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Volunteering to Provide Safety and Service

"Volunteer"-the word speaks for itself. This is another part of the North Haven Fire Department, composed of three volunteer companies-Northeast, Montowese, and WestRidge-made of approximately 100 firefighters, men and women who give up a great part of their personal and family lives to provide an extremely high level of safety and service to our town (all for free).

We in the town of North Haven are extremely fortunate to have volunteers as highly trained and eager. We have one of, if not the best-trained volunteer departments in the state. Many volunteers are instructors and not just for our town, but all across the county.

Besides leaving their job, their family, and their beds in the middle of the night to help save lives, they, too, have a second side of volunteering: Going out to help the community, standing outside of local stores and shopping centers collecting toys and donations for children. They give more gifts to children in hospitals at Christmas than the big guy in red, Santa.

They have their own fire engine (bought and maintained by themselves, not the town). They then use it as "Santa's Sleigh" at Christmas and deliver gifts to the children's homes. They work with the North Haven Fairgrounds to make the fair one of the best in the state. They participate in many parades across the state on their own time and with their own funds and always come home with an award!

These highly trained firefighters answer all the calls and community services always. I am very proud to be part of their team.

Peter J. CriscuoloNorth Haven

Peter J. Criscuolo serves on the Fire Commission.