Darien Answer Book
Darien Answer Book: Emergencies

Mar 15, 2008

What kinds of calls should be made to 911?

Only emergency calls should be made to 911, such as to report a fire, medical crisis, or police emergency like a home intruder or other life-threatening situation.

People should not call for road conditions or routine service such as barking dogs. Direct routine police calls to 662-5300, routine fire calls to the appropriate fire department listed below.

Who answers the 911 line?

All 911 calls are answered at the Darien Police Department, including calls made from your car or the highway. A mobile 911 system enables dispatchers to track a cell phone caller’s location anywhere in the state.

Where is the nearest emergency room?

The nearest emergency rooms are at Stamford Hospital (325-7777), 30 Shelburne Road, and Norwalk Hospital (852-2160) on Maple Street.

What ambulance service is available in town?

Darien is served by Darien EMS - Post 53, headquartered on Ledge Road. The post is manned by 75 state-certified EMTs, including both adult advisers and young adults. With three ambulances, it is on call 24 hours a day, every day. For routine matters, call 655-8980.

Where will the ambulance take me?

The ambulance will take patients to either Stamford Hospital or Norwalk Hospital.

Who responds to a medical crisis?

The Darien Police and Darien EMS-Post 53’s fly car and ambulance all respond to medical emergencies. Additionally, the volunteer fire departments in Darien respond to all motor vehicle accidents and whenever rescue extrication equipment is required.

Darien EMS rescue personnel provide basic and advanced life support including defibrillation, intravenous therapy, and the application of anti-shock garments. When an emergency call requires a paramedic, one is dispatched from Stamford EMS to augment Darien’s crew. A paramedic can provide advanced cardiac life support, intravenous drug therapy, medication for breathing problems and diabetic reactions, external pacemakers and advanced trauma techniques.

How much does an ambulance call cost me?

Darien EMS does not charge for its services. When Stamford EMS responds, patients will receive a bill for paramedic service.

How can I help the ambulance corps?

Darien EMS is funded entirely by donations and relies on the generosity of the community. It runs two fund-raisers a year: a food fair on Memorial Day weekend, and an art show at its headquarters each November. Donations may be sent to: Darien EMS, Box 2066, Darien, CT 06820.

The post also welcomes new members, both student and adult. For information, call 655-8980.

How many fire departments protect the town?

Darien is served by three volunteer fire departments: Darien, Noroton and Noroton Heights.

The Darien Fire Department is headquartered at 848 Boston Post Road. For routine matters, call 655-1216, or fax 655-6152. Founded in 1895, the department protects the eastern portion of Darien, covering about 45% of the town. The chief is Douglas Lockhart. The Web site is darienfire.org.

The Noroton Fire Department has been putting out fires since 1896. The firehouse is at 1873 Boston Post Road. For routine calls, the number is 655-0653. The fire chief is Michael Vitti. The Web site is norotonfd.org.

At 105 years old, Darien’s third and youngest fire department is Noroton Heights Fire Department, 209 Noroton Avenue, covering the Noroton Heights district. The routine phone number is 655-1033; the fax number is 662-0682. The fire chief is Marc McEwan.

How many calls do the fire departments answer?

In 2007, Darien Fire Department answered 521 calls; Noroton Heights Fire Department had 502 calls; and Noroton Fire Department responded to 303 calls.

How many firefighters are there?

The Darien Fire Department has about 50 active members, 40 associate members, and two house members. Most of the members have served at least 15 years as active members.

The Noroton Fire Department has about 140 members, of which 35 to 40 are active members. Noroton Heights has about 150 active and veteran members.

How can I become a volunteer firefighter?

All three fire departments welcome new volunteers. The minimum age for membership ranges from 16 to 18 depending on the department. All members must live or work in town.

Volunteer firefighters must attend specific training programs and attend fire drills. For complete information, call one of the fire departments or stop by the fire house for an application or visit their Web sites.

If I smell smoke and call the fire department, will I get billed for services?

No.

Whom do I call if I am displaced from my house due to a fire?

The American Red Cross Darien/Stamford Chapter helps those who are displaced from their homes due to fires or other disasters. The American Red Cross provides food, shelter and financial assistance for immediate disaster-caused needs. Call 655-2586.

Will I be billed for a false alarm?

Yes. Homeowners and business owners will be fined $100 for each and every false fire alarm. The ordinance applies to “any device for the purpose of detecting fires and emergencies and transmits a signal to a monitoring company that relays information to the Darien Emergency Communications Center, or produces a signal to which the police or fire departments are expected to respond.” Excluded are devices such as smoke alarms, which are designed to alert only people on the premises.

Automatic telephone dialing alarm systems that send messages directly to the Darien Emergency Communications Center are prohibited. Use of such a system will result in a $100 fine.

Do I need to register my automatic alarm?

Yes. Forms are available in the fire marshal’s office, and online at darienct.gov/firemarshal. There is no charge to register, but there is a $25 fine if your system activates without being registered.

Who is Darien’s fire marshal?

Robert Buch (656-7345) is Darien’s fire marshal. His office is in town hall.

