The Riverside Apartments on Olson Drive will soon be demolished to be replaced by a development with fewer units.
But before the bulldozers and backhoes level the property for new construction, volunteers from the Ansonia Fire Department took the opportunity to do some training at the site.
The reason was simple — in a city like Ansonia, such chances don’t turn up too often.
Over the course of September members from the city’s five firehouses practiced several aspects of firefighting — e.g. stretching hoses from hydrants, search and rescue operations — on the vacant complex.
The Valley Indy stopped by as several firefighters from the Charters Hose Co. # 4 on the city’s west side drilled at the facility.
“These are the last of an era, of housing like this style,” First Lt. Anthony Spigarolo said as firefighters Chris Godfrey and Tom Dempsey practiced forcing open a door to one of the apartments. “So we take advantage of it.”
Spigarolo said the firefighters were doing a little bit of everything training-wise, but focusing on “forcible entry,” and search and rescue.
“Other than a real fire and having to take a door, this is the next best training we can get in these buildings,” he said. “We only get these moments to train when you can actually pop a door with a tool.”
He thanked city and Ansonia Housing Authority officials for giving firefighters the chance to work on their skills there.
“A steel door is a steel door whether it’s in a brick three-decker like this or a wood house,” Spigarolo said. “We’ll take whatever the city can give us to train on.”
That day the Valley Indy stopped by the temperature touched 80 degrees. Average humidity hovered near 70.
In other words, it wasn’t the greatest time to be wearing 50-plus pounds of turnout gear, a helmet, and heavy boots and hauling heavy tools around a three-story brick building.
But that didn’t stop the Charters from turning out in force to do some practicing.
They obviously all have lives outside the fire department, Spigarolo noted, but “we’ve got to carve out the best time we can.”
Ansonia Fire Department Chief Scott Trembley agreed.
“Those opportunities don’t present themselves very often,” he said. “To get an opp to be able to practice in that actual environment, it’s really realistic training.”
He’d know — Trembley is one of many career firefighters who live in Ansonia and also volunteer here.
The city is fortunate to have their expertise — the cost to the municipality of a volunteer force compared to even a small paid department is pennies on the dollar — but its five fire companies are always looking for new members.
Click here for more information on the fire department from the city’s website.
Or just stop in.
“Everyone drives by one of the firehouses in their neighborhood,” Spigarolo said. “Stop by if you see the guys and they’ll be happy to walk you through the process.”
