International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1739

Organized in 1967, Local 1739 represents the 35 professional fire fighters that protect the Town of Ridgefield, Connecticut.  We operate out of two stations responding to the fire, rescue, and emergency medical calls of the town.

Our staff consists of four shifts that work rotating 24 hour shifts.  The union also represents the town's Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshals.

Fire Services

Our primary objective is to promptly respond to any report of fire, smoke, or alarm.  All career fire fighters are certified by the State of Connecticut's Commission on Fire Prevention and Control to a minimum level of Fire Fighter II.  Our Lieutenants and Captains are certified to the levels of Fire Officer I and Fire Service Instructor I.  The majority of our career staff have also obtained training and certifications above the minimum requirements of the town.

Emergency Medical Services

The Ridgefield Professional Fire Fighters are responsible for handling the medical emergencies within the Town of Ridgefield.  Fifteen career firefighters are licensed by the State of Connecticut as Paramedics and are capable of delivering the highest level of prehospital emergency care possible.  Paramedics receive extensive training on how to handle medical emergencies such as heart attacks, breathing problems, strokes, and diabetic emergencies.  In most cases, Ridgefield's Paramedics are able to administered the same medications administered by emergency room physicians allowing a patient's treatment to begin on the way to the hospital.  The Ridgefield ambulances will transport patients to Danbury Hospital or Norwalk Hospital.

One advanced life support ambulance is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by the career firefighters.  A second advanced life support ambulance is also staffed when at least eight career firefighters are scheduled to work.  This second ambulance is staffed with Engine 1 or Engine 2 personnel as needed if less than eight career firefighters are scheduled for the day.  One ambulance is also dispatched whenever Engine 1 responds to a fire alarm or investigation to ensure that four career firefighters arrive on the scene of a fire emergency in a timely fashion. 

Rescue Services

As the needs of the town have changed, the Ridgefield Professional Fire Fighters have adapted to meet these new unique challenges.  Both of our career engines are equiped with hydraulic rescue equipment and our career staff has received extensive training on vehicle rescue techniques.

Union Membership

A Shift Captain Glen Lake Lieutenant Peter Drake Patrick Holland Chick Hancock Christopher Sanders Christopher Alward Ryan Eckhoff	B Shift Captain David McDevitt Lieutenant Jerry Myers Michael Grasso Ted Peatt Tony Cerulli Drew Loya Tim Nobes Brett Rinehart
C Shift Captain John Drake Lieutenant Brian Jones John Rosa Bruce Taylor Michael Moore Michael Short Michael Trenck Tim Wysoczanski	D Shift Captain Richard Lawlor Lieutenant Rommie Duckworth Michael Drake Guy Miglinas Ken Brown Robert Coppola Michael Gesmondi Nick D'Angelo David Dachinger
Additional Personnel Fire Marshal David Lathrop Recruit - David Laschlier