Stamford Tragedy Sparks Regional Press Conference on Fire Safety

Smoldering embers from the fireplace of a home in Stamford, which improperly disposed of, caused a tragic Christmas morning fire that claimed the lives of five people — including three little girls.

This tragedy sparked a press conference organized by firefighters, who are concerned over a rash of preventable fires in the region. The fire safety event will be held Friday at the temporary Norwalk Fire Headquarters, 100 Fairfield Avenue, at 10 a.m.

Issues to be discussed include common causes of fires, the impact even a small fire can have on your life, emergency planning, and fire safety resources available to homeowners.

Monroe Fire Marshal Bill Davin will be among the fire chiefs and marshals of Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security Region 1, who will be participating in the press conference.

"Connecticut's Fire Service is very concerned about the apathy or apparent lack of understanding of simple fire safety measures people may employ to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their homes," according to a press release on the event.

In addition to Davin, those expected to attend are Bridgeport Fire Marshal Bill
Cosgrove, Darien Fire Marshal Bob Buch, Greenwich Deputy Fire Chief Robert Kick, New Canaan Fire Chief Ed Karl, Norwalk Fire Chief Denis McCarthy, Norwalk Fire Marshal Glenn Iannacone, Stratford Fire Chief Robert McGrath, Rowayton Fire Chief Glen Carlson, Weston Fire Chief John Pokorney, Westport Fire Chief Andy Kingsbury, and Weston Fire Chief Paul Milositz.

Daylight Savings Time

Two o'clock on Sunday morning, March 11, marks the return of Daylight Savings Time and a nationwide fire service campaign reminding people to "Change Your Clocks - Change your Batteries", which seemed an appropriate time to address the fundamentals of fire safety.