Departments propose stipends
By Heather Barr
The News-Times
NEWTOWN, Conn. — They’re volunteer firefighters at different departments in town, but George Lockwood Jr. and Jason Shuttleworth both recall leaving Thanksgiving dinners, trading their family, food and festivities to fight a flaming fire.
Wayne Ciaccia, chief of Botsford Fire Rescue, has had to leave family Christmas events or his daughter’s softball games to respond to a fellow community member in need.
The five departments in the Newtown area — Sandy Hook, Hook and Ladder, Botsford, Dodgingtown and Hawleyville — had a total of 1,227 calls from July 2005 to June 2006. And the calls are continuing to increase, which is why the town needs to make sure there are enough trained responders available.
Full Story: Firefighters seeking help