This blog will mark the first of what I hope will be a long successful column highlighting the East Haven Fire Department.
I have been designated to write this blog as a member of the East Haven Firefighters, International Association of Firefighters Local 1205. I have been a life time member of the community, a member of Local 1205 for the past 18 years and a member of the department since 1988.
I have had the privilege to see East Haven at its best and some of its most challenging times. I want to bring you each month the stories, the passion and heroism of the great members of this department.
Each day members of the Fire Department work with the utmost dedication and integrity to save lives and property and to protect you the citizens during times of need. The goal of this regular blog will be to educate you, the customers about the East Haven Fire Department on the daily, weekly and monthly activity events and current affairs of the department.
I will educate those who are unfamiliar to what, why and how we conduct our business 24 hours a day 7 days a week answering greater then 6,000 emergency calls for service each year. Today’s first blog and each and every one in the future I want to hear from you. I want to hear your questions about what and how we conduct ourselves.
This blog is the place where you can ask questions to learn more about the department that serves you each and every day. I encourage positive comments and discussions where we can all learn from each other. I however will not entertain or respond to comments or opinions that does not include your name.
This blog will not entertain negative political overtones or those looking to use this blog to meet their own or other agendas. This blog serves a very import piece of communication and education to each and every member of our community and we must not lose that focus.
Within this blog I will highlight the call volume, mention any significant incidents, educate you to pieces of what we do and provide tips to keep you and your family safe.
I routinely travel through out the United States educating firefighters and visiting fire departments to learn from them as well. During this time I have learned something very valuable. The East Haven Fire Department is incredible! We do what we do everyday under extreme conditions with far less then some.
I have also learned we have firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, emergency medical responders both career and volunteers who are absolutely the most dedicated responders I have seen any where! Hands down East Haven has one of the best fire departments around.
Tomorrow may be your unfortunate turn to utilize our services. So my goal is to educate each of you so you clearly understand what we do each and everyday.
I want to build relationships with each of you today, not when I walk into your house or onto your property because you and/or your family having some type of crisis.
So please comment on the blog with what you want to learn regarding the East Haven Fire Department or the Fire Service as a whole.
Do you have a question about our history or the history of the fire service?
This month I will leave you with a little fire service history lesson: The Dalmatian is commonly associated with the fire department because Dalmatians and horses are very compatible, the dogs were easily trained to run in front of the carriages to help clear a path and quickly guide the horses and firefighters to the fires.
Dalmatians are often considered to make good watchdogs, and they may have been useful to fire brigades as guard dogs to protect a firehouse and its equipment.
Fire engines used to be drawn by fast and powerful horses, a tempting target for thieves, so Dalmatians were kept in the firehouse as deterrence to theft. I look forward to your positive comments and questions and I look forward to bringing you this each month.
Sincerely,
P.J. Norwood
