Connecticut
4 Norwich volunteer fire companies file lawsuit against city consolidation efforts
Four of Norwich’s volunteer fire companies are suing the city over consolidation efforts. Such efforts led to the Yantic Volunteer Fire Department’s suspension earlier this month.
Norwich Fire Chief Samuel Wilson claimed that the Yantic Volunteer Company went around the city’s incident commander. This is why the city told the company Feb. 9 they had to sign a contract and join their fire department by 10 a.m. the following day under a “unified command structure.”
The lawsuit cites an action from August 2025, claiming the city manager issued a memo that “unexpectedly” asserted that the volunteer fire departments are “under the direct leadership and authority of the City of Norwich Fire Chief.” According to the lawsuit, this was “illegal” and outside of the city manager’s authority.
In the lawsuit, Yantic, Occum, Taftville, and Laurel Hill volunteer fire companies cite the city’s own charter, stating that they differ from the city’s paid, career fire department, thereby solidifying their independence from the city’s operations.
East Great Plain is the first, and so far the only, volunteer fire department to sign an agreement to be part of the city’s unified command structure.
You can read more of the lawsuit here.
Three Rocky Hill firefighters were honored Monday night for their part in a rescue on the Connecticut River in March.
Emergency crews responded to Ferry Park in Rocky Hill on March 23 in response to a report of a vehicle in the river.
When they arrived, they found a woman in a Jeep about 35 feet out from the riverbank.
Crews broke a window and pulled the woman to safety after about 10 minutes, according to fire officials.
The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Monday evening, Captain William Kelly, Captain Roberto Leone, and Lt. Travis Gerace-Hicks were awarded the fire department’s valor award for their rescue efforts.
ROCKY HILL — A man from South Carolina is facing charges after cutting down light poles along the highway in Rocky Hill, Connecticut State Police said.
Lamont Carlson Tucker, 62, of Myrtle Beach, is charged with first-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree larceny, police said.
Police said troopers responded to reports of “an individual cutting light poles” around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Tucker was released on a $3,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at state Superior Court in New Britain June 12, police said.
The North Haven Police Department is continuing to investigate after a male was shot while riding a moped on Sunday night.
According to police, a 20-year-old male was shot in the area of Whitney Avenue near the Hamden town line.
The victim sustained non-life-threatening serious injuries and was transported to the hospital.
No other information has been released.
Police are continuing to investigate, and say that there will be a heavy police presence in the area of Whitney Avenue and Skiff Street.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Haven Police Department.
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