Video: Three Volunteer Fire Departments Announce Merger

Mayor Michael Pavia, Public Health & Safety Director Bobby Valentine and members of three of the city's volunteer fire departments gathered at Station 1 Friday afternoon to announce that , and TOR fire departments have agreed to merge and become the Stamford Volunteer Fire Department.

"This is a major step forward in implementing the ," Seth Berger, president of the Turn of River Department, said in a statement.

Ray Whitbread, former chief of Turn of River Fire Department and spokesman for the departments' fire chiefs, was the first to address attendees by thanking Pavia and Valentine for their support of the merger and reading from a prepared statement.

According to that statement, the newly formed department, which represents about two-thirds of the city, is designed "to allow a centralize command, unified response, fiscal transparency and standardized training." Previously, each volunteer fire department operated under its own charter.

Whitbread said that the three departments had plans to sign a joint venture agreement on Friday. Then the new department sign a service agreement with the city, which is currently being drafted and is "75-80 percent done." That agreement will set the criteria for training, response times and volunteer response.

According to Pavia, the agreement will then be sent to the for approval and ratification. During this time, he said, public hearings to discuss the agreement will be held. He added that he anticipates the process will be completed sometime in the late fall.

did not have a presence at the press conference, but according to Whitbread, is expected to join the new fire department shortly.

The city's fifth volunteer fire department — the — was not included in the merger and met with the Board of Representatives' Public Safety Committee Thursday evening to discuss their experience with permitting Stamford Fire & Rescue to operate an engine from their firehouse over the past few years.

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