Hooray for Engine 8!

Engine 8 and their mates from Squad 1 rescued a climber from the cliff face at East Rock yesterday. 

Read about it in the New Haven Independent:
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/firefighters_rescue_climber/

Hooray for Engine 8!

Engine 8 was on top the cliff and responsible for rigging the ropes which the rescuers went down the cliff. 

A good reminder that the firefighters don't do just fires....

Contact Us

If you want updates on the citizens' initiative to keep Engine 8 as our neighborhood-based fire and rescue unit, you can always check out the blog (you're already here) --

See the new Facebook page New Haven in support of Engine 8

Or send email to:

SaveEngine8@gmail.com


And don't forget to drop a line to Mayor John DeStefano at mayordestefano@newhavenct.net
 He won't hear you if you never say anything.

And It's Not Actually an Ambulance...

After removing Engine 8 (fire and EMT -- Emergency Medical Technicians) from the Whitney Ave station, the City says it will station an ALS (Advanced Life Support) unit there.  The ALS unit will have city-wide coverage responsibilities.

And, just to be clear, the ALS unit is not an ambulance -- meaning, it cannot transport patients.  To do that, they would still have to call an ambulance.

So if you have a condition and you need to get to the Hospital right away, the ALS unit isn't going to get you there.

What the FD and the City have not explained yet (unfortunately for us) is the difference between a BLS (Basic Life Support) unit -- which is Engine 8 -- and the ALS.  What can the ALS do that the BLS cannot?  The BLS unit (i.e., Engine 8, with its Emergency medical Technicians) can stay at "home" in the station on Whitney Ave., and  can therefore arrive quickly on site in a medical emergency.  The ALS unit can travel all over the city responding to any calls that come in.  The BLS unit can also fight fires.  The ALS unit cannot.

The Emergency Medical Technicians on Engine 8 can revive you if you have a heart attack.  Or a near-drowning (see today's New Haven Register -- Firemen Revive Drowning Victim at Light House Point http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/07/12/news/new_haven/doc4e1b1c6d818e6664974081.txt).

Since they can't transport patients, what can the ALS paramedics do that is not covered by Engine8's EMTs? We'd be very interested to know.

Dangerous Misconceptions: But We’ll Get an Ambulance, Won’t We?

Some people have heard that, though the city is taking Engine 8 out of the Whitney Ave station, the city will put in an ambulance, and they have therefore concluded that everything will be OK.

Unfortunately, in thinking that, some people have fallen for a bit of comforting misinformation (or disinformation -- in the case of those who are repeating this and should know better).

Here's the thing: Engine 8 is a fire and rescue unit that also provides basic life support, and its home territory is right here.  That means it is not just a fire truck.  It can provide basic life support -- which means that it can give the first and most immediate response to keep you alive.  And it can do it fast because its home territory is right here.

The critical difference is this: the ALS (advanced life support unit, aka, "ambulance") that the city has said it will put at the Whitney Ave. station will not be locally based.  It will answer calls all over the city It will not have a "home" territory.  Which means it will not be "home" at the station most of the time.

Squad 1 out all day again for training

That headline says enough.

Squad 1 out all day Thursday July 7 for training. 

Meanwhile, Engine 8 was in the station and responded to numerous calls that day.

More Crew Reassigned -- Closing Possible Soon

More crew from Engine 8 have been re-assigned to other engines, making the closing possible within a couple weeks, likely by the end of the month.

Mayor DeStafano can stop this immediately, if he issues the orders.

Now is the time to contact the mayor.  Sign a postcard. Call the mayor's office.  And be prepared to walk with your vote: we need a mayor who understands the importance of safety in our neighborhood.  If not DeStefano, then somebody who will.

Engine 8: Officers Reassigned, 1st Step to Engine Closing

The 4 officers that lead each of the 4 shifts at Engine 8 got reassigned on Friday to other stations-- the first step in closing the engine.  Officer positions, as far as we understand, will now be covered by other officers "temping" in the Whitney Ave station and doing overtime from their postings.

