Date: Fri 16-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Fairfield-Hills-fire

Full Text:

Agreement Reached Over Fairfield Hills Fire Protection

(with photo)

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The town's five volunteer fire companies have reached an agreement with the

firm that manages the state-owned Fairfield Hills property to provide a first

response to fire emergencies at the sprawling former mental institution.

In effect, the five fire companies will act as firefighting subcontractors of

Tunxis Management Co, the company which operates Fairfield Hills for the state

Department of Public Works.

The recent agreement got a practical test Monday afternoon when four fire

trucks from Newtown Hook and Ladder and one truck from Sandy Hook responded to

a minor fire at Greenwich House where Daytop conducts a drug abuse

rehabilitation program for about 100 patients.

First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal said Kevin Cragin, chairman of the Board of

Fire Commissioners, and Peter Donahue of Tunxis Management Company worked out

the agreement which explains the fire companies' responsibilities in

responding to fire calls at the 660-acre Fairfield Hills.

Mr Rosenthal said the agreement now in effect is essentially the same pact the

town negotiated with the state earlier this year, but which fell through

because the agreement did not receive the endorsement of the state Department

of Correction (DOC). The current pact resolves some legal issues and insurance

questions left unresolved in the earlier agreement.

The agreement was signed by Mr Donahue, Mr Cragin, and representatives of the

five local fire companies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Newtown Hook and Ladder will be the "first

responder" to fire calls at Fairfield Hills. Other fire companies would be

called in as needed.

The five fire companies, collectively known as the Newtown Fire Department,

will provide a single fire company response to all fire calls, except in cases

of known working fires or hazardous spills, when two or more fire companies

would respond. The fire department may dispatch a second fire company to a

call if too few firefighters arrive with only one fire company.

The fire department will be allowed to use all state firefighting and safety

equipment at the Fairfield Hills Firehouse provided the department maintains

the equipment to industry standards. Equipment maintenance will be paid for by

Tunxis.

The Board of Fire Commissioners will provide Tunxis with a detailed monthly

accounting of fire responses at Fairfield Hills. Each fire company responding

to each call will receive $500 for that call from Tunxis.

The contract between Tunxis and the fire department may be terminated by

either party in the event the state changes the use and occupancy of Fairfield

Hills. The contract would remain in effect only as long as the state owns

Fairfield Hills. The state is marketing for sale the 186-acre core campus of

Fairfield Hills which contains 16 major buildings and 1.2 million square feet

of enclosed space.

The state closed its mental institution at Fairfield Hills in December 1995.

After Fairfield Hills' fire department was disbanded in 1996, Tunxis personnel

assumed fire protection duties there.

Fortunately, during the past three years, there were few serious fire

incidents at Fairfield Hills.

But early on May 22, Newtown Hook and Ladder responded to a report of a fire

at Daytop. A timer had malfunctioned on a clothes dryer in Greenwich House. A

male resident had put clothes in the dryer about midnight. The clothes

continued drying for about 5« hours until they ignited, creating a fire in a

laundry room. The approximately 90 residents in the building were evacuated.

There were no injuries.

The incident spurred Tunxis and the Newtown Fire Department to reach the fire

protection agreement which is now in effect.