04/27/2010 Norwich (Greenville)

Shortly after 03:00, the City of Norwich Fire Department was requested to the Capehart Mill on North Main St., in the city's Greenville section, for a structure fire. Being housed across the street, Engine 2 arrived with heavy fire in one section of the building. A second alarm was transmitted adding Mohegan Tribe FAST, East Great Plain Engine and Ladder and Laurel Hill Hose Tender. Command requested a 5th alarm into staging with activation of the Ladder Strike Team. Aerial devises from Norwich, Taftville, East Great Plain, Jewett City and Montville were in operation with others standing by.

Companies from New London to Colchester were requested to cover empty stations throughout the area. Firefighters are still on scene extinguishing the blaze.

I arrived late, photos below are about two hours into the incident.

04/11/2010 Jewett City

Members of Jewett City and Lisbon

Photo courtesy of Brian Mulvey

Firefighters from Jewett City, Lisbon, Griswold and the National Guard were honored for their hard work in the flood that took over the area on March 31. Firefighters evacuated numerous homes and businesses and condominium units from the floods path, along with removing thousands of gallons of water from the threatened Water Treatment Plant on Wedgewood Drive.

Below are some pictures of the incident

The crew from Rescue 456 assist with an Oder of gas call on Ashland Street in Jewett City

The Quinnebaug River over flows it's banks

Crews utilize master stream operations to remove water from the Water Treatment Plant

04/11/2010 New London

Shortly after 04:30 on Sunday morning, City of New London firefighters responded to 39 Bristol Street for a reported structure fire. Battalion 4 arrived and found smoke showing from a single story storage unit. A working fire was transmitted adding an additional Engine and Ambulance to the assignment. Medical 11 and the New London County Canteen were also requested.

After almost an hour of work, firefighters were able to get the upper hand and get the fire under control.

Photos courtesy of Jason Snow

04/10/2010 East Lyme (Niantic)

Saturday afternoon, firefighters from Niantic extinguished this small grass fire on West Main St. just off the Rocky Neck connector.

Photo courtesy of Jason Snow

04/10/2010 East Lyme (Niantic)

Shortly after 10:30 Saturday morning, Niantic and Flanders Fire Departments were requested to respond to Camp Niantic, 271 West Main St., for a trailer fire. First arriving units found a unoccupied mobile home with active fire showing. First in units were able to make a quick knockdown preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent campers.

Mohegan Tribe was requested for the RIT on the initial response but was later cancelled. Crews from Niantic and Flanders held the scene for a while extinguishing hot spot and assisting the East Lyme FMO with there investigation.

Photos courtesy of Jason Snow and Eric Quinn

Niantic Engine 2

Firefighter Mike Pierangelo offers a hand to Engine Lieutenant Wick Haylon

3/20/2010 LODD Hartford

CITY OF

HARTFORD

From Hartford Fire

Updated March 24, 2010

Passing of Brother William Warren

On March 20, 2010 this local suffered a great loss in the passing of Brother William Warren. Brother Warren, 58, passed away on March 20, 2010 from a Heart Attack. Brother Warren has been a member of the Hartford Fire Fighters Association and the Hartford Fire Department since March 24, 1980.He currently was a Pump Operator assigned to Engine Co 8 until his passing. Brother Warren is survived by a long list of family and friends who each will greatly miss him. During his career he has positively affected so many and his presence will last long past his passing.

Please keep Brother Warren's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

03/09/10 New London

Shortly before 10pm on Tuesday night, City of New London firefighters had their hands full responding to 283 Willetts Ave. for a reported structure fire. While en route, Station A advised of occupants trapped on the third floor. First due companies arrived transmitting a working fire and confirmed numerous occupants in the windows on the upper floor. On arrival of the on duty Battalion, a second alarm was transmitted and first due Truck was advised to ladder all sides due to people hanging from the windows.

Waterford Fire, Companies 1, 3, 4 and 5, were requested to the scene with a second due FAST from Mohegan Tribe. Approximately thirty minutes into the operation, Command sounded the evacuation tone ordering all companies out of the building. A Tower-Ladder from Poquonnock Bridge and additional Ambulances from Groton, Montville and East Lyme were requested to assist with operations and coverage of the city.

After knocking down the bulk of the fire with master streams, companies were able to work there way back into the building to extinguish the blaze. After all was done, approximately 8 - 10 occupants were rescued from the building with 4 transports to the area Hospital.

Photos courtesy of Mike Nebelung, Frank Summers, Eric Quinn,

Mariaha Knight and Jason Snow

03/09/2010 LODD Beacon Falls

Beacon Falls

Department treats passing as

line-of-duty death

firefighter dies while responding to call




BEACON FALLS -- A longtime firefighter died in the line of duty early Wednesday while responding to a call.Kevin Swan, 69, a firefighter with Beacon Hose Company No. 1, woke around 5 a.m. to respond to a fire call on Susan Street, said Jeremy Rodorigo, a Beacon Hose spokesman.Swan signed on the radio, but did not show up at the call. He was found around 8 a.m. inside his pickup in his driveway, Rodorigo said.He was taken by ambulance to Griffin Hospital in Derby, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 9 a.m., he said.Fire officials are still trying to detemine exactly what happened, Rodorigo said. The department is treating it as a line of duty death, he said.

Read Thursday's Republican-American for more on this story.

1/25/10 Jewett City

Photo courtesy of Gerald Lattin

Shortly before midnight, Jewett City Fire Department was requested to respond to 124 North Main St. (Route 12) for a reported structure fire. Due to the amount of 911 calls being received, Quinebaug Valley dispatch added Griswold, Lisbon and Taftville to the assignment. First due units arrived to find heavy fire showing from the front of a single story commercial building with a three story attached apartment building located on the C-side.

Crews from the engine and ladder made there way into the fire building trying to contain the fire. After about forty-five minutes, the blaze gained the upper hand and Jewett City Chief Smith (Car 56) ordered everyone out of the building. Defensive operations were put into place eventually knocking down the fire. Firefighters remained on the scene well into the night extinguishing hot spots and assisting the Griswold and State FMO.

Mutual aid was provided by Taftville, Plainfield, Voluntown and Mohegan Tribe (FAST) with Hose Tenders from Laurel Hill and Scotland. Two firefighters were transported to Backus Hospital in Norwich with injuries related to the fire.

1/23/10 Norwich (City)

Firefighters from Norwich, Local 892, were summoned for another job Saturday night. The second one in the city's district in less than twenty-four hours. Shortly before 7pm Norwich Fire dispatch notified all city companies to respond to 65 Prospect St., in the Greenville section of the city, for a structure fire, numerous calls being received.

First due, Engine 2, found a three story occupied Multi family with smoke pushing from the upper floors and active fire in the rear of the building. Taftville and Mohegan Tribe (FAST) were added to the assignment. Soon after, Command added Laurel Hill and Yantic bringing in other Norwich volunteer companies to cover empty stations. About a half hour into the incident, the evacuation tone was sounded pulling everyone out of the building. Master stream operations were put into place eventually knocking down the blaze.

Despite great efforts from all on scene, the building was a total loss. The Norwich FMO is investigating to determine the cause.

Photos courtesy of Chad Johnson