July 21, 2005

By Dave Matlow

Westport and Fairfield Fire Units Hold Familiarization Session

The Westport and Fairfield Fire Departments held a getting-to-know-you session Wednesday.
Westport firefighters check out equipment on a Fairfield Fire Department rescue truck Wednesday. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Although they have a mutual aid agreement and often respond to fires together, the departments for the first time held a formal equipment familiarization meeting.

The session, which took place in a Westport shopping center parking lot near the Fairfield line, was prompted by increased concern about homeland security and the need for improved cooperation among area fire departments.

"Since 911 there's a major initiative toward regionalization of firefighter resources in Fairfield County," said Westport's Lt. Ken Lombardi. "This will strengthen the delivery of our service to our respective communities."

Westport Fire Chief Chris Ackley said Wednesday's session was aimed at "understanding what equipment each department has so that in a case of an emergency firefighters don't need to search for specific specialty equipment."
Hank Ference of Fairfield and Tony Saglimbene of Westport inspect equipment on Westport's Rescue 3 truck. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

"They will know who has it and where to get it," he said.

Ackley said next month his department will meet with the Norwalk Fire Department, headed by former Westport Fire Chief Denis McCarthy, for a similar session. There will be another one with Wilton the following month.

Lombardi said there was a time when the threads of hoses from one fire department did not fit fire hydrants in another community.

"Fortunately that's not the case any longer because there has been a major effort toward standardization," he said.