The circus fire where many died, the fatal Hartford Hospital , the Greenwoods Nursing Home fire all resulted in changes to the way the City of Hartford as well as fire departments nationwide approach firefighting.
I think that is why the phone calls ramped up last night after word started getting out about the imminent closing of the Pearl Street firehouse. Although "firehouse" may be too general of a term.
I think most people think of a firehouse as that building down the street from their homes where that first fire engine responds from in case of a fire. The reality is that basic firefighting equipment is not housed at the Pearl Street firehouse for years. The only equipment garaged at Pearl Street is Tac 1, the heavy rescue truck, which responds to most incidents in the City including accidents and structure fires. A district Chief or Tour Commander is also garaged at the Pearl Street building.
So to answer the questions , or fears, of downtown residents, there should be no delay or danger of longer response times to fires downtown . Currently, the closest responding fire apparatus for fires downtown will still be Engine ! from the South Green firehouse on Main Street or Engine 2 from the Main Street firehouse near Albany and Belden.
Hartford Fire Chief Reggie Freeman has been very transparent for several years with his plans to shutter the Pearl Street firehouse. Freeman has also been very open regarding the "deplorable" conditions of Hartford's Firehouses. Those conditions include rodent infestations, code violations, structural deficiencies as well as lacking gender specific locker and shower area and sleeping areas for both male and female firefighters.
The Pearl Street firehouse pretty much fits into all of those deficiencies above, and the construction of the Public Safety Complex a few years ago moved Hartford Fire Administration Offices out of the Pearl Street HQ and into a much more modern structure at 253 High Street. For some odd reason, there were no plans included in 253 High to accommodate fire apparatus and alleviate the money pit at Pearl Street. HFD dispatchers were housed for many years at Pearl Street, but they were moved into the 911 Dispatch Center many years ago.
The time has come to shut down the "garage" that houses Tac 1 on Pearl Street and use the money wasted in the upkeep and operation of thousands of square footage and should be put into repairing the deplorable conditions of Hartford's firehouses where out first responders live ,work and sleep everyday of the week.
52 comments:
So Brookman you think 275 Pear St is just a garage??
Brookman what happens when E1 and E2 are at another call and so are L3 and L6. I bet there will be a delayed response.
And how will Pearl Street affect that response, which Engine or Ladder would respond from Pearl Street, or would maybe Engine 5 from Asylum Hill or Engine 8 from Park Street be the first engine due?
So let me get this straight, are you indicating the firefighters on the TAC Unit are useless at a fire??
How can you be a city fire department if you don't have a down town fire house.
Tac 1 Does the work of a truck company a lot of the time and in a high rise fire Truck work is key to getting water to the right place. So much history such a beautiful building, Historic. Rehab the building Keep it in the Fire department hands.
You speak of TAC Unit 1 as if they were useless. How dare you insult the firefighters who have served for years on that unit. Obviously you have never been trapped in a mangled up car due to an accident or trapped in your house in a fire where precious minutes decide whether you live or die. Shame on you.
Capital city fire department without a downtown firehouse?? How embarrasing!! First we get stripped of our raises and health insurance and retirement packages and now they want to close a firehouse!!!
Even West Hartford has a downtown firehouse!! West Hartford also has Blue Back Square. Oh , yeah in West Hartford Police dont shut streets down to keep people away from bars. The only 2 major bars in downtown Hartford left to party and you have a task force of police blocking the street as if it were a block party going on. No wonder downtown night life is dead. Look at Blue Back Square is always live. Look at Downtown Springfield,Mass and New Haven always live. I don't know why so many cops blocking streets for only 2 to 3 bars left . Talk about tax dollars at waste on police overtime. That was worth it when downtown Hartford had at least 10 bars and clubs within one block. Allyn St and Union Place are nothing but ghost towns and heroin shooting galleries now.
