ON THE FIRST DAY OF STAFFING REDUCTION, THE NEW LONDON FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUESTED WATERFORD AMBULANCES 3 SEPERATE TIMES, DUE TO NLFD AMBULANCES NOT BEING AVAILABLE.  DURING THE DAY SHIFT, BY 1:30PM, THE NLFD HAD LOGGED 17 RUNS.  GROUP 3 CONTINUED TO BE BUSY INTO THE NIGHT SHIFT AS WELL.  KEEP IN MIND THAT NONE OF THE RUNS ON THE DAY SHIFT WERE RELATED TO THE SEVERE WEATHER IN THE AREA.

ON 7/1/09 DAYS AT APPROX. 4:00PM, GROUP 4 RESPONDED TO A FIRE ON THE 6TH FLOOR OF 127 HEMPSTEAD STREET.  BATTALION 4 REQUESTED THE 2ND AMUBLANCE AFTER MEMBERS FOUND A BURN VICTIM ON THE SCENE.  NORMALLY A 2ND TRUCK COMPANY WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO A REPORTED FIRE AT A HIGH-RISE BUILDING, HOWEVER, THE 2ND NLFD TRUCK COMPANY AND 3RD AMBULANCE WERE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AT 07:30 HOURS ON 7/1/09 DUE TO STAFFING REDUCTION.  NO MORE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF POSTING. 

THE "NEW HAVEN 20" PREVAILED IN A SUPREME COURT CASE WHERE 20 NEW HAVEN FIREFIGHTERS CLAIMED THEY WERE VICTIMS OF REVERSE DISCRIMINATION DURING A 2004 PROMOTIONAL PROCESS.  CLICK HERE FOR A DIRECT LINK TO THE IAFF STORY. 

AS OUR SITE IS CONTINUING TO ATTEMPT TO REACH IT'S FULL POTENTIAL, WE HAD SOME INTERESTING ACTIVITY IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.  FIRST, NEW LONDON FIREFIGHTERS RECIEVED A SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FROM ETHIOPIA VIA THE WEBSITE.  NEXT, NEWLONDONFIREFIGHTERSUNION.ORG RECIEVED A REGISTRATION REQUEST FROM SOMEONE IN PAKISTAN.  FINALLY, L-1522 RECENTLY GOT AN E-MAIL THROUGH THE SITE FROM SOUTH AFRICA REQUESTING FIRE TRAINING MATERIALS.  AT THIS TIME WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO HELP OUR BROTHERS IN SOUTH AFRICA.  WHILE THIS KIND OF INTEREST IN OUR SITE IS HELPFUL, HOPEFULLY SOME PEOPLE A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME ARE LEARNING HOW VALUABLE WE ARE TO THE CITY OF NEW LONDON AND ITS RESIDENTS BY VIEWING OUR SITE.

LOCAL 1522 HAS LEARNED OF THE PASSING OF RETIRED VETERAN FIREFIGHTER JAMES "BLUEBIRD" SULLIVAN.  BLUEBIRD GAVE 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF NEW LONDON BEGINNING IN 1966.  AN HONOR GUARD IS REQUESTED IN FF SULLIVAN'S HONOR, FROM 5PM TO 8PM ON MONDAY JUNE 29TH AT NEILAN & SONS FUNERAL HOME AT 12 OCEAN AVENUE.  PLEASE CONTACT PRESIDENT BASILICA TO PROVIDE YOUR AVAILABILITY.  MAY BLUEBIRD REST IN PEACE.  CLICK HERE TO VIEW OBITUARY.                  

IN A RECENT L&M ARTICLE, THEIR WORK HARDENING PROGRAM WAS HIGHLIGHTED.  THIS PROGRAM WAS SUGGESTED TO L&M STAFF AFTER LT. JONATHAN PAIGE SUFFERED FROM WHAT SEEMED TO BE UNENDING BACK PROBLEMS.  THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS WITH PHYSICALLY DEMANDING OCCUPATIONS, TO GET THE RIGHT KIND OF REHAB AND SAFELY RETURN TO WORK.  THE NEW REHAB CENTER IS LOCATED IN WATERFORD IN THE WATERFALL SHOPPING PLAZA NEAR BENNY'S.  CLICK HERE TO VIEW ARTICLE. 

ON JULY 1ST, ENGINE 31 LOCATED ON LOWER BLVD. WILL BE STAFFED WITH 3 FIREFIGHTERS AND 1 LIEUTENANT.  THE 2ND TRUCK COMPANY AND 3RD AMBULANCE HOUSED THERE, WHICH ARE CROSS-MANNED, WILL BE OUT OF SERVICE AND WILL BE USED IN RESERVE STATUS (PUT IN SERVICE DURING 2ND ALARM INCIDENTS BY MEMBERS OF THE CALLBACK GROUP).  
             YES, ALL OF THIS AFTER THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY TO TAKE A 0% RAISE, ACCEPT A HUGH INCREASE IN CO-PAY'S, INCREASE COST SHARE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, LOSE WHAT WAS AN ALREADY SMALL CLOTHING ALLOWANCE, AND ACCEPT A REAL DRUG TESTING POLICY (NOT ONE MADE FOR T.V.)!  THESE POSITIONS WHEN FILLED, ARE COVERED WITH STRAIGHT TIME MANNING ASSIGNMENTS.  THE LOSS OF THESE CROSS-MANNED COMPANIES WILL AFFECT SERVICE TO CITY RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE SOUTH END OF NEW LONDON.  
                  THE NLFD WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE F.A.S.T. TEAM RESPONSES ON MUTUAL AID INCIDENTS, WITH 4 FIREFIGHTERS AND 1 LIEUTENANT STAFFING THE NORTH STATION TRUCK COMPANY.  HOPEFULLY, SOME "SAFER" MONEY WILL COME THE CITY'S WAY TO RESTORE THE 18TH POSITION.  WHO IS THE CITY'S GRANT WRITER ANYWAY SINCE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN TO GO AFTER THIS MONEY?  CLICK HERE FOR SAFER ACT FAQ'S.  FOLLOW THIS LINK TO VIEW A USA TODAY ARTICLE ON FIRE STAFFING CUTS.

THE NEW LONDON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT STAFFING WILL BE REDUCED TO 17 MEMBERS PER SHIFT, BEGINNING ON JULY 1ST, 2009.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT IS DUE TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.  THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS REDUCTION HAS BEEN LISTED AS CUTS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET.  KEEP POSTED ON THIS ISSUE BY VISITING THIS SITE!  SAFER MONEY NOW AVAILABLE TO PREVENT LOSS OF STAFFING, CLICK HERE FOR MORE.  ALSO, MANY OF OUR SURROUNDING UNDERSTAFFED COMMUNITIES HAVE MORE SAFER MONEY AVAILABLE TO THEM.  AS COMMUNITIES ARE DEALING WITH STAFFING SHORTAGES AND FIREHOUSE CLOSINGS, IT IS BECOMING VERY COSTLY.  SEE HOW A REDUCTION IN STAFFING MAY HAVE COST A 47 YEAR OLD MAN HIS LIFE IN FLINT, MI: