Month: April 2018

4:22pm–#cttraffic–#Norwalk CT– Report of a brush fire on the Merritt Parkway northbound between exits 40 and 41.  That should make your commute even more pleasurable.

 

This news report is made possible by:

BRIDGEPORT – Bridgeport Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Ganim has been named a candidate of distinction on gun safety by Moms Demand Action, one of the nation’s leading grassroots organizations fighting for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes.

Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state.  Moms Demand Action acknowledges candidates who stand up for gun violence prevention and recognize the need for improved gun safety.  It is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention group in the country with more than four million members.

In its letter recognizing Ganim, Moms Demand Action said, “Thank you for standing up for gun violence prevention and recognizing gun safety.  Together, we look forward to showing that Gun Sense is a winning issue and gun safety is non-negotiable.”

In accepting the group’s Gun Sense Candidate of Distinction, Ganim said, “It’s long overdue that we adopted common-sense gun safety measures to prevent gun violence. I have long supported universal background checks and a ban on assault weapons. While Connecticut has been a leader in gun safety laws, I have called on the Legislature to ban bump stock devices and to increase the minimum age to buy a semi-automatic weapon from 18 to 21. As governor, reducing gun violence will be a top priority of mine. We can and must do more.”

 

This press release is made possible by:

Ten Connecticut communities have joined together to offer an Entry Level Testing program for men and
women interested in a Fire Service career. The consortium of Fire Departments is currently accepting
applications through a testing company IO Solutions. Applications must be submitted directly thought IO
Solutions at iosolutions.com. The application period closes May 4, 2018.
The goals of this program are threefold.
1) Reduce the testing cost for applicants. Typically applicants must participate in independent
testing processes each requiring an application fee and a written and oral examination. This
is costly and time consuming for applicants. The consortium will charge a single fee and
applicants take one written and oral examination to qualify for up to 10 departments.
2) Reduce the testing cost for municipalities. Historically, municipalities conduct independent
tests for Firefighter applicants. This process is time-consuming and expensive for
the department and human resource staffs. The applicant pool is essentially the same and
communities test and retest the same individuals. The Consortium has shifted the
management of the test process to a private vendor and the cost to applicants in the form
of an Application Fee.
Note: The individual department and communities make the final selection per local hiring rules
and this may include a separate interview by the Department, Fire Commission or Human Resources
Department.
3) Improve Diversity. The Consortium is working to increase the diversity of women and minorities
in the applicant pool. Recruitment from the urban communities will help us meet this
challenge. A diverse fire service statewide is best suited to meet the needs of the
communities we serve.

For local information please contact the following participating Fire Departments directly

Branford Fire Department
East Hartford Fire Department
Fairfield Fire Department
Mansfield Fire and Emergency Services
Naugatuck Fire Department
New Canaan Fire Department
North Haven Fire Department
South Fire District Middletown
Westport Fire Department
Wilton Fire Department

Fire Service careers are tremendously rewarding and a great opportunity for those who have a desire to
provide emergency services to the public. Firefighters work in a team oriented environment to make a
difference in the lives of those who call for help.

 

This press release was made possible by:

#Westport, CT – From April 2 to April 30, 2018, the Westport Police Department will be out in force looking for distracted drivers as part of the U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign, a high- visibility effort to enforce distracted driving laws. Drivers are continuously ignoring their responsibilities behind the wheel, and distracted driving is a growing and deadly threat on our roadways. Westport PD is teaming up with the Connecticut Department of Transportation during the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) National Distracted Driving Awareness month to make sure all motorists keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. “Distracted driving is a real problem,” said Captain David Farrell. “During this enforcement period, officers will be ticketing anyone who is texting or on their phone while behind the wheel. The bottom line is if you text and drive, you will pay.” Violating Connecticut’s distracted driving laws can be costly. Drivers who are ticketed for this violation can be fined $150 for a first offense, $300 for a second offense and $500 for third and subsequent offenses. According to the NHTSA, 3,450 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2016. This is a 2-percent decrease in fatalities as compared to the previous year. An analysis by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety of 2009-2012 data found that while more than 80 percent of drivers believed it was completely unacceptable for a motorist to text behind the wheel, more than a third of those same drivers admitted to reading text messages while operating a passenger motor vehicle themselves. “We know your phone is your life, but don’t let it cost you or someone else their life” said Captain Farrell. The Westport Police Department and the Connecticut Department of Transportation urge you to put your phone down when you get behind the wheel. If you need to text, pull over and park your vehicle in a safe place first. We ask that you remind your family and friends to never text and drive:

● Texting and driving is more than just personally risky. When you text and drive, you are a danger to everyone around you.

 

This press release was made possible by:

9:40pm–A two car crash with injuries reported at Lindley and North Washington Avenue.

 

This news report is made possible by :

8:00pm–#Bridgeport CT– Firefighters quickly extinguished a porch fire at Poplar and Dewey Street.  Police was first on scene and ensured everyone got out of the house.   I was there within 5 minutes and firefighters quickly had the fire extinguished.

 

This news report is made possible by (not actual photo from the scene):

4:44pm–#Bridgeport CT– An Anton Street resident came home to find their home and storage unit broken into.

 

This news news report is made possible by:

2:12pm–#Bridgeport CT– One person was injured in this crash at Lincoln Boulevard and Cleaveland Avenue.  It appear the vehicle struck a parked car.