Kevin you better hope you dont ever need our services. HFD remembers all back stabbers. HPD already has said they will not rush for any assistance if it pertained to you. Pack your luggage and move across the border.
Kevin can you tell me the rolls and responsibilities of the engine/ladder/tac at a structure fire and those rolls at a high rise fire above the sixth floor? Every company has a vital roll at a fire! Every firefighter no matter what company/riding position has a vital roll at a structure fire. They are EQUALLY vital to the operation!! To say that one is more important than the other is very ignorant and disrespectful to what the men/women of the HFD do!! So when the administration feeds you that line of BS and says it doesn’t matter that the house closes it just shows you who they really are!
Did Chief Freeman try to keep the station open or did he just went along with the mayor? Oh wait his contract was just extended another 4 years Mmmmm???
Kevin I see you drank the KoolAiD Reggie served you !!!
you would think he was eliminating positions, all that is being planned is relocating resources, and knowing Reggie, I would imagine he can justify every foot he will move any resources and readily have the documentation to validate his decision
Oh, yeah buddy you have gotten brain washed ......by all the 253 High St crap. Dont feel bad we at the HFD Suppression Division have also been getting fed crap from those 3 clowns for several years now.Reggie is just a numbers guy. He does not care about the women and men on the line. He just cares to make the HFD look good in the eyes of citizens and city hall, when in reality it runs like a porta-potty. The 3 Stooges have placed many people in positions which they are incapable of doing and continue to do so. The 3 Stooges just want to make everything look good on paper for city hall. Adios amigos I will be gone by the time more crap hits the fan smoking my cigar on the beach.
3:51 PM.
definitely not, I am capable of independent thought. I do find Reggie Freeman very convincing and his arguments well thought out and based on facts and not emotion. And if it makes a different, I have received more phone calls today supporting the closure than I have in favor of Pearl Street, and that is from Hartford firefighters. And either way most callers agree the building is a pit and a hazard
Kevin who called you?? I bet no one did. Half of our dept has never even stepped inside 275 Pearl St.I really doubt any firefighter in Hartford would agree to a fire house closing.If they did call you to agree with the closing they are trash.
Bronin can come up with the revenue to fix Pearl St. He finds money when it comes to raises for his buddies at city hall.
New fireman probably like E 14s house the best. Blue hills and Albany av.
Real fireman Like E-2 E-1 E-15 E-5 and HQ old school. you Rubber.
TAC 760 separated themselves from the pack years ago. The union boys assigned there even built in overtime specific to only TAC 760 members.. Does anyone else remember when only specially trained TAC members could fill empty slots there? That being said ,why are TAC members inside seriously compromised fire structures when they are the only unit trained in advanced structural collapse rescue? What plan is in place when this happens? Wait for off duty personnel to assemble and retrieve necessary equipment to arrive and initiate a rescue of firefighters ,TAC 760 members and/or civilians? Why aren’t they the permanent rapid intervention team?To those who defend the necessity of having the TAC downtown please provide a few examples where that unit alone responded to a remarkable or significant emergency call that would have had dire consequences if responding from somewhere other than Pearl St.
5:40PM
Quick correction, I think the politically correct term now is "firefighter's" Women are also allowed to be firefighter's now
5:45pm why are you worried about the RIT Team in order to need them you have to be in the building that’s on fire!!! I’m sure you’re the guy hunkered down on the stairs looking for his gloves or fumbling with his mask! We’re the guys that go right by you!!
And the people have spoken. That put luke back in office again. He's the one that pushed for those last shitty contacts and benefits for police and fire. It's only going to get worse.
