Stratford's Fire Department's union moving into this century with Facebook and Twitter along with full transparency

For years the Stratford Fire Department and its union members have been given the short end of the financial stick by former city adminstrations.

Mayor John Harkins and the new fire chief along with union members have been working together for a change, to bring the department into this century both in manpower needs and equipment.

Once the stepchild of the town's emergency services, the department has been able to purchase new apparatus and bring some of its electronic equipment into this century.

The department recently took ownership of a new multi use engine to replace 3 Engine Co's apparatus in Lordship.

The old apparatus will be used as a backup which the department needs in case of major fires or mechanical problems with the front line apparatus.

The former Toma's de Torquemada (Stfd P.D.'s) police boat in poor shape was "transfered" to the fire department last year.

After extensive work on the craft, both inside and out, and a new paint job that can be observed miles away, 1 Marine Rescue can be seen on patrol in the river and out on Long Island Sound.

The department has also moved forward with a mobile dispatch terminal in each apparatus which will replace the old "Murphy" map.

 A loose leaf binder.

For some reason the Torquemada has had the MDT system for years.

The fire department just got their's several weeks ago, that just goes to prove a point of how long the fire department has been on the short end of the stick.

I have been told some of the troops are not really in love with the new MDT's while other find them easy in getting information on hydrant locations and other needed information while they are responding to the scene of a fire or accident, or medical emergency.

The department is still in need of a new aerial ladder.

The present aerial ladder has had many major problems.

Mutual aid from Milford, Bridgeport, Trumbull, Shelton and even Norwalk have come to the department's aid with their aerials when the town's aerial has gone out of service for a length of time.

One fire officer told me the department want's to keep the present aerial and get an articulated multi use vehicle (pumper, short ladder, pipe or snorkle), to be housed in 2 Engine Co. headquarters on Huntington Road.

The troops I have talked to, and I agree with them, the department needs a tower ladder to replace the aerial.

A tower is the apparatus which has a square platform at the top of the ladder or pipe.

Reason 1. A tower is safer for firefighters when operating fire lines or making a rescue in a multi-story building under heavy fire conditions.

Reason 2. Firefighter do not have to rescue a victim out a window and then carry the victim down the ladder.

No fun in the winter with icy ladders and a heavy victim.

Victim and firefighters stand on the platform, get the victim and get lowered to the ground. No back injuries.

Reason 3. During a major snow storm the tower can be extended from the street to the front door of a building for medical emergencies, using a stokes stretcher on the platform to get the victim.

Yes the tower costs more, but in the long run it will prove it's worth in making firefighters less likely to be injuried on the job.

The department, I believe should also get a light rescue vehicle to respond to public service calls when a senior citizen, we have so many in town, has fallen and need to be helped up.

That would cut down on the responses from the front line apparatus.

Speaking of snow on a hot Summer's day.

Some fire departments in the Northwest have developed a snowmobile that can carry two people and two victims, Army M.A.S.H style.

Remember last year's major snow storm when apparatus could not get into certain locations because of the snow drifts.

Of the three emergency services in town the fire union members are the only ones that have total transparency in dealing with the public.

The union can be found both on Facebook and Twitter where their "runs" are listed every day while also providing helpfull information regarding fire safey and product recall to the public.

The Torquemada and the volunteer EMS operation has as much transparency as a brick wall.

The Torquemada, to my knowledge does not have a "police blotter" that the public can view during normal business hours to check on what the department has been doing.

A year later I am still waiting for a letter from the head of the EMS operation confirming that Stratford EMS will not get within five feet of me during  a medical emergency or face a law suit.

The EMS log the political types at town hall get every month is like starting out with horse meat and presenting New York strip steak.

So much for transparency.

Recently, I came across some comments in the Patch regarding the firefighters shopping for food and getting food to go when they are on duty.

Firefighting is a team effort. All members of the team need to pull together to get the job done right.

That is why apparatus crews travel together when they go "shopping" or out for "food to go".

Rule one in the fire service (been there:done that).

When you start to cook you catch a job.

When you start to eat you catch a job.

When you clean up from breakfast, lunch, dinner, or midrats you catch a job.

When you are in the men's/ladies room in station you catch a job.

When you get back from  a job, a 10-75-10-76 (working fire) everything you eat tastes and smells like plastic, burned wood or worse, flesh.

Give the troops a break, lady.

The torquemada get their meal breaks and 99% percent of the time they actually get to eat a meal.