Obituary: Beloved Branford Firefighter Dies After Battle With ALS

Thomas M. Raiola died Tuesday March 30, 2020 at Yale-New Haven Hospital after his courageous battle with ALS. He was the beloved husband of Sharon Appi Raiola for over 40 years. Tom was born in New Haven July 14, 1954, son of the late Vincent and Stasia Rollis Raiola. He was a Certified Electronic Technician and worked at Picker International for twelve years. The following 43 years were spent with Safe Harbor Marinas (Bruce and Johnson's) as Office Manager overseeing the day to day operations of the 500 plus ship facility. Tom was committed to humanitarian services. He served as Captain of Company 9 Indian Neck Fire Department for many years and was a hands-on utility firefighter. He documented many fire incidents using his honed photography skills. Trained as an EMT, he supported the town's emergency services with Branford Ambulance.
Branford Patch

Tractor trailer collides with DOT trucks in Haddam; 3 hurt

PHOTO: Three people were injured after a tractor trailer crashed into two state Department of Transportation vehicles earlier this week, according to officials. At 1:10 p.m. Monday, Haddam Volunteer Fire Company and Chester Hose Company responded for a reported collision on Route 9 south between Exit 7 and Exit 8, fire officials said. Arriving units found that a tractor trailer driver crashed into two state Department of Transportation vehicles, which were parked in the left lane of traffic. The left lane where the trucks were parked had been previously closed to all traffic, officials said. Firefighters found two injured individuals at the scene. The driver of the tractor trailer was still in the vehicle and was helped with self-extrication by Chester firefighters. Haddam, Deep River and Chester ambulances transported three people to Middlesex Hospital to be treated for injuries.
New Haven Register

Fairfield firefighters purchase 90 gift cards from restaurants impacted by virus pandemic

The Fairfield firefighters union has purchased 90 gift cards from restaurants impacted by the coronavirus. IAFF Local 1426 started "Operation Gift Card" about two weeks ago. They say they purchased 90 gift cards from local Fairfield restaurants in all five of the fire districts they serve. They say they even took money out of the union treasury, and spread it out among the local restaurants. Fairfield Firefighters Association President William Tuttle says his crew's generosity and support for local businesses won't stop at just restaurants in town. "We're not done helping the community by any stretch. As other things come up, we'll make sure we are stepping up in front of everybody to get out there and help them out," Tuttle says.
News 12 Connecticut

Shelton firefighters extinguish brush fire

Firefighters were able to prevent a brush fire from spreading to a close by wooded area Wednesday afternoon. At about 12:33 p.m., Echo Hose Hook & Ladder and White Hills Fire Company crews responded to the area of Shelton Avenue between Meadow Street and Constitution Boulevard North for a report of a brush fire. The units arrived to find a fire that was approximately 20 foot by 10 foot in size was found. “As crews were preparing the fire attack, the wind picked up and blew the embers in a westerly direction causing three more fires, all about the same size as the initial fire,” said Shelton Fire Department Deputy Chief Paul J. Wilson. Wilson said firefighters from Engine 2, Brush Truck 54 and Tanker 59 “made a fast attack on the fires before the extension became out of control. He added that seven firefighters under his command knocked down the fire within 15 minutes.
Connecticut Post

Coronavirus: Quarantined Guilford Firefighters OK, Back To Work

Joe Deko and Chris Jones got what they thought was a "routine call" that day. Deko and Jones, Guilford Fire Department firefighter/EMTs, were called to a home for a man with a "dementia-related crisis." They helped the man and transported him to the hospital. A week later came the call, this one not routine. A fire department captain told Deko that they were exposed to a patient who had tested positive for COVID-19. Four Guilford Police officers were also exposed. "I was surprised. We didn't have any symptoms and we didn't have any patients who had symptoms," Deko said. And, at that point, the first responders were not wearing N-95 respirator masks as that order was not yet in place. "When I was told who the patient was, I was surprised. At the time, we didn't have any concerns about exposure." But they had been exposed and so were ordered quarantined for seven days as the call had been a week before.
Guilford Patch

Blaze Atop 30-Foot Dirt Pile Put Out By Stratford Firefighters

Stratford firefighters scaled a 30-foot dirt pile to put out a blaze when a piece of construction equipment caught fire Tuesday. The incident happened about 10:45 a.m. at a dirt screening and processing facility in the 1000 block of Honeyspot Road, according to Assistant Chief Michael Camperlengo. The fire was in an excavator located on the dirt pile, and firefighters had to use extension ladders to reach the machine, Camperlengo said. "It was challenging to get to the fire," he said. "… This pile of dirt was not what you would consider stable." Firefighters were on scene just over an hour, according to Camperlengo, who said a worker in the area of the excavator refused medical attention. The cause of the fire was under investigation as of Tuesday afternoon.
Stratford Patch

United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas, and Connecticut Natural Gas Donate Protective Masks To Yale-New Haven Health

United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas today announced they are donating approximately 6,900 protective masks to Yale New Haven Health, amid a shortage of protective gear for medical personnel fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The 3,700 surgical masks and 3,200 N95 respirators are being shipped today to a state receiving center. It's part of a larger donation by parent company AVANGRID, Inc. of 31,000 protective masks in several states where its companies operate. "As we implemented our crisis plans and took stock of inventory over the last few weeks, we determined that our companies had protective masks in storage that could be used by healthcare workers and other first responders," said Tony Marone, President and CEO of Avangrid Networks, parent company of UI, SCG and CNG. "Given the dire shortages of masks and other protective equipment faced by medical facilities and emergency responders across the nation, we have an opportunity and an obligation to help."
Orange Patch

Intentionally-set fire under investigation in Weston

Town firefighters recently extinguished an intentionally-set brush fire last week and police are asking for anyone with information about who lit the flames to come forward. At 9:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, firefighters were dispatched to a reported brush fire in the wooded area between Tubbs Springs Road and Lords Highway/Stone Cliff Lane. Fire units found about a half-acre of brush on fire and quickly put the flames out. This is the second brush fire in the area; the first one happened around 5:30 p.m. on March 12. Police said on Tuesday that Friday’s fire was found to have been “set intentionally by an unknown subject(s).” The Weston Fire Marshal Office, the Connecticut State Police Fire Marshal Office and the Weston police continue to investigate.
Westport News