East Hampton Recognizes Bevin Fire Responders

East Hampton has begun handing out specially-made plaques to some of the more than 20 first reponders, fire departments and other agencies, that helped local firefighters battle the a fire this past spring that destroyed the Bevin Brothers factory in the downtown. 

The town recently passed a resolution honoring some of the departments that came here to fight the fire that destroyed the factory building on May 27. The Bevin Brothers bell company has made bells here since the early 1800s and after outreach from the community and the state, the relocated to another site in the downtown.

The text of that proclamation was framed, along with several small bells from the Bevin Brothers factory, and are being hand-delivered to those departments that helped battle the huge blaze.

Fire companies from as far away as Hartford, Wethersfield, Tolland and beyond responded on the night of May 27 to help local firefighters.

The departments that responded were:

• East Hampton
• Colchester
• Portland
• Marlborough
• East Haddam
• Glastonbury
• Haddam Neck
• Lyme
• Salem
• Gardner Lake
• Middletown
• Haddam
• Old Lyme
• Wethersfield
• Essex
• Durham
• Norwich
• Hartford
• Willington
• Tolland
• Bolton
• Ellington
• Tri County Fire Police - Tolland
• East Hampton Police
• East Hampton Ambulance

The text of the proclamation reads:

WHEREAS, the fire events of May 27th and 28th at the 180-year old Bevin Bros. Manufacturing facility brought local attention to the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices faced by fire and emergency services personnel on a daily basis; and

WHEREAS, 23 Fire Departments from Connecticut municipalities with more than 150 personnel combined firefighting efforts with 16 assisting/operating agencies and worked together for 19 hours pumping more than 97 tanker loads of water from Lake Pocotopaug to control this fire  without any injuries; and

WHEREAS, firefighters and emergency services personnel play an essential role in the protection of lives and property in our local community; and

WHEREAS, it is of major importance that we increase our efforts to reduce deaths, injuries, and property losses from fire; and

WHEREAS, an average of 100 firefighters courageously make the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty each year.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE THE EAST HAMPTON TOWN COUNCIL, now call upon all citizens of the Town of East Hampton and upon all patriotic, civic, and educational organizations to recognize the dedicated efforts of our fire and emergency services personnel. We encourage all of our citizens to honor fire and emergency services personnel, past and present, who, by their faithful and loyal devotion to duties, have rendered invaluable service to our community and its citizens.

Be it proclaimed by the East Hampton Town Council that the week of May 27 through June 2, annually beginning in 2013, be “Volunteer Firefighters Week” throughout the Town of East Hampton and calls upon all citizens and civic organizations to acquaint themselves with and recognize the important role played in our safety and well-being by the Volunteer Firefighters in this community.