Kevin, This entire move by the City, has been in the plans for years ! If you remember, when the "Y" was closed, talk of Condos flew around, and its been dead for years, HERE it comes, the City will sell the land and building to the holders of the "Y", then both buildings will be demolished and a huge, triangular shaped Condo Complex will be built, Condos for very Big Bucks. What i don't understand is that the Headquarters Building is ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS/PLACES AND PROTECTED. Quite a few years ago, Fedge, was applying for a Grant to replace all the windows in Headquarters! But the National Register of Historic Buildings, said >> The Windows have to aesthetically match the windows in the building now, Trim, Mullions, be Metal etc. Toooo expensive and that deal was tucked away. Make the improvements needed, then move in the FMO, so called Computer Tech, Special Services, and any other lame ones. How about a spare, fully equipped Engine and Ladder stored there instead of down in the shop, all ready to go and quickly. As Far as the Tactical Unit goes, it should be open to all members of the Department, such as Over-Time and Details, makes for good Cross Training ! This Tact. 760 thing came from the past so called President of the Union, as he was assigned to the Tact. and took good care of himself as far as over time. ALL MEMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CROSS TRAINED, ALL MEMBERS !!
Same as the pd. Only a certain few get training.
Welcome to the club pal.
Ya’ll sound like a bunch of clowns. Your talk of “downtown” and “high rise” fires is comical. You sound like you think your in the same class as Boston or New York City lol! Let me slap you in the face with reality. Hartford is a small little 17 square mile city with a couple tall buildings and a downtown that consists of a few blocks. Please now, keep it real. Closing the “downtown” firehouse is really no big deal, stop trying to hold onto something that just isn’t (Hartford being a vibrant big city with a downtown). They closed the Pearl St and Albany Ave precinct/sub-stations many years ago, and guess what, life went on business as usual. Pearl St even had a nice PD museum. Guess what, the city and the majority of others could’ve cared less about that, no different than your little downtown firehouse. If you really want to be a big city firefighter, go to a real city.
7:28 PM,,, First and foremost RIT has the word “team” in it already so no need for the Rapid Intervention Team “Team” ,,,, do you also say VIN Number too dummy?? But enough about your stupidity ,,,try and act professional ,,,get to the very real scenario of a structural collapse whether partial ,full or in between ,,if TAC 760 is in there and also trapped ,,,,What’s the plan???? The average HFD firefighter can’t tie a figure eight knot ,what makes you think they can figure out how to utilize the special equipment that less than 10 % of HFD members have been trained to utilize? You probably don’t even know what the rakers,struts,shoring,air bags,and other various structural collapse rescue tools look like never mind how to use them! So 7:28 PM ,You continue to act like a uneducated tough guy climbing over co-workers with your Halligan and God willing you never get trapped under debris but if you do we’ll see who the bigger pussy is ,,,the guy hunkered down in the stairwell or you screaming like a bitch while waiting to be rescued . Personally I would want those specially trained firefighters to be on the ready outside instead of trapped next to me yelling over me on the radio for help.
Your an idiot because I can name 5 highrises in a 2 block span.
All Reggie hires are inner city thugs. When supervisors have to walk around and tell firefighters to wear a belt and tuck your shirts in you know we have problems.When assistant Chief Barco shows up at a 2nd alarm wearing civilian clothing and walking around High St in sandals you know you have a problem.When firefighters can't even change a regulator in an oxygen bottle you know you have a problem.You should hear some of the conversations at certain firehouses in the morning during changeover ,sounds like your standing on Albany Ave among thugs. When you have firefighters looking like Bob Marley who can't even fit their helmet you know you have a problem.When you have firefighters who can't even walk one flight of stairs without wheezing you know you have a problem.
So 1st off, the technical rescue trained personnel only rule still applies to date. The pool of candidates has grown as the program has evolved. 2nd, your overtime theory is incorrect, it was a false narrative from the beginning, unlike the brady/walsh D1 ot ponzi scheme. 3rd. The firehouse isnt that bad. It needs upgrades like windows and a few heating zones. The building operated with 1 heating zone for its life span. Maybe a new kitchen and boom, you have a centrally located training facility. Finally the training division is using the building for that. The dinosaurs of the past refused to entertain it. It is a very important to hold on to. Previous offers on the building included building in a new firehouse to the plans of residential overlooking the park. Northland on more than 1 occasion had offered. Why are we not talking about getting that done?
