Danbury Engine Company 26 Quarters

[x635 4,066]

Looks like Danbury's newest Engine company's quarters is all set to go! Anyone know when the new company will come online, or if the new apparatus has been recieved yet?

http://www.emtbravophotos.com/SpyShots/Dan...26Quarters.html

[DFD801 0]

Engine Co. 26 is scheduled to open in Sept. The engine, a 2007 Pierce, was recieved in March and is currently being fitted w/ radios and other equipment. We also currently have 8 recruits in the academy that will help with the additional need for manning as well as fill in for recent retirements. More recruits may enter the next academy class in the fall. This engine co., which will cover the west side, has been talked about for well over 20 years and has finally become reality as the west side has seen tremendous growth. Its also the first time in over 40 years the Danbury FD has added manpower. An additional 4 LT.'s and 8 FF's will man the station.

Here's a link to a picture of Eng. 26.

http://dfdagroup.tripod.com/imagelib/siteb...;target=tlx_new

Edited July 25, 2007 by DFD801

[SageVigiles 1,194]

No Captain to oversee the house? Any reason for that or is Boughton being his usual penny-pinching self?

[DFD801 0]

There's one Captain on each crew and he rides Truck 1 at headquarters. The Lt.s run the houses for Engines 23,24,25 and soon 26.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

As of today, the new station is dedicated, the rig is in, and the crew has graduated the CT Fire Academy.

According to the video on the News Times website, Engine 26 will also house the Region 5 HAZMAT Team truck, and I believe the Crash Truck will be there as well, but DFD801 has more information I'm sure.

http://www.newstimeslive.com/news/story.ph...ce=news_updates

[CHIEFPHIL 90]

Congradulation and good luck Eng 26 on going into service today.

[DFD801 0]

Sage, you pretty much said it all. The station was officially opened this morning and D Group put Engine 26 in service this evening at 5pm. The HAZMAT rig is also over there, but the crash truck is still at the airport. Whether it goes in the firehouse or not has not been decided.... there are FAA regulations regarding this. 8 new firefighters graduated the academy last Fri. and will be divided among the crews. 5 more recruits entered the CT. Fire Academy yesterday.

[DFD801 0]

New fire station called to action

By John Pirro

staff writer

The new fire station on Kenosia Avenue in Danbury opened Tuesday, just one day before being called to fight the city�s largest fire in several years at nearby Danbury Municipal Airport.

DANBURY -- When the city's newest fire station opened Tuesday, Mayor Mark Boughton said it came in "on time and on budget."

Just in time, it turns out.

One day after firefighters moved into the new Engine 26 on Kenosia Avenue, they were called to fight biggest fire in several years Wednesday night in a hangar at the Danbury Municipal Airport.

The $1.6-million fire station, which had been talked about for years, is intended to reduce emergency response times to businesses and residences on the west side of the city, including the airport.

VIDEO: http://newstimeslive.com/video/player.php?id=12740

Proving, however, the best-laid plans can still go awry, firefighters weren't in the station when the alarm came in. They were at headquarters on New Street, picking up equipment.

But the extra few minutes it took to get to the airport made no difference, said Lt. John Gillotti, a 32-year veteran firefighter and one of the engine officers on duty at the time of the blaze.

Even had they gotten there earlier, the building could not have been saved.

"It didn't really (matter) in this case because of the volume of the fire," Gillotti said. "Once you get a fire that's so large in a building that it's being called in by aircraft, we pretty much knew what we were going up against going out the door."

"We were looking almost immediately at backdraft conditions," Gillotti added. "It was drawing so much air. Our job is strange. We know that if we don't get inside, we're not going to put it out, we're going to surround and drown it."

The building, which housed Reliant Air, a charter flight company, and McNally's Steak & Ale House, was a total loss.

Gillotti said having a huge fire a day after the new station opened wasn't much of a surprise, given the volume of activity in that part of the city.

"It wasn't shocking because we get fires on the west side," Gillotti said.

"Coming out the door as soon as we opened(the station), in the first 24 hours we did seven runs. It's going to be a busy house."

Contact John PIrro

at jpirro@newstimes.com

Edited September 14, 2007 by DFD801

[eckyphats 0]

best way to welcome a new engine