In the heart of downtown, a dedicated group of individuals stands ready to face the flames, storms, and crises that threaten the city of Milford. Behind the lights and sirens are the brave men and women of the Milford Fire Department (MFD) who are ready to serve and protect the community from any dangers at a moment’s notice.
With Milford’s coastal location and population of around 50,000, all days are different, especially for their firefighters. From battling fires to rescuing people stuck in the ocean, the firefighters of the MFD face a diverse range of challenges.
The MFD operates four stations across the city, Headquarters, East Side located near East Shore Middle School, West Side located on Naugatuck Ave near Walnut Beach, and North Side located next to I-95 and the Milford Parkway. Headquarters is the busiest out of all the departments located at 72 New Haven Ave.
Each station has different trucks and equipment stationed there. Headquarters has Squad One, their busiest truck with about 2000 calls a year, Medic One their other busiest truck with about the same amount of calls, Medic Two, Car Four, and their marine units. The East side station has Engine Six and Quint Five, while the West Side station has Engine Four and Quint Three. Finally, the North Side has Engine Seven and Medic Three. According to the Fire Department, the MFD employs 114 fire personnel, eight dispatchers, and five civilian personnel.
All the individual stations have a different purpose; they’re vital for keeping Milford safe. Being spread out across town allows help to be on the way in the quickest and most efficient way.
The MFD is a career Fire Department and not a volunteer department. Every year fire departments across the country are rated by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) the grading is on a one-ten scale, one being the best. The ratings determine how well-equipped fire departments are to protect your community and home, and how well trained the department is. The MFD is an ISO Class one rated department which is the highest rating given. The MFD is only 1 of 2 fire departments in the state to be rated ISO Class One along with the New Haven Fire Department. As of 2023, the MFD is one of 498 fire departments in the United States to hold a class-one ranking.
The department was hit with 9,254 calls in 2022. In 2023 the number dropped slightly to 9,234 Calls. The MFD responded to a diverse range of emergency calls, including motor vehicle accidents (MVA), Fire Alarms and Structure Fires, Water Rescues, Public Service, and medical emergencies. Calls for medical emergencies take up about two-thirds of the MFD call volume in 2022. The MFD recently added Medic Three to keep up with the medical emergency demand.
With the amount of tasks and calls the MFD receives sometimes they have to prioritize some over others Firefighter and Foran alumni Justin DeEll explains “Prioritizing tasks is all based on life safety life safety is always the number one most important thing.”
To stay updated, training officers keep the fire department informed. Wassmer expands, “We stay informed through our training officers, they do research and check with the state and country-wide training schools on new info or tech.”
Not everything in the firehouse involves emergencies, though. Even though many people think of the fighting flames when firefighters come to mind, there is also a community that has been built inside the firehouse.
DeEll’s typical day is loaded with things to do. DeEll explains, “I come in at around 6:30, which is half an hour early so I can start my day with a cup of coffee and check my truck and all equipment which is very important. Then usually from 7/7:30-10 am is time to hang out with the rest of the people in your firehouse, eat breakfast, and do chores such as cleaning bathrooms, kitchen, etc just like cleaning your house at home. 10-12 is training which varies on the day and call volume because call volume can interrupt it.”
As the hours go by he goes to the gym for a half hour, and starts to prepare dinner from 4:30 or 5:00. Dinner time comes and DeEll describes it as “like a family with everyone in the house at the dinner table.”
There is a community that has been built in the department. This helps them perform as a team while executing these tasks. With the motto “a small city with a big heart.” No one’s heart is bigger than the firefighters who protect it. This responsibility is known to all the firefighters, that they have a job to help, protect, and save anyone in Milford.
