Andover Volunteer Fire Department
Andover, Connecticut
A History of the Andover Volunteer Fire Department. 1938 - 2013
by Scott Yeomans
Page 11
By mid-1988, it was decided that the Association needed to formally divide the membership into two categories; Active and Social. This was due to evolving training, medical and insurance requirements. To be considered an Active member, the member was required to have a physical recorded in their file by January 1, 1989. Any members not in compliance were to be considered Social members and were no longer allowed to respond to calls or participate in training activities. Also, in early 1989 the first Hepatitis B vaccines were purchased and administered to all active firefighters and medical personnel.
While “9-1-1” had been in effect in some parts of the state for some time, it was not until the “Enhanced 9-1-1” became available that the system would work reliably in rural areas like Andover where residents are part of multiple telephone exchanges, with each exchange being shared with neighboring towns. With “E 9-1-1” dispatchers were able to determine the proper department to send, regardless of the telephone exchange a resident’s phone was listed under. “9-1-1” became the state wide emergency number in May of 1989.
In 1988, the Association was notified that it had been named as a beneficiary in the wills of Franklin and Marcella Fairclough. The department had provided service to the Faircloughs during their lifetime and they wished to leave a significant portion of their estate to the Association to make a major purchase with to benefit the town. After some discussion among the membership, it was decided to order a Mini-pumper to be built on a Ford chassis by E-One Inc. The truck as delivered had a 300gpm pump, carried 250 gals of water, and 20 gals of foam concentrate tied into the pump system. The truck, for which the Assoc. paid $84,455, was turned over to the town and placed in service in August, 1989 as Service 115.
In May, 2011 this truck was repurposed as a result of the failure of the fuel tank on the 1952 Dodge (F115). Due to the age and many assorted problems with the old Dodge, the Fire Commission decided not to fix it, but rather to find an alternative means of carrying the forestry equipment and skid mount pump/tank. The solution chosen was to convert the service truck to accommodate the equipment. With the pump, tanks and cabinetry removed, a new body was furbished to accommodate the forestry equipment. The conversion was completed in March, 2012 at a cost of $6,500. The dodge was sold ‘as is’ for $5,420.
In service from 8/1989 to Present
As Purchased - 300/250/20, mini-pumper
In 1987 a Public Safety Building Study Committee was established to consider the future viability of the Center Street Fire House. This committee, consisting of: Chief Curt Dowling, chairman; Morgan Steele; Bernard LaPine; Carol Houghton; William Breadheft; Robert Pittsinger; Francis LaPine; J. Russel Thompson; and Earleen Duscheseau, prepared a report, which was delivered to the Selectmen in January, 1988. The report, listed many deficiencies of the existing building and recommended that a new building be constructed on Town owned land on School Road, next to the Town Office building. Among the reasons that the study committee felt that the current building was not suitable for continued use as a Fire House were; the buildings age, the lack of room for expansion, limited parking, the smallness of the existing vehicle bays, the lack of disaster coordination capabilities, the lack of personal hygiene areas (showers), low energy efficiency, limited floor space for both equipment and training, and outdated and insufficient electrical wiring. After having secured exploratory funding, and interviewing several candidates, the committee selected architect Alan Wiede to prepare design proposals for a new Public Safety building. Mr. Wiede prepared two designs for the committee’s consideration, one for a two story Public Safety complex and one for a single story Fire House. Due primarily to cost concerns, the committee decided to take the Fire House only design to the town. A public information hearing was held in November and the project was put to referendum on January 23, 1990. The project was approved by the town’s people 378 to 245.
Having secured the town’s approval to move forward with the building of a new fire house, the study committee was reappointed as a building committee (with ex-first selectman Earleen Duscheseau being replaced by then first selectman Julia Haverl) and the project was put out to bid. In May, 1990, a contract for construction of a new Fire House was awarded to JS Nasin Co (Windham Sand and Stone). Their bid was $820,500. A ground breaking ceremony was held on 6/13/1990. Construction proceeded quickly as the Fire Department moved into the new building on 12/20/1990. The Fire Commission relinquished control of the old Fire House to the Board of Selectmen on 1/1/1991.
In service from 8/1989 to Present
As Converted - Carrying the skid mount and other forestry equipment
Old Center Street Fire House - In use from 1940 to 12/1990
New School Street Fire House - In use from 12/1990 to present
The new station has 4 double deep, drive through bays, a meeting/training room, a kitchen, a bunk room, a conf. room, chief’s office, ready room, workshop and storage area. A 60 kw generator automatically supplies power to the building, and the town office building, when the CL+P supply fails.
Click on any of the thumbnails to see the full image.
