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Following the Family Footsteps

Growing up, Joe Deko remembers being inspired to give back to the community by his parents. His father was a career firefighter in East Haven and his mother was not only a nurse, but she also was involved in her children’s schools, sports, and activities.

“I’ve been involved in lots of different things ever since I was a kid,” says Joe. “I love meeting new people, listening to people’s stories—I’m a people person. I like to be able to give back and do some good in the community.”

Joe is the youngest of three boys and each of them joined the explorer program with the East Haven Fire Department. Joe went on to become an active member of the East Haven Volunteer Fire Department Co. 1. His brothers also went into public service—his oldest brother, Robert, Jr., is a detective with the North Branford Police Department and his middle brother, Anthony, is a New York City firefighter.

“We followed in our dad’s footsteps,” says Joe. “Growing up in the firehouse, you have the feeling that this is your second family. I still talk to guys my dad worked with. There is something to be said about how tight firemen are—no matter where you’re from, you’re family—and decided I wanted to be part of that from a very young age.”

Joe and his family leaned on their firehouse family when Joe’s father, Robert, passed away in 2012. Since then, the Deko family decided to start a scholarship in Robert Deko’s honor. The scholarship will help a student who is pursuing a career in public safety.

“We all received scholarships and this is a good way to give back to the community in memory of my father and toward something he believed in,” says Joe. “We want to help public servants and encourage young people pursue those careers.”

Joe spent about seven years volunteering for the fire department in East Haven. He moved to the rank of lieutenant and assisted in the Explorer Fire Fighters program. In 2010, he was hired as a career firefighter by the Guilford Fire Department.

Joe is currently assigned to Squad 1, a rescue engine, working a shift with seven other firefighters. Joe also noted that GFD has a number of specialty tools, such as trench equipment, high-angle rescue equipment, below-grade rescue equipment, dive equipment, a brand new fireboat, and more.

“We’ve got a lot of equipment that the average department doesn’t have and that’s part of what encouraged me to apply and pursue a career here,” says Joe. “It’s a great department to work for that is very proactive and I’m very happy here.”

GFD is also the headquarters for the regional HazMat team. While Guilford and East Haven are similar in terms of population, Guilford is larger geographically. After six years with the department, Joe is feeling at home.

“I’ve met a lot of people and learned a lot about the town,” says Joe. “Even though Guilford is just two towns away, I hadn’t spent much time here before, but now I feel like I’m part of the Guilford community, too. There is a great camaraderie in the firehouse.”

While Joe loves his career as a firefighter, he also wanted to plan for a future when his time with the fire department comes to an end. Three years ago he met with David Brennan, director of East Haven Memorial Funeral Home, and started pursuing an associate’s degree in mortuary science at Lincoln College of New England.

“I’ll be 29 and I didn’t want to wait until I was ready to retire from the fire department to decide what to do next,” says Joe. “It’s another way to give back to families in need and be able to be there to help somebody at their worst time.”

Joe gives back in other ways and has been a member of the Shoreline Trolley Museum for the past 18 months. He has gotten more involved in the past year and one of his friends asked if he wanted to take the trolley operator training class. He is now an operator and conductor at the all-volunteer organization.

“It’s every kid’s dream to drive a trolley. I’m just a 29 year-old kid driving a trolley,” says Joe. “There’s a lot of history there, not only from East Haven but from all over the country.”

Joe has lived in East Haven for his entire life and recently bought a home of his own in town. He is excited to grow vegetables in his garden and continue living in a town full of familiar faces.

“I love the little things like going into Stop & Shop and seeing friends or friends’ parents. When you go to the bank, the tellers know you by name because you went to school with them,” says Joe. “It’s a small, tight-knit community with a lot to offer—the beach is great, there are lots of things for kids to do, and as a suburb, there’s a little hustle and bustle, but quiet areas as well.”

Joe has always enjoyed the beach and the water. He loves boating, but between work and school, he sold his boat last year. He also enjoys spending time with his family, especially their annual two-week vacation to the beach with his mother, two brothers and their wives, and their children.

“We’ve been doing a beach vacation for 26 years in a row,” says Joe. “We always did one week, but recently added a second week. As busy as we are, it’s nice to have those two weeks together at the beach. We have a lot of memories there.”