History

        Prior to 1912 there was no organized fire protection in the Town of North Haven.  Then in 1911 the North Haven Congregational Church caught fire and burned.   

34 residents decided that we needed a Fire Department and on January 31, 1912 the first meeting of the North Haven Volunteer Fire Company # 1 was held.  These members built a garage with a second floor meeting hall on Peck Street which served as the first Firehouse in Town. 

        The first piece of equipment they had was Hose Reel that was pulled to alarms by the members.  Several months later the Company purchased a 45 gallon La France Chemical Apparatus. 

In 1922 the Town purchased a REO pumper, the departments first motorize apparatus.  Then in 1925 the Town  purchased it's second REO pumper.

        Center Fire Company # 1 handled all the fire calls on the East side of Town and the Town of Hamden covered the West side of Town.  Then in the fall of 1931 it was decided that another Fire Company was needed.  The Town appropriated $3000 to construct a Firehouse on Quinnipiac Avenue in the South end of Town, which was completed in the summer of 1932.  With the receipt of their first Engine in January of 1933 the Montowese Volunteer Company # 2 was formed.  Company # 1, now known as Center Company # 1, handled fire protection to the North end of Town and Company # 2 covered the South end of Town.  The Town of Hamden was still covering the West side of Town.  In 1932, with the need for a larger station and also the need for a Town Meeting Hall, a new Company # 1 station was built at 26 Broadway.

        In the early 1950's the Town of North Haven and the Town of Hamden were both rapidly growing.  Because of this rapid growth the Town of Hamden notified North Haven that they would no longer be able to provide fire protection to the west side of Town.  On July 22, 1951 the West Ridge Volunteer Company # 3 was formed.  Company # 3 now provided fire protection to the West side of Town.  The West Ridge Company # 3 is located on Ridge Road.  With this growth in Town it was also decided that there was a need for a full time Fire Chief.  On March 1, 1954 John P. Rosadini was hired as the Towns first paid Fire Chief / Fire Marshal.

        In the late 1950's the Northern section of Town was rapidly turning into an industrial and commercial area and there became a need for additional fire protection.  In 1960 the Northeast Volunteer Company # 4 was formed and a station was built on Washington Avenue. 

        Throughout the 1960's the industrial and commercial growth continued and further fire protection was needed.  On April 1, 1967 the Town hired the first seven paid firefighters.  These seven firefighters worked out of Center Company # 1.  On October 10, 1967 these seven firefighters formed the North Haven Firefighters Association. 

Over the next seven years the Town of North Haven continued to expand the paid department to its present strength of 30 members.  In 1972 a new Fire Headquarters was built a block from the old station at 11 Broadway.  In 1973 the Department expanded it's services to the Town when it trained the paid firefighters as EMTs and began handling EMS calls.

Leaders of the North Haven Fire Department

Copyright © 2008 North Haven Professional Firefighters Association