It's the first of the month, so maybe the timing is just procedural.  But politically, it's a good time to make a move -- just before a holiday weekend in the height of moving season, when students and residents are gone.  A good time to get something done quietly.

In terms of safety, 4th of July weekend doesn't seem like a really good time to compromise the efficiency of the Engine.  It ain't for nothing that "fireworks" has the word "fire" in it. 

So no more waiting for something to happen -- now is the time. Sign a postcard,  contact the mayor and let him know you care.

And let him know you know elections are coming up in October.

Basics: Is this a Budget Issue?

No. Even though the property taxes have increased dramatically in the past two years, the city budget is under serious stress.  So does the city have to close Engine 8 because it can't afford to pay for it?

No. The Fire Department and city representatives acknowledged publicly at the aldermen's meeting in April 2011 that there will be no significant cost savings.  The budget for our neighborhood engine will be re-assigned to provide services for other parts of the city.

It might make sense to cut back services from the Engine that is the least-used in the city, if you had to and if that wouldn't entail an unacceptable security risk..

So I guess it's because our neighborhood pays the least in property taxes that our fire engine is going to be the one cut?

Um.... let me think about that one.

Basics: Engine 8 also covers the schools

Engine 8 is the first responder for fire and medical emercencies at half a dozen schools -- including Worthington Hooker K-2 and 3-8, Celantano, Foote School, St. Thomas Day School, Wilbur Cross -- and as many preschools -- including Edith B Jackson, Bethesda Lutheran, Childrens' Preschool, and Laila Day.

Without Engine 8, the closest fire engine would be at Olive and Grand -- which is not so good for us.

Squad 1 can also respond, if -- if -- it is in the fire station.

And, of course, coverage for other schools in the city is not an issue, since none of the other 10 fire stations is losing their engine.

Back to Basics: What Does Engine 8 do?

Engine 8 fights fires and provides basic life support in emergencies. 

In 2010, Engine 8 responded to over 1600 calls.

New Haven has 10 fire stations. Each one has a fire engine designated with a "home" territory where they provide first response for fire and medical emergencies.  The home territory of Engine 8 is the northern section of the city. 

Engine 8 covers on of the largest territories assigned to any engine, and one of the most densely populated.

Without Engine 8, the East Rock neighborhood (including Sohu, Science Hill, and Prospect Streets) will be the ONLY fire station in New Haven without a designated "home" fire engine.

Sign a Postcard!

Let Mayor DeStefano and the NH Fire Department know that you are concerned --

Sign one of the red and white postcards that say "We Need Engine 8."  You can find them at Romeo's, Lulu's, Orange Street Liquor, P&M Market, Cafe Romeo, and other shops along Orange Street.

Add a personal note if you feel like it (something like "I won't vote for you in October, you mangy rodent, if you close our fire engine!" would probably get his attention).  And drop it in the drop box.

We'll collect them all and make a very public display of support for Engine 8. 

It's not a petition, so you don't have to be registered to vote (or even eligible to vote). 

But if you think you might like to be saved in case of a house fire -- please sign a card.

Tell Mayor DeStefano

So if you've decided that you don't think our neighborhood (the entire northern section of the city, actually) should be the ONLY neighborhood that doesn't have a fire engine, let Mayor DeStefano know.

You can reach his office by phone at (203) 946-8200

by email at mayordestafano@newhavenct.net

Or if you are downtown to drop off your tax bill, you can go by his office at 165 Church Street.

If we tell him 500 times, do you think he will get the message?

Prom Night is Getting on Like a House on Fire

You wouldn't think that Prom Night was a particularly dangerous night for fires, would you?

Because, in her excitement, Cinderella left her curling iron plugged in and on the bed and then went off to the ball -- and came home, literally, to cinders and ashes.  That's what happened at a house on Sheffield Ave last week.

But because Engine 8 got there fast, they managed to save the house, even though Cinderella's room was destroyed -- because "getting on like a house on fire" isn't just a saying.

