The RVFD annual carnival will be June 23rd - 26th at the East Ridge Middle School. We are trying what we hope to be a better format this year - every night is bracelet night.  Pay one low price, ride as much as you can until 10:00pm.  Individual tickets will still be available for those who prefer just a few rides.   

This years event is our 13th and marks the 113th anniversary of the department. Please come out for fun, food, and to support your home town volunteers.  6:00-10:00 each day, weather permitting. 

The new Car 3 is in service! It is a 2010 Ford Expedition SSV purchased, designed and outfitted by the members of the department.  It will be replacing one of the twin 2005 Dodge Rams, which will be retrofitted to become the Fire Police vehicle, Car 7.  Car 3 was paid for by the Volunteer Department, using funds raised by the Department.  The Fire Police vehicle we are replacing is a town owned vehicle so we have been able to essentially save the town the cost of replacing the vehicle. 

The lighting, radios, console and cabinetry were all done by Specialty Warning Systems of Danbury CT.  Lettering was done by The Sign Shop in Brewster, NY.  This is the third complete vehicle we have done with these companies, in addition to numerous upgrades of existing vehicles.

The details are as follows;

The audible & visual warning system is 100% Whelen, incorporating (in the front) an FX Freedom lightbar, two eight head red / white Dominators in the grille, M4 Super LEDs on each outer front corner and a headlight flasher. A 295HFS4 controller with secondary amplifier provides dual siren tones to two 100 watt speakers behind the grille. Six LINZ6 LEDs were installed on the side running boards, while another eight head Dominator in the rear cargo window, blue/amber TIR6s on either side of the OEM license plate, red LAW HideAways in the taillights and blue LAW HideAways in the reverse lights complete the rear warning. Two TIR3s, installed in the lower cargo compartment, provide additional rear facing warning when the cargo door is in the raised position, effectively blocking the Freedom bar. Their control is by way of a single switch that simultaneously deactivates the Dominator, protecting the vision of operators working in the rear of the vehicle. The center console is a 30 inch Havis model, housing the department and fire police radios, Whelen control head, Uniden scanner, dual cup holders, power outlets, driver and passenger side armrests and nine inch storage compartment.  The custom rear Command / Storage Cabinet includes a command drawer with a marking whiteboard and clear overlay, hanging file and storage drawers, open storage for turnout and SCBA and three compartments for extinguishers and similar smaller equipment. Four Super LED compartment lights were installed on the cargo door and inside the cargo compartment, providing supplemental lighting at night.  The graphics package incorporates white reflective safety striping, gold leaf lettering and accents and a red / gold leaf maltese cross.


View the video through the link below
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=9Ovvzt_ZPuU
 

It is with heavy hearts that the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department announces the passing of active member Brandon von Koschembahr,19, on November 27th, 2009 as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. 

Brandon, a 9 year resident and two year member of the department, was a 2008 graduate of Ridgefield High School.  He had received several awards for excellence in the field of computers. He had been cited in 2007 on a 60 Minutes TV segment as an expert in getting computers to work. He was a Web design assistant at Sanvik Publishing in Danbury and was studying graphic design at Western Connecticut State University.

There will be no calling hours, and the burial will be private.  A celebration of life will be held in December and the details will be posted here. 

 Link to the Ridgefield Press Obituary;

http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/theridgefieldpress/news/obituaries/43081-brandon-von-koschembah-19-computer-expert-firefighter.html

It is with deep regreat that the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department announces the passing of Past Chief Richard McGlyn, the town’s first paid fire chief, Wednesday afternoon at his home.

Chief McGlynn was fated to be a fireman. He was born across the street from the firehouse and his grandfather had been a founder of the fire department in 1895. He began fighting fires as a high school student during World War II when many of the regular volunteers were in the service. In 1950, only a couple of years after Ridgefield created the position of paid fireman, Dick McGlynn joined the force of four. Still also a volunteer, he was elected chief of the volunteer department from 1964 to 1968.  In 1973, he became the paid department’s first chief, a post he held until his retirement in 1989. (In the early years, he was both the paid and volunteer chief at the same time.)  “He’s one of those rare individuals who gives everything of himself to the town,” said then First Selectman Sue Manning at his retirement banquet.

When he started with the paid department, it had four people, enough to have one person on duty around the clock, seven days a week. If a call came in, that man could roll the ambulance or a fire truck while volunteers were being summoned.  Much changed in Chief McGlynn’s years. There was one ambulance, one firehouse, and four fire trucks when he started. By the time he retired, there were 65 volunteers, 26 career firefighters, two ambulances, eight trucks, and two firehouses.

At Chief McGlynn’s retirement party in 1989, Police Chief Thomas Rotunda suggested that if the long-discussed new firehouse is ever built, it should be named the “McGlynn Firehouse.” After all, one McGlynn helped found and led the volunteers, and another led the development of the professionals.

The funeral was held Tuesday 10/13.  Click the headline for pictures of Chief McGlynn and the services. 

