Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company News
By Kitty Vangunten
Photos
Firefighter Tim Gilbert received the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company's President's Award for his service. The fire company President Wally Banzhaf presented the award, established in 1988.
Gilbert oversaw the work on the Frank Bradley Memorial and surrounding walkway of bricks commemorating Simsbury firefighters. From the cast bronze helmet on top of the granite sculpture, the bell inside and the memorial walkway, Gilbert spent the year coordinating the creation and installation in front of the new Main station. The memorial is named after Frank Bradley, the first deceased fire company member, dying in the Hartford Circus Fire in 1944, just days after the formation of the fire company.
Each of the six sides of the memorial represents one of the fire stations in town. A bell from the department’s old ladder truck in the sculpture is rung at the annual memorial service.
The Memorial Walkway honors deceased fire company members who achieved honorary life status and those who died while an active fire company member.
The President’s Award is given annually to a firefighter or firefighters for outstanding service. Gilbert joined the fire company in 1980 as a cadet and is a firefighter at the Main station.
In other news, Captain Todd Myers, Bushy Hill station, of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company has been certified as Fire Officer I by the State of Connecticut. The course is designed to strengthen supervisory and leadership skills. To be eligible for the class, Myers had already completed more than 300 hours of training. Myers has been a firefighter since joining as a cadet in 1993.
The Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company has announced its executive officers for 2011. Jay Dixon, Weatogue station, will serve as president while Kellan Boudreau of the Main station was elected vice president.
Jim Vangunten and Tim Zeilman, both of the West Simsbury station, were elected treasurer and recording secretary, respectively. Kitty Vangunten, corresponding secretary; Steve Behrens, Firetown station, chaplain; and Ken Boudreau, Main station, assistant chaplain, complete the slate of officers.
Leslie Choquette
5:11 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
It's impressive to see the Frank Bradley Memorial.I'm a bit surprised I never knew of it. You see I'm his grand daughter and my mother Helen Frances Bradley was Frank's youngest of two daughters. At the time of the fire all four of the Bradley's were there. Frank, Helen, Irene Alice (15yrs old) and Helen "Frannie" Frances (13yrs old). Frank saved my mother by pushing her up on top of a wild big cat's cage and telling her to crawl over it and run and don't look back. Frannie suffered a huge gash down her back from the that scared wild cat's claws. She was trampled and broke her foot as already panic stricken people were trying to put out the ball of fire that was burning her her long sandy brown braided hair to the scalp.Her sister Irene was severely burned and was already en route to a hospital which Frannie didn't know for a few days.She too was put in the hospital but no signs or word of her parents (Frank & Helen) status.No relatives came forth to take the two girls into their home. After months of hospital care Irene and Frannie were taken into foster care at the home of Dr. Owen & Katherine Murphy of Weatog and their five similar aged children.They were taught to hold in their painful losses and not speak of the Hartford Circus Fire.They were well taken care of but there was no therapy or support groups for the frightful deadly event's survivors.Mom's married name was Helen B.Wright,dad:Joseph R.Wright. Irene married Henry Daden.Someone contact me Leslie C 860.706.3332