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STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106 |
M. Jodi Rell Governor |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2010
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Contact: 860-524-7313
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Governor Rell Announces DEP Firefighters
Leaving Tuesday to Fight Fires in Quebec
Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that in response to a request from the Province of Quebec a firefighting crew from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is departing Tuesday to help fight forest fires that have been burning out of control in that part of Canada for several weeks.
“Connecticut has received a call for help and I am proud that we are ready and able to respond,” the Governor said. “All of us appreciate the dedication and bravery of our well-trained DEP crew. Our thoughts and best wishes are with them and their families.”
The Governor said 13 DEP staff members will join crews from several Canadian Provinces and from Rhode Island, Maine and New Hampshire to help extinguish fires near the village of La Tuque, which is about 100 miles northwest of Quebec City. The firefighters will be strengthening established fireline and working on containing any new fires. The Connecticut crews will be deployed for up to 14 days.
To date, this year, Quebec has had over 300 wildfires, most caused by human activities but some – and the largest fires – also caused by lightning strikes. These fires have consumed more than 365,000 acres of forest. Lightning fires are common in the boreal forests of this region and weather forecasts indicate that additional lightning is expected this coming week.
Connecticut is a charter member of the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact. This compact, formed in 1949 is a mutual aid organization between the New England States, New York and four eastern Canadian Provinces. Members of the Compact train together and their equipment standards and capabilities are interchangeable.
The DEP firefighters will be bused early Tuesday morning from the DEP’s Eastern District Headquarters in Marlborough to Manchester, N.H. where they will meet other firefighters from New Hampshire and then board a charter jet being provided by the government of Quebec.
DEP maintains a roster of agency staff members and personnel from local fire departments that have been certified to fight forest or wildfires. Crewmembers must complete a rigorous training program and participate in an annual renewal course. Connecticut maintains this firefighting capability to participate in a reciprocal aid program operated by the U.S. Forest Service. Under this program, trained personnel from other parts of the nation are available to assist Connecticut in the event of a fire emergency – in return for personnel from this state being available to assist elsewhere. A response to a Northeast Compact request falls under different laws and agreements so only DEP staff can respond.
Departure Details
Crewmembers are scheduled to assemble at DEP Eastern District Headquarters tomorrow, Tuesday, June 15 beginning at 4:30 a.m. The bus for New Hampshire is scheduled to depart around 6 a.m.
Directions to DEP’s Eastern District Headquarters: Take Route 2 to exit 13. Follow Rte. 66 East approximately two miles. DEP’s Eastern District Headquarters is on the left side – 209 Hebron Avenue (Rte. 66) – with Smokey Bear out front.
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