Date: Fri 25-Sep-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Sandy-Hook-Fire-awards

Full Text:

Sandy Hook Volunteers Earn More Honors

(with photos)

The Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company is a winning team indeed. Last week,

Newtown's fire company was honored for both ceremony and duty.

On Sunday, both the fire company and the ladies' auxiliary took home a handful

of trophies for their performances at the tri-town parade at the annual state

firefighters association convention in Cromwell. Newtown took the top prize in

best appearing ladies auxiliary, most ladies in march, best appearing fire

company in shirts and best appearing color guard.

Also, the Connecticut Alumni Band, which accompanies Sandy Hook each year, won

best appearing modern drum and bugle corps. Sandy Hook was runner-up for best

appearing rescue truck -- not bad when you consider the company was competing

against 111 others.

One Monday, the company received a second honor from Newtown postmaster Fred

Dotson, who presented Chief Bill Halstead with a plaque for Sandy Hook's

response to an August fire call.

On August 20, a rural postal carrier's vehicle caught on fire in front of 15

Misty Vale Road. The entire day's mail volume was inside the car. Within

minutes, volunteer firefighters were on scene to extinguish the fire and the

mail was saved.

"I was astounded at how fast they got there," Mr Dotson said. "All the mail

got delivered."