Branford Connecticut Fire Police - Squad 54
Branford Fire Police

OFFICERS: (2012 - 2013)
Captain: Thomas Giaimo
1st Lieutenant: Joseph DiMassa
2nd Lieutenant: Ernest Creta
Secretary: Peter Sachs
Treasurer: Peter Sachs
Co-Treasurer: William Miller
CURRENT MEMBERS:
Harold Barringham
Thomas Coates
Robert Feniolo
Kathy Powers (Honorary Lifetime Member) 

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Join the Branford Fire Police!

The Branford Fire Police are seeking new, enthusiastic Fire Police members. To qualify for membership, you must be 18 years of age or older; pass a criminal background and driver history check; and you must have reliable and available transportation. Please contact us if you are interested in joining the Fire Police Squad 54.

Who We Are

The members of Branford Fire Police Squad 54 are volunteer members of the Branford Fire Department whose duty it is to provide town-wide safety, security and protection for emergency personnel and the public at fires, motor vehicle accidents and other scenes of emergency.  Fire Police Officers are officially appointed by and work under the direction of the Fire Chief, but often work in conjunction with the Branford Police Department at scenes of emergency.  All Fire Police Officers receive certified training from the Connecticut Fire Academy.  In Connecticut, Fire Police are governed by Connecticut General Statutes, Sec. 7-313a.

What We Do

Scenes of emergencies present the potential for accidents and injuries resulting from vehicles and/or pedestrians entering into emergency work areas.  Vehicles can collide with emergency apparatus and/or personnel, and pedestrians can unwittingly interfere with emergency operations.  
Fire Police responsibilities include:
  • Responding to fires and motor vehicle accidents that require traffic, scene and/or crowd control.
  • Ensuring the prompt and safe arrival, free movement and safe departure of all emergency vehicles and emergency personnel to and from scenes of an emergency.
  • Controlling the scene of an emergency in order to protect emergency personnel, patients and the public, and to prevent any further accidents from occurring.

Road Detours and Closures

While Fire Police attempt to keep traffic flowing, safety might require them to detour or even halt traffic completely.  Even if it appears that "there is room to get through," Fire Police might temporarily close a road if a condition exists that presents danger to the public; or that might interfere with emergency operations. There might be hazardous materials or live electrical wires on or near the roadway, or emergency personnel might need access to the roadway.  Fire Police are made aware of dangers on the scene that you might not see, and if a road has been closed temporarily, it is closed and you may not proceed.

If a detour is necessary, Fire Police do their best to choose the most convenient route for all vehicles.  However, depending upon particular circumstances, Fire Police might permit automobiles through but detour large trucks that would be unable to get through. At other times Fire Police might permit trucks through but detour automobiles because trucks would not be able to follow the detour. Ultimately, Fire Police detour and/or halt traffic in a manner that protects the safety of emergency personnel and the general public.

We're There to Help, not Hinder

Please bear in mind that the Fire Police did not cause the accident or start the fire. They voluntarily respond to scenes of emergencies to provide safety, security and protection, and to attempt to provide the public with a means of continuing to their destination.  They are there to keep emergency personnel and the general public from getting injured, and to ensure that emergency personnel can perform their duties.  

Branford Fire Police Squad  -  P.O. Box 501  -  Branford, CT 06405

Relevant State Statutes
CGS Sec. 7-313a. Fire police.  The authorities having the supervision of the fire department of any town, city, borough or district may appoint such number of fire department members or other persons, within available appropriations, as they deem necessary to be fire police officers of such municipality or district, who shall have the powers and perform the duties in such municipality or district as designated and authorized by the fire chief of such municipality or district, and such fire police officers may exercise such powers and duties in any other municipality or district while on duty with the fire department or with a cooperating fire department, where the department is engaged in mutual assistance. Such powers and duties shall include traffic control and regulation and may be exercised by such fire police during any fire drill or fire call or at any other time when such fire police are serving with the fire department, with any other fire department in another municipality or district or with any fire department rendering mutual assistance. Each such fire police officer while in the performance of fire police duties shall wear the badge of office in plain view of any observer. Each such fire police officer, while directing traffic in performance of the duties of fire police, shall (1) wear (A) a helmet with the words "Fire Police" in red letters on the front thereof, any other headgear that meets national, state and local traffic safety standards or a regulation fire-police dress uniform cap, and (B) a traffic safety vest, orange or lime green raincoat or any reflectorized orange or lime green outer clothing, that meets national, state and local traffic safety standards, (2) carry a flashlight, which shall have a red or orange wand and be capable of projecting a clear light for the purpose of illumination at nighttime, and (3) utilize hand-held or portable traffic control devices appropriate for the time of day, weather and traffic flow. Such helmet, cap, vest, raincoat or outer clothing, badge, traffic control equipment and flashlight may be supplied by the appointing municipality or district.

CGS Sec. 14-223a.  Striking an officer with a motor vehicle.  Penalties.  Any operator of a motor vehicle who strikes any officer, as defined in section 14-1, or any fire police officer, appointed in accordance with section 7-313a, with such motor vehicle while such officer or fire police officer is engaged in traffic control or regulation, provided such officer is in uniform or prominently displaying the badge of his office and such fire police officer is in compliance with the provisions of section 7-313a, (1) shall be fined not less than one hundred fifty dollars or more than two hundred dollars, and (2) for a subsequent offense, shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.