We Love Squad 1, but...

They do not love us back.

Well ... I'm sure they would if they could.

Here's the deal: there are two active fire "trucks" in the fire station on Whitney Ave. (More about "trucks" later.) Engine 8 is assigned to the East Rock neighborhood -- that is its "home" neighborhood.

Though Squad 1 "lives" in the same fire station, it is assigned to all of New Haven county.  And it has different equipment and different duties -- that's why it is a "Squad" and not an "Engine." 

Squad 1is the truck that is called out to respond to accidents on the freeway, for example, because it can do extrications.  And Squad 1, as the hazmat unit, is also called out for hazardous spills.  It has some of the same abilities to fight fires, but it does, and is supposed to do, a lot of other, specialized jobs.  It is not a fire engine (the primary function of which is pumping water onto a fire).

So the city tells that they can take out Engine 8 and Squad 1 will still be there to respond to fire emergencies.  Will Squad 1 be there for us?

Three quarters of Squad 1's calls take it outside the district.  So even if we love Squad 1 100%, they ain't gonna love us back more than 25%. 

Which is why the 10 fire stations in New Haven each have their own home fire Engine. 

Except for us, if they take Engine 8 away.

Another Neighborhood Fire Story

So have you thought of how lovely and historic these old Victorian houses are?  I totally agree. I love them. 

But I don't live in one. I live in a brick building. And I thought -- hey, it's made of brick. Not very flammable, right? So I'm feeling pretty safe.

But I was not aware of the construction details, especially of the interior walls.  So a neighbor today was telling me how they used to make the old walls -- it's a very clever old-fashioned construction of plaster and lathe (that's thin wooden strips) reinforced with horsehair.  And maybe some more horsehair bunched up in the cracks for insulation.  How resourceful and quaint -- from the time when horses were everywhere so hair from their tails really was a viable and efficient way to make insulation.

And it's true! Because once when I (accidentally, of course) knocked a fair-sized hole in the wall, I could see the wood strips and the horsehair.

But did you ever stop to think about the flame-retarding qualities of 100-year-old wood and hair?  The flame-retarding effectiveness is, in a word, zero.  In fact, the opposite.

So I'm thinking that there is a good reason to have a fire engine in the neighborhood. ...

The Scary Story My Neighbor Told Me

So some time after the fire truck had left (thank you, Engine 8), another neighbor came home.  And she told me this story:

Well, she said, of course you called the fire department.  Before I lived here, I lived in a three-family house.  And I had just moved in the week before, and one night I was coming home from work late. And I drove down the block and I couldn't recognize the house. I couldn't find it.

And I thought, it should be right there, but it can't be that house, the one with all the fire trucks in front of it.... But it was that house, the one with all the fire trucks in front of it.

So what had happened was the family on the first floor had a fire in a closet.  And as soon as they found it, they called the fire department.  And the fire engine came and put it out.

But in the time it took for them to get there, the fire had spread through the whole first floor. It was totally destroyed. Everything was absolutely black, in every room. The walls were black. The couch was black. Every single thing.

On the second floor, the floor was ruined and burned, but none of the furniture was burned.

And on the third floor, where I lived -- my neighbor said -- nothing was burned. But everything smelled like smoke.  And that's how fast the fire spread -- the family on the first floor was home when the fire started and they called the fire department right away. And the fire truck came right away, but the whole first floor still burned by the time they put the fire out.

So -- my neighbor said -- you were right to call the fire department when the alarm went off. Because you never know. And you can't afford to wait.

And as for me -- I'm glad, of course, that there wasn't a real fire today.  But living, as I do, where I'm dependent on the safety habits of all the people in the building (and the safety of wiring and building construction that is almost a hundred years old), I'm also glad I have a fire engine right in the neighborhood.

Well, I had to call the Fire Truck Today --

I had to call the fire truck today, and I felt pretty stupid, now that I'm more aware of how hard they work. 