Move Testicle Unit One to the funny farm, aka 11’s on Sisson Ave and call it a day. If the Tac 760 boys club doesn’t like there new home, transfer to an engine and start doing some actual work. Go Hartford Stage Company!
Take your racist lilly white butt to Avon if you dont like working around people of color. I can assure you youre not wanted here at HFD
Man is it refreshing to hear some firemen(fighters) yeah right cry again. Its been a while. Keep it coming. I love hearing all the heroes complain. Makes me appreciate pension check day even more than I already do. haha P.S. The city did drop the ball big time when they didn't go for the Firehouse first floor or two with residential /business above.
I can assure you my white racist Lilly butt from Avon will rescue many minorities from a burning building while your thug firefighters watch outside.
There aren't more than 10 guys left who actually went through the true technical rescue training courses with all state instructors! Everyone else was done in a fraction of the time with unqualified training division staff as instructors.Also it is a shame that there are so many people on the job now half of which are in leadership positions that they are totally unqualified for that don't know that structural rescue is not one of the core classes of technical rescue that the Tac was trained in. If there were a true collapse the USAR team would be called in. Urban Search and Rescue, just ask Cpt. Shelley.
12:59PM, And your comment isn't racist? Or is it OK for you as long as you aren't the target
Ok, you got me......it’s 5 high rises in a 2 block span, not a couple lol lol lol! Real big city hahaha! Close the big city “downtown” house already!
Hartford is a town not a city.
What city closes at 5 o'clock.
So much hostility on here, y'all need to calm down and listen to Lizzo's song Truth hurts
Does anyone knows if the mayor's wife still has interest in buying pearl st Firehouse? Rumor was that she had her eyes on it to turn it into a brewery,but the cost of repairs would have been too much even though she was going to get it for pennies on the dollar,
Why are civilian workers for HFD issued class A uniforms?? That uniformed is earned not given. The public mistakes them for firefighters. These individuals are not sworn firefighters.
No way!! What kind of department issues sworn firefighters or police uniform to civilian workers!! Not even HPD animal control officer wears the same uniform as a police officer!!!
8:58 am The public mistakes a lot of people for firefighters, even those with bars!
12:44 nice. Touche
Sounds like another bitter guy not able to pass a test. Non fire fighters are equal through out the ranks.
Maybe equal in your fantasy world.
How about the new LT at Ladder 6?? Highly certified and Highly qualified with many years of Ladder Company experience and very aggressive might I add.He surely deserves that position, he sure put in his time in as a Lt.on an engine company for only 4 months . I saw his stellar performance at the Main st fire the other morning.
There were plenty of people who were assigned to trucks straight out of the academy that ended up some of the best officers on the job. Size, strength and no fear of heights were usually determining factors.
Funny , I never witnessed a spectacular bicep on a large human put out a fire. And typically those small engine guys would find fire victims before ladder co’s or tac as they were closest to the fire. Most departments work smarter than harder . Is HFD stuck in that mythical land of firefighters so strong that mere mortal men even feared being hurt by shaking their hands.
Looks like the City is CLOSING HEADQUARTERS TOMORROW, SAT, JAN 4, 2020, THE TACT IS GOING TO ENGINE CO. 11, DISTRICT ONE TO ENGINE 10. How can they sell Headquarters when the building is listed on the National Historic Registry ?
Being listed on the National Historic Registry does not mean it cannot be sold. It refers to changes that can or cannot be made to the actual building. The building facade, appearance, etc. The purchaser of 275 Pearl St with have to adhere to the Registry rules.
One example is the old board of Ed building that was razed to make room for 253 High St (PD & FD HQ). The front of the building was to be saved and integrated into the new building. However, it was supposedly unstable and couldn’t be saved. Oops!
Reggies quints are in the works!!!
How are those response times from sisson ave?
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