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Meriden, CT
- fire department services -

Meriden Fire Department

Mission First - People Always

The City of Meriden Department of Fire and Emergency Services
provides a team based approach to deliver effective and efficient
services to the community in the following programs:

Fire Prevention
Public Fire Education
Fire Suppression
Hazardous Material Incident Mitigation
Technical Rescue
Emergency Medical Services
Community Involvement

The Meriden Fire Department was founded in 1851 in an area called West Meriden located near and just west of the railroad line. As the city industrialized and grew so did the need for increased fire protection. Fire companies were organized in the neighborhoods that surrounded the factories and businesses in the center of the town.

• Charter Oak Engine Co. 1 organized 1863 on State St. relocating shortly to the Butler St. site now the home of King Travelways.

• Washington Hose Co. 2 organized in 1867 and located on Pratt St. across from the existing location of Engine 2 and Truck 1.

• Ever Ready Hook and Ladder Co. 1 organized in 1868 and located on Pratt St. in an old police building, then relocating with the Washington Hose Co. 2 on Pratt St. also.

• Parker Hose Engine Co. 3 organized in 1869 on School St. across St. Rose Church, relocating in 1877 to 303 East Main St. then to its present quarters at 561 Broad St. in 1889 which were renovated and expanded in 1996-97 to accommodate Fire Headquarters.

• Wilcox Hose Co. 4 organized in 1871 on Colony St. near Kensington Ave. later relocated to a modern facility at 260 Sherman Avenue.

As the town grew dramatically in the early 20th century, the fire department changed also. The Meriden Fire Department became the first fully mechanized department in the state by 1914 and fire prevention and education was initiated in public schools as early as 1915. The Meriden Fire Department started responding to calls for heart attacks and difficulty breathing as early as the 1940's and have now progressed to all firefighters trained as first reponder's either Emergency Medical Technicians or Medical Response Technicians equipped with Automated External Defibrillators.

Fire Prevention:

The Fire Marshal's office is staffed with four uniformed personnel and one part time clerk to enforce the Connecticut State Life Safety Fire Code, deliver plan reviews for new businesses and those who renovate or expand, issue the appropriate permits for hazardous materials and explosives, investigate all fires for cause and origin, develop and issue plans for general fire prevention and assist with public fire education. The staff works closely with other city agencies to help ensure that a reasonable standard of housing and safety is maintained.

Public Fire Education:

The Department utilizes on duty fire companies, the Fire Marhsal's office, Fire Alarm and Training Divisions and administrative staff to deliver fire education programs to age groups from pre-school to senior citizens. Fire prevention, survival from fire and the proper use of fire extinguisher's are just some examples of this program. Call (203) 630-5868 to schedule a program.

Fire Suppression:

The Department operates 5 engine companies and one ladder or truck company to suppress fires in buildings, vehicles and the woodlands. Buildings range from single family dwellings, multiple dwellings, health care facilities, commercial and manufacturing businesses to high rise structures. An incident command system along with standard operating procedurers are utilized to provide for life safety to civilians and firefighters, incident stabilization and property conservation. Fire companies also conduct annual building surveys to preplan buildings that pose a high risk to life or property in the event of fire.

Hazardous Materials Incident Mitigation:

The Fire Department is charged with managing incidents that involve hazardous materials. Department members are trained at the defensive operational level with regards to diking, patching, controlling and decontamination if it can be done with little or no risk to the responders. The incident command system is used to provide command, control and coordination of resources including evacuating residents, activating other support agencies such as the State Police Haz-Mat team, State of Connecticut D.E.P., D.O.T. and other public or private entities as required.

Technical Rescue:

The Department delivers technical rescue services with on duty fire companies trained in high angel, confined space, open water and cold water ice rescue, elevator, vehicle and machinery extrication. A utility vehicle donated by Yankee Gas Services and retrofitted by firefighters is used to transport the necessary equipment to calls for service.

Emergency Medical Services:

The Meriden Fire Department has provided basic life support to the community since the 1940's. Firefighters trained as emergency medical technicians and medical reponse technicians are first repsonders to call involving heart attacks, trauma from injury or accidents, pre hospital child delivery or medical emergencies from illness. The ability to arrive on scene with well trained personnel within four minutes on average is one of the keys to success in delivering timely pre hospital care at the first responder level.

Community Involvement:

Meriden's fire service is actively involved with the community and its events. The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and the Meriden Daffodil Festival are just a few of the partnerships the Department has within the community. Support to the community police program, neighborhood associations and all city agencies is vital to maintaining and improving the quality of life in Meriden.

FIRE STATION LOCATIONS
and areas they primarily serve

Engine 1 - 168 Capitol Avenue
The city's west side residents and businesses as well as a large section of
South Meriden are served by the fire fighters based at the above station house.

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Engine 2 and Truck 1 - 61 Pratt Street
Based in downtown Meriden, professionals here respond to the inner city
region as well as provide rescue and support service city wide. This
facility used to also be the department's main headquarter location.

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Engine Company 3 / Headquarters - 561 Broad Street
Parker Hose Engine Company 3 has been serving the uptown and southeast
areas of the city at the above location since 1889. In 1996-97, the
structure was renovated and expanded to accommodate Fire Headquarters.

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Engine Company 4 - 260 Sherman Avenue
This modern facility replaced that originally located on Colony Street
across from the Kensington Avenue intersection. Its responsible coverage
areas are those at the north end and northeast corner of the city.

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Engine Company 5 - 1075 East Main Street
As Meriden's east side developed residentially and commercially, the need
for a new fire station was recognized. The above facility was built and
staffed in 1968 to serve the east side and much of today's area highway system.

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South Meriden Volunteer Dept - 31 Camp Street, So. Meriden
Volunteer professionals, many of whom hold other challenging jobs elsewhere,
are trained just as the full-time payrolled staff/crew of the department.
They assist with coverage in the So. Meriden area and mutual aid whenever
necessary throughout the main region of the City of Meriden. {thanks}

If you wish to request support or involvement
in an event or function, please contact:

City of Meriden, Connecticut
Department of Fire and Emergency Services
561 Broad Street
Meriden, CT 06450
(203) 630-5868

James M. Trainor, Chief
Clinton E. Ross, Deputy Chief
Robert J. Morpurgo, Fire Marshal

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                          - In addition to the 911 Emergency -

                        Administrative:              (203) 630-5868
                        Fax           :              (203) 630-5869
                        On Duty Assistant Chief   :  (203) 630-5865
                        Fire Alarm - Non Emergency:  (203) 630-6207
                        Fire Marshal - 142 E. Main:  (203) 630-4010
                           " "         Fax        :  (203) 630-7965 
                        South Meriden Volunteers  :  (203) 237-2851

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