Latest News
FPW 2017: Fire House Visit
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events, General
Today as part of the 2017 Fire Prevention Week children from a local nursery school stopped by the firehouse to thank us for visiting their school to talk about fire safety. They surprised us with fresh flowers, a beautiful handmade card and a huge, delicious plate of homemade brownies! (We will be appreciating those brownies during our monthly clean-up and business meeting tonight). Many thanks to all of them for their thoughtful gifts. What a generous community we live in. Truly neighbors helping neighbors!
2017 Open House: North Madison Fire Co
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events
The North Madison Volunteer Fire Company will hold its annual open house on Sunday, October 15 from 11AM to 2PM, at the end of Fire Prevention Week. The all-volunteer department provides a full range of fire, rescue, and EMS first-responder services to all of Madison north of The Pines, and works closely with its downtown sister department, Madison Hose Company #1, as well as the Madison Police Department and Madison EMS, to provide a high level of public safety to the community. Roughly 50 North Madison company volunteers respond to just over 400 calls per year.
The department’s annual open house will include a number of fun activities for the family, including a chance for kids to run the hose and put water on a simulated fire, and for adults to practice with fire extinguishers. “The weather forecast for next weekend looks terrific,” observes Company President Paul Harris, “and we hope for a great turnout. We can answer any questions you have about the department, and even take a membership application or a donation.” While the fire trucks and nearly all of the company’s firefighting and EMS equipment are paid for by town funds, the department is not a town agency, and relies on donations to support a number of its activities. The trucks and all of the department’s equipment will be available for inspection by visitors, and company members will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate some of the gear carried on the trucks.
This year’s national Fire Prevention Week theme is “Every Second Counts – Plan 2 Ways Out.” At about 1:30 p.m., the fire company will host a live burn in a simulated room of a house, to demonstrate just how quickly a fire can spread indoors. “In a house fire, the focus has to be on getting out – not on retrieving your cell phone or laptop, or grabbing the checkbook, but getting out. Today’s synthetic furniture components burn very hot and very fast,” notes fire chief Dave Cone, “and running back in, or delaying exiting even briefly, can be fatal.” Courtesy of the Branford Fire Department, a fire safety trailer will be on hand to allow for safe practice of some key fire survival techniques. A number of brochures and posters will also be available for visitors to take home.
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2017 Fire Prevention Week
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events, Safety Tips
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lieutenant Gabriel Balsamo
gabe.balsamo@nmvfc.org
You and your family are fast asleep when the smoke alarm sounds: Do you know what to do?
October 9, 2017 — Consider this scenario: It’s 2 o’clock in the morning. You and your family are fast asleep when you awaken to the smoke alarm sounding and the smell of smoke. What do you do? If you and your family don’t have a plan in place, it could jeopardize your safety, or even prove deadly.
In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. That’s why home escape planning is so critical in a fire situation. It ensures that everyone in the household knows how to use that small window of time wisely.
“Developing and practicing a home escape plan is like building muscle memory,” said David Cone, Chief of the North Madison Fire Company. “That pre-planning is what everyone will draw upon to snap into action and escape as quickly as possible in the event of a fire.”
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” works to better educate the public about the critical importance of developing a home escape plan and practicing it. The North Madison Fire Company is working in coordination with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the official sponsor of the Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years, to reinforce those potentially life-saving messages. Fire Prevention Week is October 8-14, 2017. We will be ending the week with our annual open house on Sunday, October 15 from 11-2pm!
“Home escape planning is one of the most basic but fundamental elements of home fire safety, and can truly make the difference between life and death in a fire situation,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy.
In support of Fire Prevention Week, Lt. Balsamo encourages all Madison households to develop a plan together and practice it. A home escape plan includes working smoke alarms on every level of the home, in every bedroom, and near all sleeping areas. It also includes two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window, with a clear path to an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole, or mailbox) that’s a safe distance from the home.
NFPA and the North Madison Fire Company offer these additional tips and recommendations for developing and practicing a home escape plan:
- Draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit.
- Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out.
- Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
- Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.
- Close doors behind you as you leave — this may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
- Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.
For more information about Fire Prevention Week or to learn more about this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out” and home escape planning, visit firepreventionweek.org.
2017 CFA Advanced Skills and Concepts
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events, Training
This past week North Madison Junior Firefighter Clay Jerzyk, attended Advanced Skills and Concepts, a 6 day training program held at the Connecticut Fire Academy. Students were exposed to a series of advanced skills and concepts designed to expand and sharpen their skill and knowledge base and leadership abilities. Some of the topics covered included: Vehicle Extrication, High-Angle Rescue, Standpipe Operations, Introduction to Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus, and Teaching Methodology/Leadership skills. Congratulations to Clay on his successful completion of this course!
https://www.facebook.com/NomadFire/posts/1172307626236246
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Thomaston, CT Annual Fire Carnival and Parade 2017
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events
North Madison Fire recently headed to Thomaston, CT for their Annual Fire Carnival and Parade. North Madison competed against numerous other fire departments from around the state. Currently, we are awaiting the results from the Connecticut Parade Marshals Association. This year 10-85 and 10-95 headed north to compete for “best appearing” in their respective categories. Check out some of the photos from the evening!