On Sunday, October 11, 2009 the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department (RVFD) held a tanker shuttle drill with the following Departments; Mill Plain and Miry Brook (Danbury, CT) West Redding, Stony Hill, Georgetown (CT) Croton Falls, South Salem, Vista (NY) along with Ridgefield Tankers 10 and 12,, Engine 3 and Truck 8.

The purpose of the drill was to set up a working water relay system in the event that a substantial mutual aid response was required for a working fire. At the discharge site just above the re-cycling center, three portable 3000 gallon ponds were set up with hard suction hoses to draft from them.

Once the set-up was complete, three tankers dropped nearly 9000 gallons of water which was pumped by Georgetown’s engine to Truck 8 which then began discharging water from one of its master streams and then finally two. The rate of discharge was nearly 1600 gallons per minute.  The fill site was the pond at Parks and Rec. on Route 35. Ridgefield E-3 was drafting from the pond and feeding the relay tankers.  A second fill site was established as the first site was not able to fill the tankers fast enough to keep the ponds full. 

A severe wind storm moved through the area on Wednesday October 7th.  Among the many calls, was this one to aid a very lucky motorist.  Another few feet and this would have been a much different call.

The men and women of the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department traveled to neighboring South Salem, NY for their annual parade and carnival.  The Department took home two trophies;  Best Overall Out-of-State and in it's final appearance, Car 3, the department's 2005 Dodge Ram took Best Chief's Car.  Take that Tahoes!!

A train and car collided at the Branchville Station, trapping an elderly driver for about a half hour.The victim, who was talking with rescuers as he was being extricated from the crushed car, was taken to Danbury Hospital in the Georgetown ambulance with a Ridgefield medic on board. He was said to be in stable condition.Officials identified the driver as Seymour Seidman of Ridgefield, said to be in his 80s.The car was reportedly crossing the track at Portland Avenue, on the south side of the station, just before noon when it collided with the northbound train.The car was dragged 75 feet before the train stopped.It took firefighters nearly a half hour to remove Mr. Seidman from the car.Portland Avenue and West Branchville Road were closed, and the Danbury-Norwalk train line was shut down for a few hours.Ambulances from Ridgefield and Georgetown responded as well as police and other emergency personnel.

Photos: Kevin M. Doyle

Article: Ridgefield Press

RIDGEFIELD -- A three-car collision on Route 7 Tuesday left at least two of the vehicles battered and sent four people to the hospital.

Ridgefield police said the accident occurred near Pamby Motors on Route 7 at about 3 p.m. Tuesday. By Tuesday evening, police did not have a completed report on how the accident took place

The head-on collision forced emergency crews to rush to the scene. They had to use extraction equipment -- the "Jaws of Life'' -- on two of the vehicles to open them up and rescue the people trapped inside.

Police said four people were taken to Danbury Hospital after the accident. By late Tuesday evening, police did not have the names of the people injured in the accident, or their medical status at the hospital.

Photos: Kevin M. Doyle

Story: Danbury News-Times

The RVFD responded to the Town of Weston on a mutual aid assignment involving multiple structures and a brush fire.  What follows is excerpts from the incident report;

A single family dwelling of approximately 7500 sq ft under construction on a hill was accidentally set on fire by a worker burning rubbish at approx 1120 hrs. The first arriving engine from Weston was on scene at approximately 1122 hrs was hampered by a driveway under construction and a deep ditch at the foot of the driveway.  They made their way with a second engine right behind laying a 500 ft 5" line. A water supply engine from Weston laid approx 4000 ft to water while a Weston tanker fed the driveway lay from the street--relay was done in approx 8 min with water flowing.  A Mutual Aid Engine and Tanker from Wilton was diverted from the scene to a street south of this fire--These companies attempt to stop the fire which was being fanned by 40 MPH wind. They found a deck and back of a house well involved approx 800 feet from the fire building.  Mutual aid was then requested from Georgetown, Redding, West Redding Westport, Easton and Ridgefield (Tanker 12, Rescue 7, and Car 3, assigned to Task Force 1).  A Mutual aid call for brush trucks was done with 5 responding from as far away as Shelton.  Additional equipment was requested and staged at Weston Fire Headquarters where 3 Task forces were established
Task force 1---2 Engine Tanks, 1-3000 gallon tanker, 1 heavy rescue and 2 brush units - This was dispatched to the head of the fire within 5 mins.
Task Force 2--1 Engine tank- 2 brush trucks--engine was dispatched as a single unit to a car roll over and operated for 1 hour
Task Force 3 --2 Brush units one with a 600 gallon tank---this was held in reserve
State police provided Air 5 (fixed wing aircraft ) to provide observation.  Fire was brought under control at about 1420 hrs, 3 minor injuries
Approximately 12,000 ft of hose was laid with 6000 ft still at the fire ground and in the woods
Resources used        2 LDH Hose Wagons, 5 Engine Tanks, 3 Type 1 Engines, 1 Type 2 Engine, 6 Type 4 Brush trucks, 4 Tankers(2500-3000 galls), 1 Light Rescue, 1 Heavy Rescue
Burn area approx 16 acres  in and extremely rough heavily wooded area--Note this fire made a 600 ft run in less than 3 mins.
The worker was arrested at the scene for reckless burning.
 

