LITCHFIELD FIRE-RESCUE SERVICES

ANNUAL REPORT- 2007

Honorable Members of the Board of Selectmen

Litchfield Residents

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is my pleasure to present the annual report of the Fire-Rescue Services to you.

During 2007, the department responded to 823 incidents of various types and durations.

Most notable during the year was the ice storm in January and the collapse of the culvert on Brickyard Drive and associated spring flooding which kept our employees busy.

One of the highlights of the year included the training of 9 fire department members and myself in Emmetsburg, Maryland at the National Fire Academy. Litchfield Firefighters attended classes ranging from Fire Prevention, Company Officer Leadership, Managing Large Scale Incidents and Juvenile Fire setter Interventionist programs.

Other out of town training classes attended during the year included Clandestine Drug Lab Awareness and Fire Investigation. Four firefighters attended and obtained certification at Emergency Medical Technician level. Three employees have continued on and are attending their Intermediate level certification in an effort to provide better, more advanced medical services to you, the resident. This will bring our total number of medically trained personnel to twelve (12). After course completion, these three will be able to administer thirteen (13) different drugs in certain medical emergency situations.

At the request of the Litchfield Public Schools and under my direction, the fire department

has been working on an initiative to certify teachers and staff in the use of AED’s (automated external defibrillators), basic first aid and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation).

Our Fire Prevention Week activities this year kicked off with the annual fire truck parade through town that is always well received by all. Presentations were made at all the schools teaching children from kindergarten through 5^th grade. The end of the week was rounded out by our annual Fire Station Open House to remind everyone to be fire safe throughout the year. It is also an opportunity to allow residents to see the equipment purchased with their tax dollars to help us do our jobs and better serve you.

During the month of November, the firefighters volunteered their time on a Sunday to re-roof and repair the dog kennel located at the incinerator. This effort allowed the firefighters to help the community and save some taxpayer money by not having to hire a contractor to do the needed work and repairs.

As of the writing of this report, plans are being finalized to bring a proposal for your approval to construct a new fire- emergency services facility to be located near the current Town Hall & Police Station on Liberty Way. If this facility is approved and constructed, plans will begin in the next couple of years to explore the feasibility of providing or contracting an ambulance service to be housed in this new facility in order to better serve you. Realizing people will have questions as to what will happen with the current fire station located on Charles Bancroft Hwy, my recommendation to the Board of Selectmen is going to be for the formation of a committee appointed by the Board of Selectmen to explore how to best re-purpose the use of the current facility.

I’m pleased to report that while the year started out rough between the fire and police department administrations, we have put our differences aside and have worked extremely hard to produce a productive working relationship that you our customers can be proud of. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly apologize to the Citizens of Litchfield for the disappointment I may have caused you in my handling of the situation. While I wish this incident never occurred in the first place, I can assure each and every one of you that it will never happen again. I have personally grown from it, and am a better leader because of it.

I wish to sincerely thank the firefighters and their families for their countless hours of service in responding to the community’s needs day and night. As the town continues to grow, so do the number of emergency incidents they respond to while still holding their regular jobs. It becomes increasingly difficult for them to balance their very limited free time with the almost daily responses to emergency calls and training.

I would like to recognize and thank both Roland Bergeron and Cecile Durocher for their many years of service to the Town of Litchfield. Thank you both for all your guidance, assistance and wisdom given to the fire department during your tenure with the Town.

Congratulations on your retirements!

Following this report you will find an overview of the fire apparatus and equipment Litchfield maintains to provide adequate fire protection and emergency medical response to its residents. The narrative explains the function and use of each vehicle so you, the taxpayer, can have a better understanding the need to have each vehicle and how we utilize the current fleet of apparatus.

In closing I would like to thank all the other boards, commissions and committees in town for their support and cooperation throughout the year, and to you the taxpayers for providing us with the tools, equipment and support we need to get the job done.

Respectfully Submitted,

Thomas B. Schofield

Fire Chief