Hawleyville Firefighters

Welcome Public To Open House

By Andrew Gorosko

To give the public a better sense of what they do as firefighters, members of Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company held an open house at their firehouse at 34 Hawleyville Road on Saturday, May 30.

During what could easily be termed a perfect late spring day, fire company members extended their hospitality to the public which they protect through their volunteer public safety efforts.

Many fire company members were present to explain the nature of firefighting. The company displayed its several fire trucks. The organization provided youths with an opportunity to handle an active fire hose, learning how to control it when directing water at a fire.

Also, in the fire company’s firehouse lounge, local youths played a video-based public safety game, gaining knowledge on a range of public safety topics. Mark Laslo served as the game’s moderator.

Stamp the Dalmatian, a rather large white dog with black spots, was on hand to urge passing motorists to stop at the firehouse and learn about firefighting during the four-hour event.

Those attending had access to a large range of information published in an array of public safety pamphlets.

The fire company also provided a bicycle safety check program for children who wanted to learn whether their two-wheeled transportation is in good working order and meets safety requirements.

The firehouse property abuts the Housatonic Railroad Company’s Shepaug Terminal, a rail facility that handles and stores building materials, including lumber.

The terminal also reloads solid waste from large trucks onto railcars for rail shipment for disposal out-of-state. The railroad’s proposal to more than quadruple the tonnage of solid waste that it receives from trucks and then places on trains for shipment out of the area was a topic of conversation among some residents attending the open house.

They also discussed the planned use of new retail space at 23 Barnabas Road for a new Hawleyville Post Office. The post office formerly occupied a building at 28  Hawleyville Road.