Redding Answer Book
Redding Answer Book: Emergencies
Nov 10, 2005

What kinds of calls should be made to 911?

Dial 911 only for emergencies, such as fires, crimes in progress, accidents, injuries, and medical emergencies. Do not call 911 for informational questions such as directions, road conditions, and school closings, or for routine problems like reporting barking dogs.

Who answers the 911 line?

In Redding, a dispatcher at the police department takes 911 calls and determines whether to send police, fire or emergency medical personnel. Dispatchers are on duty 24 hours a day.

Also, an upgraded mobile 911 system enables state police dispatchers to swiftly track a cell phone caller’s location anywhere in the state.

Where is the nearest emergency room?

The nearest emergency room is at Danbury Hospital, on Locust Avenue, about nine miles from the center of Redding. Call 739-7100. There is also an emergency room in Norwalk Hospital on Maple Street. Call 852-2160.

What kind of ambulance service is available?

The town has three volunteer fire departments - Redding (serving Redding Ridge and Redding Center), Georgetown and West Redding - that cover different sections of town. All have ambulances, staffed by emergency medical technicians including some who are EMT intermediates with more advanced training. All ambulances are equipped with defibrillators.

West Redding and Redding share a paid EMS staff to provide ambulance coverage from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; volunteers are on call the rest of the time. The Georgetown department uses mutual aid (requesting an ambulance from nearby fire departments) as a backup for its service. It has not experienced the manpower problems of the other departments because so many of its volunteers work close by.

Where will the ambulance take me?

In an emergency the ambulance will usually take you to Danbury Hospital. If requested or in a non-life-threatening situation, it may go to Norwalk Hospital.

Do we have paramedics and what can they do?

Redding is supported by the Regional Paramedic Intercept Service provided by Danbury Hospital. Paramedics can provide advanced cardiac life support, intravenous drug therapy, external pacemakers, advanced trauma procedures, and medications that EMTs cannot.

How much does an ambulance call cost me?

All three fire departments bill for ambulance service based on a rate established by the state. A basic life support call is $393. If it is a night call add $68. There will be extra charges for mileage of $10.20 per mile, and paramedic services.

Where are the fire stations in town?

The Redding Ridge Firehouse (which also has a station in Redding Center across from town hall), 938-2520, is at 186 Black Rock Turnpike (Route 58). The Georgetown Firehouse, 544-8800, is at 6 Portland Avenue. The West Redding Firehouse, 938-2518, is at 306 Umpawaug Road. Residents are protected and taxed according to the fire district they live in, although firemen and trucks from any station in town will respond to fires or emergencies anywhere in town if necessary.

Who runs the fire departments?

Al Landwehr is the chief of the West Redding Volunteer Fire Department. The Redding Volunteer Fire Company #1 is headed by Bruce Sanford, and the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 by Mike Heibeck. The officers of each department oversee operations and equipment and compile budget requests. Each department also has a fire district commission, which sets department policy and collects taxes for the district to pay for fire protection services.

How busy are the fire departments?

Redding Fire Company reports its members answered 295 fire and EMS calls in 2003-04. West Redding answered 110 fire calls and 134 EMS calls.

The Redding Fire Company reported an average response time of 8.2 minutes per call.

How many volunteer firemen are there?

Georgetown has about 35 active volunteers (firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians), while Redding Ridge has about 55. West Redding has about 60.

Do volunteers get any compensation?

No, except for those paid for daytime coverage at Redding and West Redding. The firefighters spend their own time meeting state-mandated training and certification requirements, drilling, maintaining equipment, and responding to calls. There is a tax abatement program for the volunteers based on a point system, which determines the amount of tax abatement that would be applied. The maximum tax abatement is $1,000 per year.

What situations are the firefighters trained to handle?

They are trained for many situations including fire fighting, fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material situations, vehicle extrications, and rope and cold water rescues.

How can I become a volunteer fireman?

The best way is to attend a weekly meeting of the department you are interested in. Each meets at 7 Monday nights. Applications are available at each fire station.

You must be 18 to become a full member of a department, but all three departments have junior member programs for 16- and 17-year-olds. Junior members need parental consent and undergo training. They can assist with department activities and respond to calls but are restricted from certain fire or accident actions such as entering a burning building or extricating a crash victim.

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

You will not be billed for services.

I have an old house. Can I ask the fire department to inspect my chimney to see if it’s safe?

