West Haven Firefighter Injured 20 Years Ago Passes Away

WEST HAVEN, CT - A West Haven firefighter/paramedic who was seriously injured only two days on the job 20 years ago has passed away.

James Woodman was injured in October of 1999 when an ambulance he was riding in outside Yale-New Haven Hospital collided with a car. It was his last day on the job.

Here is what the West Haven Fire Department Historical Library had to say about the firefighter's passing on its website:

"It is with great sadness that we must share the news of James Woodman's passing.

“Woody was hired by the West Haven Fire Department on July 14, 1999. He was a member of Recruit Class #15 at The Connecticut State Fire Academy and was only out of the academy two days when disaster struck on October 5, 1999.

"Almost 20 years have passed since that terrible accident and there are not many members of our department still working who were there in 1999. For those of us who were, it is a day that is etched into our memories forever. Woody sustained a career ending and life changing injury.

“Against all odds he fought on for close to 20 years, living out the remainder of his days in a facility in Colorado Springs.

"On Friday, March 29th at 5:05 in the morning in Colorado, Woody became only the sixth man to die in the line of duty since the inception of the West Haven's Career Fire Department in 1933.

“Rest easy our Brother, your memory shall live on in our hearts.

"We never forgot you."