Date: Fri 12-Feb-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

ambulance-Rosenthal-space

Full Text:

GENNEWS and LIBRARY

Possible Ambulance Service Move

Comes As News To Corps Members

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Last week's comments by town officials that the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance

Corps might be willing to move its headquarters to Fairfield Hills came as a

surprise to many of the members of the corps.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said he had a discussion with the Newtown

Ambulance Association, which actually owns the ambulance garage at 47 Main

Street. The ambulance association is the governing body for the ambulance

corps; it raises money and makes policy for the operation of the town's

volunteer ambulance service.

Mr Rosenthal said Fairfield Hills might be a more centralized location for

townwide emergency response. The town now owns the former hospital's fire

station, which when renovated could provide the corps with much-needed

additional space. The Hook & Ladder Fire Company might also house some trucks

at Fairfield Hills with a sub-station at 47 Main Street.

Malcolm McLaughlin, president of the ambulance association, was on vacation

this week. However, one corps member, who asked not to be identified, said

Fairfield Hills is not ideal.

"It might help with our response time to Sandy Hook, but that's the only

place," noted the corps member.

Some members believe trying to negotiate an ambulance through Fairfield Hills

might lengthen some response times.

The Hook & Ladder firehouse behind Edmond Town Hall is expected to be

demolished as part of the town's plan to improve its current municipal space.

The estimated cost for a new building is $3.5 million - an high figure in Mr

Rosenthal's mind. The first selectman said he is looking at potential

developers of Fairfield Hills who might help foot the bill for such a

building.

"I would think it would be in their best interest to have emergency services

so close by," he said.