Stamford Mayor Explains Long-Term Impact of Shippan Ave. Fire

Stamford's Mayor Michael Pavia is one of many who've noticed a rising trend of home safety awareness among residents, a result, Pavia states, of the tragic fire at 2267 Shippan Ave. one month ago.

"The city has been in deep grief since Christmas Day," Mayor Pavia told Patch. "There's been an among the community." According to Mayor Pavia, hundreds of Stamford residents and several local organizations are actively involved in giving their support to Shippan Ave. survivor Madonna Badger, as well as spreading information about fire prevention, such as Stamford Patch blogger Stephen Gladstone.

"People are always calling me, trying to find ways to get engaged and be supportive," Pavia said.

The most popular of these efforts may be a series of city-sponsored smoke detector giveaways. While smoke detector giveaways were happening around Stamford shortly before Christmas 2011, resident participation has spiked after Christmas, according to Mayor Pavia.

"We had 250 smoke detectors gone within two hours. Next Tuesday, another 250 will be available at the ," Pavia said, further expressing a wish to "get these into homes as quickly as possible."

During their initial investigation, local fire investigators determined that the house at 2267 Shippan Ave. did not have fully-functional smoke detectors.

For their part, Stamford Fire and Rescue is starting a memorial scholarship in honor of those lost in the Christmas morning fire, Mayor Pavia stated, but it is still in its earliest stages of development.

Legislative changes may be coming to Stamford's building development codes as a result of the Shippan Ave. home fire, as well.

"We have put together a committee to make recommendations to local building and construction codes regarding life and safety," Pavia said. While the committee did not have a name, Mayor Pavia confirmed that it is being run by city operations director Ernie Orgera. 

"The city of Stamford is responding in the way that the city does...the people of Stamford care," Pavia said.