Independence Day Events 2017
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events, General
Concert on the Green
July 1, 2017
6:15 PM
Due to the large number of people expected to attend, everyone is encouraged to arrive early as there will be traffic delays and parking restrictions. The Concert on the Green is an alcohol-free event. NO ALCOHOL is allowed on the Madison Town Green. There will be no parking posted in the area including Copse Road from Bradley Road to Britton Lane.
Independence Day Fireworks
July 3, 2017
9:30 PM
The Town of Madison Annual Independence Day Fireworks display will be held on Monday, July 3, 2017 at approximately 9:30 PM at the Madison Surf Club. Due to the large numbers of people who are expected at the event, everyone is encouraged to arrive early as there will be traffic delays, road closures and parking restrictions.
- West Wharf Road
- Surf Club Road
- Middle Beach Road
- Middle Beach Road West
- Seaview Avenue
Public Transportation/Shuttle Service
Shuttle service will commence at 7:00 PM and will run continuously throughout the evening. Shuttle service pickup locations include:
- Samson Rock Drive / Stop & Shop Parking Lot
- Railroad Station / Bradley Road
- Durham Road (Rt. 79) Commuter Parking Lot
After the fireworks, shuttle service will return commuters to these locations and will run until all potential passengers are accommodated.
ALL ACCESS TO THE BEACH AREA VIA MOTOR VEHICLE WILL BE CLOSED BY 8:30 PM
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION/SHUTTLE SERVICE
Independence Day Parade
July 4, 2017
11:00 AM
The Town of Madison Annual Independence Day Parade will be held on Tuesday, July 4, 2017, commencing at 11:00 AM. The parade will proceed west on Boston Post Road (Route 1) from Samson Rock Drive to the West Wharf Road and will end in the Surf Club. The parade will require road closures. Residents and motorists should expect traffic delays along the parade route between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Affected areas will include Boston Post Road (Route 1) and all intersecting roads between Wall Street/Samson Rock Drive and West Wharf Road, including:
- Boston Post Road (Route 1)
- Wall Street
- Samson Rock Drive
- Durham Road (Route 79)
- Meig’s Avenue
- Academy Street
- Copse Road
- Island Avenue
- Britton Lane
- West Wharf Road
- Lantern Hill Road
Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes during the parade. Residents/Visitors requiring access to Middle Beach Road, or Madison Beach Hotel should use East Wharf Road to access those areas during the parade. There will be no public access to the Surf Club or to the Madison Country Club (via West Wharf Road) during the parade.
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North Madison Fire Food Drive April 2017
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events, General
For the sixth year in a row, CT shoreline fire departments will host a one-day food drive on Sat. April 8th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect non-perishable food for shoreline residents in need.
At a time of year when food donations are low, this food drive will help to restock the pantries and ensure that everyone in our local communities will have a place at the table. The Soup Kitchens’ five pantries distributed over 1 million pounds of food last year to needy residents. Only 40 percent of this food comes from the CT Food Bank; the remainder must be either purchased or donated, so every item is appreciated. Last year’s drive brought in close to 4,000 pounds of food, and this year’s goal is 6,000 pounds.
Please join the effort by donating food on Saturday, April 8, 2017. North Madison Fire will be stationed outside Roberts Food Center from 9-1p Please do not drop off food before that date.
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2017 Annual Souper Bowl
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events
Many thanks to our Sponsors:
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2016 Santa Fundraiser
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events
Santa Claus is coming to town!
Have your presents delivered by Santa this year.
This year, the North Madison Volunteer Fire Company, and Madison Hose Company No. 1 have teamed up again to bring Santa to deliver presents to your door in a fire truck!
Santa will be delivering presents on two days. Sunday December 11, and Sunday December 18
Please note, this year we will be delivering presents during two windows of time: 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. For scheduling purposes, we ask that you please choose a window of time rather than scheduling an exact time for delivery. If neither of these windows of time work for you, please let us know and we will try to accommodate you as best as possible!
Presents can be dropped off at the North Madison Volunteer Fire Company prior to the delivery dates. Once you have registered, we will be in touch to let you know when you can drop off your gifts.
Payments of 25$ per gift can be made when you drop off your gift(s) at the fire department.
This is sure to make your little firefighter’s holiday! Or for some, your big firefighter’s holiday! Happy Holidays to all, and we hope to see you soon!
Complete the online registration form here, through Madison Hose Company No 1
Supporting the…
North Madison Volunteer Fire Company
Madison Hose Company No. 1
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Who Is A Volunteer Firefighter?
by DC Gabe Balsamo in Company Events
EVERYDAY HERO CT VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER DAY
Saturday April 9, 2016
Volunteer firefighters are your neighbors. Mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, and uncles and aunts. Landscapers, students,pilots, plumbers, CEOs, doctors, attorneys, engineers, contractors, paramedics, career firefighters, dog trainers, homemakers, accountants, electricians, IT specialists, administrators, bankers, graphic designers, sales representatives, teachers, business owners, and more …Learn more on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 864 Opening Hill Road, Madison CT #volunteer #firefighter #NVW2016