Jewett City Fire: January 2008

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Spring 2007 Main St.

Engine and Rescue responded to this Truck into a Pole on Main St. at School St. in the spring of 2007. One patient was transported with minor injuries.

Random Photos

Some pictures that I have from the past couple of years.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Response to rollover was amazing effort

Jan 15, 2008 @ 12:01 AM
Norwich Bulletin
NO DATA -

I witnessed an extraordinary event Jan. 8, that has created a new respect for the men and women of our emergency personnel. Our volunteer fire departments, AA Young and Griswold, responded to a liquid gas truck turnover off Route 138 that could have potentially caused an explosion, taking lives and property.

While as a citizen I have always respected our emergency personnel and their departments, as first selectman I was on site for nearly three hours, and saw firsthand the courage, dedication and professionalism demonstrated by our people.

To Griswold Ambulance, the State Police and all responding neighboring towns who send their emergency personnel, Griswold sincerely thanks you all.

PHILIP ANTHONY
Griswold
Philip Anthony is Griswold’s first selectman.

1/21/08 Lake Rd.

Firefighters from Jewett City made a quick stop of a chimney fire that had extended into the residence Monday night. At 22:54 Jewett City and Griswold were dispatched for the chimney fire at 109 Lake Road, Ladder 156 was first to arrive on scene and had a 1-1/2 story residential with nothing showing. Further investigation found the fire had extended into the wall and was gaining headway. Firefighters made a quick stop with a water can and stretched a 2" line while checking for extension. Tanker 154 from Lisbon Fire was requested to the scene for additional water, but was not needed. All companies cleared a short time later. Griswold FMO is investigating.

Below is a short clip of some scene operations.

Video Thanks To Chad Johnson

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Message from the Chief

On 01/08/08 at approximately 12:40 pm, the A.A. Young Hose & Ladder Company was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident on Route 138 at Exit 85, Route 395. The vehicle involved in this accident was a tractor drawn liquid propane gas tanker, hauling 9200 gallons of Liquid propane. As you might expect, an incident involving this much hazardous material had the potential of being a devastating and catastrophic event.

Resources from many area Fire Departments were summoned to this scene in order to safely and professionally handle this dangerous situation and bring this incident to a safe conclusion.

I was the incident commander of this incident and have been in the fire service for approximately 39 years. During this incident, I had the honer and privilege to work alongside some of the most dedicated professional and knowledgeable people I have ever had the opportunity to work alongside. All fire fighters who were actively involved in the handling of this incident, both career and volunteer, worked closely together as one unit, with one objective, to bring this incident to a safe conclusion.

At this time, on behalf of the A.A. Young Hose & Ladder Company, I would like to publicly thank all the men and women of all of the Fire Departments and State Agencies who came to our aid and who were directly responsible for the safely bringing this incident to a successful and safe conclusion. Departments responding with either equipment and or manpower were: Griswold Fire Dept., Lisbon Fire Dept., Voluntown Fire Dept., Plainfield Fire Dept., Preston Fire Dept., Taftville Fire Dept., Baltic Fire Dept., Canterbury Fire Dept., East Great Plain Fire Dept., United States Submarine Base Fire Dept., Mortlake Fire Dept., Conn Dept. of Environmental Protection Hazardous Materials Response Team, Connecticut State Police Troop E Montville, Conn Dept. of Transportation and the Griswold Ambulance Service.

A special thanks to our brothers and sisters of the Griswold Fire Department, Griswold First Selectman Philip Anthony, New London County Fire Coordinator Lester Shull, Windham County Fire Coordinator Robert Duvall, Chief Saye Sub Base Fire Dept.,Sub Base Fire Fighter Hazardous Material Technicians, Senior DEP Emergency Response Coordinator Ron Wofford, Sgt Keeney Connecticut State Police Troop E, Trooper Collins Jewett City Resident Trooper, Supervisors and employees of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Dispatchers of the Quinebaug Valley Fire Dispatch Center, John Donfrancisco, Philip Lee, Charles Kelleher and Tom Burgess, Troopers assigned to the State Police Truck Squad, Paramedics of the American Ambulance Service, Groton's Salvation Army "Canteen 1", Guy's Oil Company Wrecker Service and the cooperation of the countless number of residents and motorists who's lives and daily routines were effected during this operation.

