Annual Report to the Mayor 2005-2006
The Milford Fire Department is a progressive Fire Department that is looked on with great respect from other Fire Departments. The Department currently holds a Class 1 ISO rating, a rating that only 44 fire department in the nation have achieved, currently the department is working toward a National Accreditation through the National Fire Accreditation International. The Milford Fire Department has also been given the designation of the “West Division’ of (NHASH) New Haven Area Special Hazards Team.
The Department runs six Engines, one Tower Ladder and one Rescue Vehicle as front line apparatus running from five fire stations. A second Rescue vehicle also runs during high volume hours. The Department has a sixth building which houses a Special Services Unit that is run by retired Milford Firefighters known as the “Dinosaurs”. This unit performs rehabilitation during long-term incidents and community functions.
A new Tower Ladder has been delivered and has replaced the outdated 1988 Tower Ladder, which runs out of Fire Headquarters. A new Assistant Chief vehicle is now in service, a new 1250-gpm pumper have also been delivered and will soon function as the new Engine 7. The Department also has a new Technical Rescue Truck and took delivery of a Prime Mover, which was assigned to Milford through DEMHS. The donation of a fully equipped Pumper Truck was given to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund to be utilized by a fire department in need.
Station 7 is approaching 30 years old and has been updated, this station is now a fully sprinklered building with a new roof, new paint and has a newly resurfaced apparatus floor.
The Department responds to approximately 7,000 emergency calls yearly with highly trained personnel documenting nearly 30,000 hours of classroom and practical training. Training includes Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Response, Dive Rescue, Ice Rescue, Confined Space, Trench Rescue, High Angle, Haz-Mat Incidents, and on Fire Boat Operations.
The Fire Marshal’s office continues with its juvenile fire setters program and its propane collection. It also continues other programs such as child safety day and the fifth grade fire prevention program in addition to all mandated inspections and fire investigations.
All emergency calls for the City are handled through the Emergency Operations Center located in Fire Headquarters. They have recently been outfitted with an Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL), which locates the closest apparatus to an emergency a true life saving benefit to Milford. The dispatchers are also sending wireless preplan and mapping information to responding apparatus to assist with firefighter safety and efficiency.
Respectfully submitted,
Chief Louis A. LaVecchia
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