Message from the Chief

On 01/08/08 at approximately 12:40 pm, the A.A. Young Hose & Ladder Company was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident on Route 138 at Exit 85, Route 395. The vehicle involved in this accident was a tractor drawn liquid propane gas tanker, hauling 9200 gallons of Liquid propane. As you might expect, an incident involving this much hazardous material had the potential of being a devastating and catastrophic event.

Resources from many area Fire Departments were summoned to this scene in order to safely and professionally handle this dangerous situation and bring this incident to a safe conclusion.

I was the incident commander of this incident and have been in the fire service for approximately 39 years. During this incident, I had the honer and privilege to work alongside some of the most dedicated professional and knowledgeable people I have ever had the opportunity to work alongside. All fire fighters who were actively involved in the handling of this incident, both career and volunteer, worked closely together as one unit, with one objective, to bring this incident to a safe conclusion.

At this time, on behalf of the A.A. Young Hose & Ladder Company, I would like to publicly thank all the men and women of all of the Fire Departments and State Agencies who came to our aid and who were directly responsible for the safely bringing this incident to a successful and safe conclusion. Departments responding with either equipment and or manpower were: Griswold Fire Dept., Lisbon Fire Dept., Voluntown Fire Dept., Plainfield Fire Dept., Preston Fire Dept., Taftville Fire Dept., Baltic Fire Dept., Canterbury Fire Dept., East Great Plain Fire Dept., United States Submarine Base Fire Dept., Mortlake Fire Dept., Conn Dept. of Environmental Protection Hazardous Materials Response Team, Connecticut State Police Troop E Montville, Conn Dept. of Transportation and the Griswold Ambulance Service.

A special thanks to our brothers and sisters of the Griswold Fire Department, Griswold First Selectman Philip Anthony, New London County Fire Coordinator Lester Shull, Windham County Fire Coordinator Robert Duvall, Chief Saye Sub Base Fire Dept.,Sub Base Fire Fighter Hazardous Material Technicians, Senior DEP Emergency Response Coordinator Ron Wofford, Sgt Keeney Connecticut State Police Troop E, Trooper Collins Jewett City Resident Trooper, Supervisors and employees of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Dispatchers of the Quinebaug Valley Fire Dispatch Center, John Donfrancisco, Philip Lee, Charles Kelleher and Tom Burgess, Troopers assigned to the State Police Truck Squad, Paramedics of the American Ambulance Service, Groton's Salvation Army "Canteen 1", Guy's Oil Company Wrecker Service and the cooperation of the countless number of residents and motorists who's lives and daily routines were effected during this operation.

To all of you listed above, I sincerely thank you. May you all stay safe in any future incidents and rest assured that if you ever need us, A.A. Young Hose & Ladder Company,(Jewett City) we will be there for you, as you were there for us in our time of need.

Sincerely

Chief Robert L. Smith
A.A. Young H&L Co. #1