What happened was that the fire alarm in my building went off, and I'd like to just ignore it, except that it seemed to be originating in the apartment right next to mine.  So I banged on my neighbor's front door (naturally), and on his back door, and checked all the windows, front and back. And then I banged on the front door and back door and all the windows again. But the apartment was sealed up tight.

Meanwhile, the fire alarm is ringing and ringing and ringing. 

And nobody can get in the apartment, and there's no sign of the owner, and I think: It's probably a false alarm.

But how will we know? 

And since it was right next to my apartment, and mine would be the first place a fire would spread to if there was a fire, and since the other neighbors were all standing around saying "Somebody should call the fire department" ....  I called.

So Engine 8 came, and the firemen pried open the window, climbed into the apartment, and luckily, it was a false alarm, and no harm done.

So, as I said, I felt pretty stupid. 

And then another neighbor came home and told me this story, which made me feel not so stupid after all.....

What do you pay in city property tax? And what do you get?

If you own a house or car registered in New Haven, you will be receiving a city property tax bill soon.  And you are already painfully aware of the steep property tax increases over the last three years -- even before the budget crisis this year caused by the recession and the heavy snowfall this winter.

If you are a renter with a car registered elsewhere, you may think you don't pay city property tax. You would be wrong.

As a renter, the city property tax is part of your rent. 

I figured out that about 25% of my rent bill each month went strictly to the city property tax.  That, combined with the property tax on my car, means that the city property tax I pay is about 10% of my gross household income. That is a very hefty bite.  And all my neighbors are paying that rate too.

Hey -- I realize we all have to pay taxes to make the city run. But it means I'm not really in the mood to accept a city decree that the fire engine that protects my neighborhood -- alone of all fire engines in the city -- is going to be eliminated.

East Rock is a wonderful, thriving neighborhood -- until it is bled dry by taxes to support services in the rest of the city, while its own services are cut.

Which City Fire Engine is the Least Used?

If the city claims they need to close a fire engine, shouldn't it be the one with the fewest calls in its district?

Can the city show calls for 2011, to demonstrate that Engine 8 isn't needed?

Which of the city's engines is the least busy?

(Hint: it's not Engine 8.)

The Only Fire House in New Haven without a Neighborhood Engine?

There are 10 fire houses in New Haven. Each one has a fire engine assigned to the local neighborhood.  If they close Engine 8, East Rock will be the only fire house in the city without an assigned neighborhood engine.

Is this because the neighborhood assigned to Engine 8 is smaller than the other city districts?

No. East Rock is one of the largest districts assigned to any fire house.

Is this because the neighborhood has fewer people that other city districts?

No. East Rock is one of the most densely populated districts in the city.

Is this because we pay less in property taxes than other neighborhoods? Or because we deserve to have fewer public safety services?

Is this because we don't need fire protection?

Hmmm. Perhaps we should think about this.

Squad 1 -- out again all day

My 31, 2011 -- Squad 1 was out training on live burns at the FD academy (across town) all day -- from 8:00am to 12:00 and again after lunch break from 1:00 to 4:00.

This is the truck that, supposedly, will be protecting you if Engine 8 is shut down.

(BTW, Engine 8 had a busy day that day and was called out to answer several calls in the neighborhood. So it's not like nothing happened while Squad 1 was away.)

So -- word up: if you are planning to have a fire, first check and make sure Squad 1 isn't out for training that day....

Squad 1 -- out to Long Wharf yesterday

After a bit of a break, we are back with some important updates.

The NHFD has said that the East Rock neighborhood can rely on Squad 1, the tactical engine and hazmat unit, for basic fire protection.

What they didn't bother to tell you is that Squad 1 is assigned citywide, and can also be called out to calls countywide.  So yesterday Squad 1 was out for 5 hours at Long Wharf for a hazmat call (ammonia leak).

During these 5 hours, the engine providing fire protection for East Rock was Engine 8 -- but if there is no Engine 8 at the Whitney Avenue station, then in a situation like this the engine providing fire protection and the first-response medical for us is.....???

This is not a Budget Issue

Again, though the city will claim that it is broke -- and we agree that it is -- the decree to cut fire service and emergency medical response to East Rock neighborhood is NOT a budget issue --

It doesn't save any money.

But it may end up costing us plenty.

Aldermen's Public Hearing - 6:00 tonight -- Parking

The Aldermen's Public Safety hearing is at 6:00 tonight in the Aldermen's Chamber, City Hall.

Where to park: the Yale parking lot (down Whitney ave., just before you get to the Green, on the right) is free and open after 3:00.

Park at the lot and walk diagonally through the Green to City Hall.

1600 calls for Engine 8 last year

We live in a pretty quiet neighborhood you would think -- But Engine 8 went out on 1600 calls last year.

And those fire alarms and medical emergencies will now be answered by ..... Who?

It's Not About the Budget

We all know that the city is struggling for funds. Closing Engine is not a budget issue.

It doesn't save any money.  And it costs our neighborhood homes and schools in fire protection and emergency medical response.

Sometimes, cutting corners can be very costly.

URGENT: Wed April 6 Public Hearing on Closing Engine 8

Wed April 6, 6:00 pm -- public hearing before the Public Safety Committe of the Board of Aldermen.

We need every possible body there. They haven't given us much notice, but if there are few attendees the City may consider that they have won, and the decision to close Engine 8 is a done deal.

We need fire protection and emergency medical service -- Please come to the meeting!

6:00 pm Wednesday April 6, 2011

Aldermanic Chamber City Hall

165 Church Street

Contact Us

Need more info?

Contact us at SaveEngine8@gmail.com.

Fire Protection in the Schools

Engine 8 is on-site, in the neighborhood, and assigned to protect four elementary schools  Worthington Hooker K-2, W. Hooker 3-8, Foote School and Celantano Elementary.  

That's good news if you've got a kid who attends school. Or you've ever been a little kid attending school, looking out the 3rd-floor window and wondering, "What would I do if there was ever a REAL fire?"

Need more info?

Contact us at SaveEngine8@gmail.com. 

Engine 8 and the Exploding Gas Stove

A couple years ago, there was a gas leak in a kitchen on Cottage Street.

When the leaked gas came into contact with the pilot light -- BOOM.

A neighbor saw the explosion from 50 yards away through the window -- the fireball was that big -- and called 911.

Engine 8 was just arond the corner.  They came within four minutes and put the fire out.  The fire didn't spread beyond the kitchen of that apartment.

Now let's pretend that instead we had to wait 15 minutes while the fire engine from downtown was trying to get down State Street during traffic....


Contact us at SaveEngine8@gmail.com. 

Engine 8 is your first response for medical emergencies

Why else do we need Engine 8?

Because this is our first response for medical emergencies.  If you

• hit your head and got a concussion and passed out
• had a severe asthma attack
• slipped on the ice and broke your leg
• went into anaphylactic shock and couldn't breathe
• had a diabetic emergency

or a heart attack or a stroke or a severe cut or any medical emergency that you would call an ambulance for  -- Engine 8 is your first response. They are just down the street and can be there quick.

Without Engine 8, you would have to call an ambulance that is assigned to answer calls anywhere in the city -- and when you need it, it could be anywhere city-wide. 

If you couldn't breathe, how long would you want to wait?

Save Engine 8 for East Rock

Hi -- This is the blogspot for the neighborhood effort to Save Engine 8 at the Whitney Ave Fire Station.

Engine 8 is the only Fire Engine assigned to protect the East Rock neighborhood from fire and to provide first response to medical emergencies.

The City of New Haven, without consulting residents, is going to shut down Engine 8.

If this happens, the closest fire engine for East Rock will be downtown at the State Street station.  Have you ever tried to get down State Street during traffic?

Should you be concerned about a fire? Only if you live in an old wooden house or in multifamily housing.  Which is, like .....  EVERYONE in East Rock.

Need more info?

Contact us at SaveEngine8@gmail.com.