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10/20/2021 08:30 AMOne of Anthony Iovene’s earliest memories in school was watching local firefighters do fire prevention presentations. He remembers thinking it was “cool” and his interest grew over the years. By his junior year, Anthony spoke to his guidance counselor about ways to pursue his interest.
“I did a ride-along with a training officer and liked it,” says Anthony. “I joined as soon as I turned 18, jumped right into the interior firefighter class, and graduated that the day before I graduated from high school.”
The 2003 East Haven High School graduate has been volunteering with East Haven Fire Department Volunteer Company One ever since. He volunteers around his day job. Anthony has spent years working in project management for live events, coordinating projection, lighting, sound, and more for theaters, universities, corporate functions, graduations, and more, often traveling to Boston and New York.
COVID has wreaked havoc on live events, causing Anthony’s industry to suffer. The upside for Anthony, though, has been that he has had more time to dedicate to being a volunteer firefighter.
“I like the balance I have now and being able to help my community,” says Anthony. “I’ve been home, so I’m able to help a little more around town and respond to more during the day. Because of everything going on, there’s been a bit of an increased volume in calls, so we try to take what we can off the paid guys’ plate.”
Anthony is currently serving as the lieutenant of Volunteer Company 1, being second in charge behind the captain. As lieutenant, Anthony assists with training nights, overseeing training and logs. He also ensures that Volunteer Company 1’s truck is maintained and stocked.
On Wednesdays, there are meetings and trainings for the volunteer firefighters, including a monthly training by a training officer. The volunteer firefighters must maintain their certifications and state licenses up to date.
“There’s some hands-on stuff and some classroom stuff—it’s a good mix of both, so it’s understandable,” says Anthony. “There are a lot of skills to learn and those on the job say it’s the greatest job in the world because every day you’re helping someone.”
Anthony is grateful to “all of the senior guys” who have helped him through his training. Growing up, his neighbor was the fire chief in West Haven and often shared tips or stories about how things used to be.
Now Anthony is looking to pass on the knowledge he has gained over the years. He has recently become involved in the Explorers program, which allows high school students to join and begin learning the ropes.
“When I was learning, I took a little bit of something from everyone and always looked up to the older guys,” says Anthony. “The Explorers program is a good step right into volunteering or preparation if they want to get to paid department.”
East Haven has four firehouses, three of which are always staffed with career firefighters. Each firehouse has a volunteer company as well. Those interested in volunteering can visit their local firehouse or reach out to EHFDvolco1@gmail.com.
“Stop by any firehouse that’s near you and those guys will tell you when the meeting is or who’s head of firehouse,” says Anthony. “Our guys get along very well. If you don’t know something or want to learn, our guys love teaching.”
Being a member of the volunteer company involves more than responding to fires, which Anthony enjoys. The fire department also responds to other incidents such as medical calls, car accidents, snowstorms, and hurricanes.
“We don’t know day-in and day-out what the pager will go off for,” says Anthony. “It’s ever-changing and there are so many different skills we learn from our training.”
The volunteer companies are generally dispatched based on the locality of the event, though if things are busy or more hands are needed, they can be called anywhere in town. Though Anthony likes the diversity of calls, he leans toward the fire side as he likes to be more hands-on and the tools involved in fighting fire.
Growing up, Anthony remembers learning about tools and do-it-yourself projects from his grandfather. He has continued to complete DIY projects around the house he shares with his wife Kristin.
Both Kristin and Anthony’s mom, Carol, are members of the East Haven Fire Department Volunteer Company One Ladies Auxiliary, which supports the volunteer company in a number of ways. The Ladies Auxiliary hosts fundraisers, does community outreach, and provides support and refreshments during large-scale incidents.
“They wanted to see what I did, help do their part, and help me when they can and when they need something, I try to help them out, too,” says Anthony. “Whenever I have to go for a call, they understand and they appreciate what I do.”
Anthony also has his own mini fan club as he and his wife have “a boatload of nieces and nephews” who all love that Anthony is a firefighter. The couple often hosts sleepovers. Anthony and Kristin enjoy traveling, particularly taking cruises.
Anthony has enjoyed getting to know many different people through his volunteer firefighting. He is hoping that more people will consider joining as well.
“We’re always looking for members to join us,” says Anthony. “It’s a great group of people to hang out with who all come from different fields. You get to do different fun stuff and learn from other people.”