The fire marshal works closely with Darien’s three fire departments. His office is also responsible for reviewing plans for all new construction, except for one- and two-family homes, and making construction and annual inspections. His duties also include fire investigation; permits for blasting and flammable liquid tanks; certification of hazardous material transport vehicles; certification of nursery schools, day care centers, and convalescent homes; certification of all liquor permit premises; and fire prevention education programs.  

Where is the police department?

Darien Police headquarters are at 25 Hecker Avenue. The non-emergency number is 662-5300. For the records division, call 662-5320; for the detective division, call 662-5330. The chief of police is Duane J. Lovello, who may be e-mailed at dlovello@darienct.gov. The Web site is darienpolice.org.

What are the town’s crime statistics?

In 2007, the Darien police responded to 22,135 incidents, including 251 criminal arrests, 165 larcenies, 178 burglaries, 2 attempted burglaries, 61 reports of vandalism, 15 assaults, 12 stolen vehicles, and 3 sexual assaults. (There were no homicides, the other type of crime tracked by law enforcement.) There were 1,945 burglar alarm activations. Police also made 99 DUI arrests, and gave out 3,849 traffic tickets (compared to 2,715 the previous year) and 863 traffic warnings. Police also performed 295 child seat installations or inspections.

How many guns were registered in town?

There were 162 guns registered with the Darien Police in 2007.

How big is the department?

The department has about 51 officers, supported by civilian employees, special officers, school crossing guards and traffic agents. The department also includes a highly trained emergency response team and dive team.

Police patrol in marked and unmarked vehicles, on motorcycle, on foot, and on bicycles. Police also patrol the water in a twin-engine boat. All police cars and the boat have automatic external defibrillators. All patrol officers are trained at the MRT or EMT level.

There is also an Emergency Response Team that is specially trained to deal with critical  incidents such as high-risk search and arrest warrants, barricaded suspects, hostage situations, sniper activity, riot and crowd control, terrorist activities, and dignitary protection.

What is the salary of a beginning police officer?

The starting salary as of July 1, 2007 was $51,041.

I need to be fingerprinted for an application. Will the police do it for me?

Yes. The detective bureau offers this service to Darien residents Monday through Friday from 8 to 4, by appointment only. Call 662-5330. The police do no supply fingerprint cards; they must be obtained from your employer.

What happens when a townwide emergency occurs?

Darien maintains an Office of Emergency Management at the town hall (656-7345). Deputy Fire Marshal Marc McEwan (mmcewan@darienct.gov) is the town’s emergency management director. The Emergency Message Line is 656-7493.

In the summer of 2007, the town installed a Reverse 911 system that enables the town to initiate a mass calling of the community with information and steps they should take in case of an emergency. The system’s database includes only listed phone numbers available from AT&T and other commercial sources. However, residents and businesses that use unlisted phone numbers, cell phones, or VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) service may be included by registering online at darienct.gov or by visiting the fire marshal’s office in town hall. The system can also notify pagers, fax machines, e-mail addresses, and TTY/TDD devices for the hearing impaired.

In fall 2006, the town issued a comprehensive preparedness guide offering information and tips on how to cope with all kinds of emergencies from weather disasters to fire, earthquake, building collapse, chemical spills, carbon monoxide, terrorism, radiation exposure, disease outbreaks, a flu pandemic, and power outages. It is available online at darienct.gov/oem.

Local emergency information will be broadcast on radio stations WNLK/1350AM, WSTC/1400AM, WEFX/95.9FM, WKHL/96.7FM; on television stations WTNH/TV8, WFSB/TV3, News 12, and Darien Channel 79.

The Darien Emergency Management Committee is keeping a list of individuals with special needs who require assistance during an emergency. To be placed on the list, call 656-7328.

How can I reach a family member in the military during an emergency?

The American Red Cross provides emergency communication for members of the military when family emergencies arise. Call Ronnie Tella at 203-363-1041 or e-mail rtella@dsredcross.org.

A hurricane is coming. How should I prepare?

Connecticut Light and Power offers the following tips: Check medications that need refrigeration. You may want to keep a small cooler handy for that purpose. Have a supply of canned, non-perishable food and drinking water that will last a couple of days. Get extra ice and put it in plastic bags. This will help maintain the temperature in your refrigerator and freezer.

Set aside water. Fill the bathtub with water for toilets; a bucket in the bowl is all that’s needed for flushing. You can buy bottled water for drinking. Be prepared to cook outside, but don’t bring grills into the house.

Stock up on batteries for a battery-powered radio and flashlights, and have extra wood for fireplaces or wood stoves. Fill your car’s gas tank.

Stay away from downed power lines.

You should avoid talking on the phone or watching TV during a lightning storm. Consider unplugging expensive items such as computers, televisions and refrigerators to avoid power surge damage, which can occur even if they are plugged into surge protectors.

If you lose power, call Connecticut Light and Power at 800-286-2000. Have flashlights or candles readily available and don’t use a gas stove for heat or illumination.

How do I reach poison control?

Dial 800-222-1222. This national number will connect you with medical experts at a local poison control center. There is also a Web site, www.1-800-222-1222.info.

In an emergency, when fast medical assistance is required, dial 911 and tell the dispatcher what the problem is.