE ACCIDENT - Mount Parnassus Road, Saturday, Aug 27 at 3:12 a.m.

WATER RESCUE - Connecticut River, Saturday, Aug. 27 at 4:10 p.m.

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION - 7 Main Street, Saturday, Aug. 27 at 11:14 p.m.

GOOD INTENT - 26 Falls Road, Sunday, Aug. 28 at 9:48 p.m.

SMOKE INVESTIGATION - 440 Town Street, Monday, Aug. 29 at 5:22 p.m.

SMOKE INVESTIGATION - 70 Main Street, Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 7:54 p.m.

CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR INVESTIGATION - 101 Beebe Road, Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 8:21 a.m.

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