National Guard Base Training Nearby Firefighters For Emergencies

EAST GRANBY, CT — In light of staff shortages, the Connecticut Air National Guard Fire Department is training personnel from nearby fire departments to respond to emergencies at the Connecticut Air National Guard Base in East Granby.

The training is designed to speed up response times and improve collaboration between area fire departments, according to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

It will familiarize firefighters from neighboring departments with the base — allowing them to be better prepared to respond to an emergency, CANG Fire Chief Master Sgt. Robert Cross said in the DVIDS' report.

Windsor Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Steve Bianchi called the training "the beginning of a regionalization of the fire departments."

"For me, it's all about working with our neighbors and getting to know our neighbors, so when we have mutual aid, everybody is familiar with the operation," Bianchi said in a report. "We're breaking down the barriers. It's the common sense approach to getting the water on the fire and saving lives."

Learn more about the training here.