RIDGEFIELD - A fire that badly damaged a house on Pumping Station Road early Monday morning is under investigation by local and state Fire Marshal's offices, in conjunction with the Ridgefield Police Department.  A neighbor called 911 at 12:26 a.m., when he saw that the house at 38 Pumping Station Road was on fire.  The Colonial style house built in 1984 sustained heavy fire damage to about 40 percent and smoke damage to the entire structure. The fire is considered suspicious. When firefighters arrived, about one quarter of the house was engulfed and the room above the three-car garage was fully involved, to the extent that the roof had sustained so much damage that it was already collapsing, No one was inside the burning structure. The four bedroom house with two fireplaces and a pool was for sale. The house and three acres of property were last assessed at $841,910 - down from the July 14, 2000 purchase price of $872,500, according to the town assessor's office. Eight engines, tankers and rescue trucks responded to the scene from Ridgefield, as well as mutual aid from Wilton, Georgetown South Salem and Vista. It was reported Monday that there were actually multiple fires in the home. It took 35 firefighters about 45 minutes to put out the majority of the fire and about two hours for it to be completely under control. This is the seventh large dollar loss or fatal fire in Ridgefield within the last six months.

The state's office of the fire marshal investigates fires that are either fatal, large dollar losses or suspicious. This fire falls under the last two categories.

Story courtesy of the Danbury News-Times, photos by Kevin M. Doyle

Loren Caddell of Fredericksburg, Va., a former chief of the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department, died  Saturday, Feb. 21,  at his home. He was 82 years old.

Mr. Caddell was born in Brooklyn, New York to Mabel and Captain Loren Caddell, USMM on July 23, 1926. He graduated high school in 1943 and enlisted in the Navy where he served on the USS Somers during the invasion of Normandy and throughout the war.

He later continued his service during the Korean War and Vietnam before retiring in 1962 as a chief bosun’s mate after 20 years.

After his military career he had a long career as a security consultant for the Perkin-Elmer Corporation of Danbury. He was the long time chief of the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department.  He was very active in the Rappahannock Historical Train Association.

In 1975, a 43-pound house cat named Spice, belonging to Mr. Caddell and his wife, Elsa, made the Guinness Book of Records.  

Mr. Caddell is survived by his nephew, John Frasca of Falls Church, Va.  Elsa Caddell died in 2004.

The Rev. Deborah McNeill will lead a memorial service   Wednesday, March 4,  at 10 a.m. at Eastland Methodist Church in Fredericksburg.

Online condolences may be expressed to Loren’s family at www.foundandsons.com

Updated: 01/13/2009 06:46:46 AM EST

RIDGEFIELD -- All that stood of the 6,700-square-foot home of John and Lorraine Brice at 3 Turtle Ridge Court on Monday afternoon were two brick chimneys. "I don't know what happened," he said, choking back tears.

Ridgefield Fire Department received a 911 call from a neighbor of the Brices at 10:46 a.m. Monday, on the heels of an automatic fire alarm call.

The Brices and their three teenage children were at work or school when the blaze broke out. It is assumed the family's two pet dogs died in the fire.

Ridgefield fire personnel and volunteer firefighters responded, assisted by the Georgetown fire department and Mill Plain and Miry Brook in Danbury, as well as the New York towns of Brewster, Croton Falls, South Salem and Goldens Bridge. In all 55 firefighters responded, and it took about 90 minutes to knock the fire down.

On arriving, Chief tim Pambianchi found three-fourths of the house engulfed in flames.  Attempts were made to do a quick preliminary check for people in the structure, but there was too much fire and it proved impossible.

With no fire hydrants in the development, which is off of Canterbury Road, nine tankers were called in, and 8,000 feet of fire hose was laid down the 1.4 miles from the intersection of Canterbury and Ridgebury roads to Turtle Ridge Court.

At 1 p.m., the state fire marshal and the Ridgefield fire marshal were on the scene. They were about to begin their investigation while firefighters atop an aerial-truck ladder sprayed water onto the smoldering remains of the house. Smoke billowed in high, dark, thick plumes raised by the wind.

The home, built in 1998, was equipped with working smoke detectors and a monitored fire alarm system.

Links to Photos: http://newstimescommunity.com/soundslides/0112ridgefieldfire/

http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=770

Story courtesy of the Danbury News-Times

At the annual meeting of the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department officers for the 2008 year were elected. They are as follows;

Chief - Tim Pambianchi

Assistant Chief - Mike Gabbianelli

Captains - Ed Scala and Andy Pambianchi

Lieutenant - Bill von Zehle

President - Joe Barrett

Vice President - Phil Baumann

Treasurer - Ron Gutstein

Financial Secretary - Jerry Benziger

Recording Secretary - Bill von Zehle

Steward - Tim Sullivan

Fire Police Captain - Walt Wieland

Fire Police Lieutenants - Ben Myers and Jim Belote