The town’s fire departments do not inspect chimneys due to a lack of proper equipment. A professional chimney sweep should be called for this service. The fire departments do offer courtesy inspections for placement of smoke detectors and safety of gas lines and stoves.

Does the fire department check businesses, schools and other public places for safety?

The town’s fire marshals are required by state law to do annual inspections of public buildings and property. The fire marshal for the Georgetown and Redding District 1 is Jack Hawkins (544-8933). David Sanford (938-9079) is West Redding’s (District 2) fire marshal.

Where is the police department?

The police department is at 96 Hill Road (Route 107). Douglas Fuchs is chief of police. Call 938-3400 for routine police calls.

What are the town’s police activity statistics?

The most recent figures available were from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004. Police issued 660 motor vehicle summonses and 1,424 motor vehicle warnings. There were 379 motor vehicle accidents and 17 drunk driving arrests.

As for criminal activities, there were 11 burglaries, 86 assaults/disturbances, 32 larcenies, 11 narcotics violations, and 123 incidents of criminal mischief.

Police received 265 emergency medical calls and 370 911 hang-ups. There were 953 automatic alarm calls.

How many policemen does the town have?

Redding has 14 full-time officers, including the chief. The communications center is manned by four full-time and eight part-time dispatchers.

What is the salary of a beginning police officer?

The starting salary as of July 1, 2005 is $39,856. The contract stipulates future starting salaries as: July 1, 2006 - $41,052; July 1, 2007 - $42,284; July 1, 2008 - $43,975.

Does the police department offer any special community programs?

The police department participates in the Child Passenger Safety Program. With an appointment, parents can have a certified police officer check the installation of their child safety seats. The officer will also instruct parents or caregivers on the proper use and installation of their child safety seat.

The department also participates in the Locator Program sponsored by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. With a computer and related equipment officers can quickly disseminate information on missing persons with other law enforcement agencies. The police also have Child ID kits available for parents to pick up at police headquarters.

Through its LoJack Auto Recovery Program, the police department has installed tracking devices in two of its cruisers.

The police are also particularly concerned with speeding complaints. Any resident who feels there is a particular speeding problem of which the police are not aware may come into police headquarters and complete a speeding complaint, which officers will address.

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

Redding police will provide fingerprint service at no charge to residents or people with commercial businesses in town. Call for details.

Commercial businesses that want a records check on a potential employee need to go to the state police Bureau of Investigations Fingerprint Division. Call the local police for information at 938-3400.

Where can I get a copy of a local accident report or a criminal case?

Reports are available at the police station. Call 938-3400 for details.

What should I do in case of an emergency?

Doug Hartline (938-2559) is Redding’s Emergency Management Director. His job is to coordinate the police and fire departments in terms of an overall emergency plan for the town.

The town has an emergency management plan in place, which not only addresses who to be contacted and how and where emergency shelters are located, but also lists places where pets may be housed.

The town is also testing the Emergency Alert System, which will allow the town to send a prerecorded message to every home in town to give information and guidance during an emergency. The town has purchased a list of telephone numbers in town, but the list does not include unlisted or cell phone numbers. To have those numbers included, residents may call the first selectman’s office at 938-2002 or e-mail assistant@townofreddingct.org. You may also have your number removed from the list. The list will only be used for emergency notification.

Mr. Hartline is also recruiting volunteers for a Community Emergency Response Team. Volunteers are needed for everything from helping to set up shelters to providing transportation to data entry. To volunteer, call the health department at 938-2559.

For emergencies like widespread blackouts or hurricanes, you might want to listen to radio station WLAD/800 AM, based in Danbury.

In the event of a power outage, 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.

When you have advance notice, such as with a coming storm, 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.

Unplug sensitive electrical equipment like computers and VCRs.

Stay away from downed power lines.

For larger emergencies, you may want to check the information at www.redcross.org.

For information on regional alert status, you may check online at ready.gov and the Department of Homeland Security Web site www.dhs.gov.

Those concerned about bioterrorism in particular, may want to log onto dph.state.ct.us to see how the Connecticut Department of Public Health is addressing the concerns and questions of Connecticut residents.

What should I do if the power goes out?

If you lose power, call Connecticut Light and Power at 800-286-2000 and notify the police department at 938-3550. Have flashlights or candles readily available and don’t use a gas stove for heat or illumination.