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Month: March 2024

March 28, 2024 in AnnouncementsHistory

Congratulations to Deputy Chief Bill Johnson on Completing 39 Years

We’d like to congratulate Deputy Chief of Administration William Johnson on completing his 39th year with our department.

Chief Johnson began his career with us on March 14, 1985, and has served in several roles over the years including Lieutenant of which he was promoted to on November 7, 2001, Day Captain on May 5, 2020, and his current rank of Deputy Chief on March 23, 2021.

Chief Johnson is one of 8 members to complete 35 years with our department and stands to soon surpass the amount of time his father, late Chief of Department William Johnson Sr. (shown in the second photograph and on the left in the first photograph), served in the Center District at 40 years and 7 months (July 1, 1966 through February 22, 2007)

March 28, 2024 in What We're Up To

Firefighter Ed Cooke Instructs Forcible Entry to Amity High School Interns

It was our pleasure to have interns Lane Jackson & Will Glenney aboard for a week as they got a first hand look at how our department operates day-to-day. Another layer of that was provided by D-Shift Firefighter Ed Cooke who showed the two how we utilize the irons forcible entry tool. Maybe these two will join our ranks someday, but no matter where there respective paths may take them we know this, it is an experience neither will ever forget.

March 22, 2024 in What We're Up To

VA Police Cross Training on Veteran Outreach

It was a pleasure having Officer Alex Peck, Sergeant Rashae Verner, Thaelly Vargas, and Clinician Jessica Markure on hand for veteran outreach training. Though preparedness is certainly key in the fire service and trainings such as these reinforce that point, so is collaboration, which through this program, we’ve successfully done with the VA. We thank them immensely for their insight and partnership.

March 22, 2024 in What We're Up To

Ceremony Retiring Flags in The Center District

At headquarters we formally retired a U.S. Flag in our retirement ceremony for the colors of the nation. Ceremonies such as these have a rich history in America with the tradition dating back to the early days of the United States when flags were made then of natural materials like cotton or wool, making them prone to wear and tear over time. As a result, when a flag became worn, torn, or faded beyond proper use, it was considered necessary to retire it with dignity.

March 22, 2024 in Announcements

Two New Center District Members Sworn In

Wednesday night marked the beginning of two firefighting careers in the Center District. First on the career side is Joseph Mauro, a coast guard veteran who graduated from the Connecticut Fire Academy in December from Recruit Class 72 he joins us through the Hero 2 Hero program founded by Chris Shea, a Naval Special Operations veteran. On the Volunteer side is Olivia Caldarella, an intern at our department and senior at the University of New Haven, she was sworn in as a member of Hook & Ladder Co. 1 where she’ll begin what we hope and believe will be a long fruitful journey in the fire service as a volunteer firefighter with Truck 26. Congratulations to both and welcome to the West Haven Fire Department.

March 22, 2024 in What We're Up To

Truck 22 Deck Gun Training

The opportunities to train during the 24 hours of the shift provide us ample chances to stay sharp with helpful refreshers or in the cases of our newer members, learn key facets of our apparatus and the equipment on it. In this instance, it involved testing out the water flow of our deck guns aboard our Truck 22.

March 21, 2024 in What We're Up To

Smoke Simulation at Headquarters

Contrary to what you may be thinking as you watch this video, no our headquarters is not on fire. Rather what you’re seeing is a demonstration, more specifically a training on smoke and operating with low or no visibility in it. Utilizing a special device that produces harmless smoke, members of the C-Shift participated in this drill and though it certainly made for an eerie sight, it was a realistic one, as these are often the conditions we face on the ground.

March 21, 2024 in What We're Up To

The B-Shift Trains in Bailout at the New Haven Fire School

For members of the B-Shift, last week presented yet another opportunity to train at the New Haven Fire School, and what made this training stick out is its mixture. Focusing on a variety of different disciplines, our members spent this sunny Friday morning working on engine operations, aerial operations including rescue scenarios and general driver training and last but certainly not least bailout training. In training, we always try to not only take advantage of the opportunities to do it in the first place, but also not be in linear in it.