To all of you listed above, I sincerely thank you. May you all stay safe in any future incidents and rest assured that if you ever need us, A.A. Young Hose & Ladder Company,(Jewett City) we will be there for you, as you were there for us in our time of need.

Sincerely

Chief Robert L. Smith
A.A. Young H&L Co. #1

Some pictures from January 6, around 11:30. Jewett City and Griswold Fire Departments were dispatched to the Griswold High School for smoke in the building. Companies checked the building and found a furnace problem in the basement. Smoke was evacuated and all companies returned a short time later.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Griswold may take ownership of Jewett City fire station

Jan 15, 2008 @ 03:05 AM
By DEBORAH STRASZHEIM
Norwich Bulletin

GRISWOLD -
The leaders of the Borough of Jewett City want to turn over ownership of the fire station to the Town of Griswold.
Griswold has two fire stations; one is in Jewett City and needs work. If the town, which already owns the trucks and equipment at the station, assumes ownership of the building, it will have to maintain it for the long term.

Borough Warden Cynthia Kata said the borough has $11,000 in an account for the building, and once that's gone, there's nothing left.

The station needs the furnace fixed or replaced, an oil tank removed from the ground and blacktop resealed. Kata said the borough will make all repairs before the transfer.

"I'm not trying to pawn off my junk on them," she said.

Alan Geer, burgess from Jewett City, said the town owns the equipment and trucks, so it makes sense for it to own the building. The arrangement where the town owns the trucks while the borough owns the building was made years ago.
"We're paying to heat the building that the town's equipment is in," he said.

Selectman Steve Mikutel said the borough always has budgeted frugally and doesn't have the tax base the town has.
"They have the money to cover this issue of a new furnace, so that issue is going away," Mikutel said. "But I'm sure there are going to be other long-term issues."
He said the building is structurally sound and should not be a financial drain on the town.

First Selectman Philip Anthony said maintenance and repair costs, and the will of town residents will be the major considerations as to whether the board accepts ownership of the station.

Griswold resident Leo Bordeleau said he doesn't like the idea.

"We pay enough taxes as it is," he said. "Let the borough do it."

He said Jewett City wants to consolidate costs without giving up its government independence.
"It's like having your cake and eating it, too," he said.

To complete any transaction, the borough must call a meeting of registered voters in Jewett City to vote on whether to give the property to the town, Mikutel said.

Reach Deborah Straszheim at 425-4221 or dstraszheim@norwichbulletin.com

Thursday, January 10, 2008

1/8/08 Propane Tanker Rollover

On January 8, around 12:39 stations 56 and 55 were dispatched to Rt 138 and Frontage Rd. for a Oil Truck on its side. First arriving Car 256 reported a tractor trailer carrying 9,000 gallons of liquid propane on its side with one injury. Command was established and Mutual Aid was requested from DEP, Lisbon, Plainfield, Preston City, Taftville and Baltic for manpower and tankers. The Haz-Mat team from Sub Base and Canteen One were also requested. Firefighters were able to remove the patient from the Hot Zone and they were transported by Griswold Ambulance to Backus Hospital. While crews worked to contain a small leak of diesel fuel and motor oil, a perimeter was set up and residents of area homes and the American Inn Hotel were evacuated. Large diameter hose was laid by Plainfield HT-195 from the Griswold school campus to supply ET-256 at the west end of the scene, while two water supplies were laid into ET-156 from Tractor Supply store for the east end of the scene. Master streams were in operation while the truck was uplifted with the help of tow trucks from Guy's Oil out of Niantic. The trailer was towed to a commuter lot close by to be unloaded into another tank. All departments were able to clear the scene around 19:00hrs with no firefighter injuries reported.

Jewett City Fire Department would like to thank all mutual aid Fire Departments and State Agencies that responded to this incident. With out there help, this somewhat controlled situation could have had a different outcome.