Firefighter Paramedic Jeremiah Carrier instructs an EMT refresher course for members of the Center, Allingtown, and West Shore Districts. Firefighter Carrier is committed to ensuring excellence in our EMS capabilities and is happy to share his perspectives with others through courses such as these.
We at the Center District would like to sincerely thank everyone who came to our annual memorial ceremony held this past Sunday at the West Haven Green as we honored those we have lost within the past year. We will never forget our fallen members and we honor them every day, performing our duties in the same selfless and honorable way that they did. #AlwaysRememberedNeverForgotten
Members of West Haven Hook & Ladder Company #1 in front of Second Avenue Station in 1957. Many famous Westies and several icons of the fire service are included in this photo.
First row – Left to Right
Jack Meany, Willie O’Connor, Bill Guthrie, Bob Gadd, Chief Johnson,
Hank Wheeler, Al Cadenhead, George Weeks, Den Doran, Bud Pelliccia
Second Row – Left to Right
Nick Lucente, Wiggy Johnson, Charlie Raubeson, Bill Heffernan, Chick Maliff,
Duane Sheppard, George Gibbard, Lou Votto, Doc McPartland, Jackie O’Connor,
William Alleshunas, Sr., Don Forsyth, Charlie Davidson
DID YOU KNOW? Although some people would believe that the honor of the first fully mechanized (or motorized) fire department in the United States goes to the fire department of Savannah, Georgia. In 1911, after the purchase and successful operation of the new American La France Auto Combination Chemical Wagon, Savannah’s City Council placed an order for 11 of the new apparatus to upgrade their entire department, thus making them the first fully mechanized fire department in the country. But were they really? By September of 1911 the West Haven Fire Department had accepted delivery of four Knox mechanized apparatus and had placed them in service in each of the four fire houses in town. Engine & Hose Company #1, North End Hose Company #3, and Savin Rock Hose Company #4 each received a Knox Chemical Combination Automobile Wagon and Hook & Ladder Company #1 received a Knox Three Wheel Tractor to pull its ladder wagon. Although Savannah had placed their order in 1911, delivery of the entire order would not be completed until 1912. The FIRST fully mechanized fire department in the United States, West Haven, CT, had their apparatus in service by the end of September 1911.
#ThrowbackThursday to some of our old apparatus on the go on the streets of West Haven. Engines 1 and 4 as well Truck 2 fast en route back in October 1995. A little 90’s nostalgia for your timeline!
Part of daily life as a firefighter are chores. One of those chores is washing firehose. The tough canvas jacket of the hose that makes it hold high pressure and resist puncture, collects a serious amount of dirt, debris, and ash. It needs to be washed after every use. Well maintained hose can last 50 years. Speaking of things lasting a long time, this same machine has been washing fire hose since the 1950’s! Still works like a charm.
Ventilation. As seen here in this training evolution, establishing a source of ventilation for smoke is pivotal for members on the inside battling the flames. Opening or if necessary removing windows in the location from which the fire originated allows members fighting the fire from an interior position that advantage of clearer vision. Any advantage on the fire ground is crucial and any way in which we can increase member safety at these scenes is one we’ll always pursue.
No matter how long we’ve been in the fire service, we could all use a little refresher now and then. Everyone, from the Chief of Department on down has to be proficient in CPR. As seen here, our Chief O’Brien gets some work in on the Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM).
‘FORCE THAT DOOR!’ On TV or in the movies the scene has been shown many a time, but it’s never as easy as it looks. Different types of doors and locks can make a world of difference in how long gaining entry to a burning building will take.
Therefore, with our in-quarters door model, we practice for those different types of scenarios. Repetition is a firefighters’ best friend and the more training that’s done, the better we mold ourselves as firefighters.
