Norwich trustees approve fire‑department hires, training and advance pumper purchase; ambulance bids opened in December

Trustees spent substantial portions of several 1999 meetings on fire‑department staffing, equipment and capital purchases.

Early in the year the board authorized adding staff to the Fire Prevention Bureau and approved hiring Kimberly Deaton as the bureau employee to begin Feb. 1, 1999. The trustees approved a number of training and recertification items — ACLS recertification (Feb. 20), EMT recertification (Feb. 26–28) — and agreed to purchase reference materials and standards, including ten copies of an updated code book and later sets of NFPA codes.

Capital equipment discussions centered on apparatus procurement. A Sutphen pumper bid (read in the minutes as $367,382.00) was opened and sent for inspection; the trustees later voted to award the purchase to Sutphen and authorized required down‑payment procedures. Separately, bids for a medium‑duty ambulance (medic module) were opened Dec. 22; bidders included Horton, Wheeled Coach and Rolland Specialty, and the chiefs were tasked to review the bids and bring a recommendation back to the trustees (award scheduled for Jan. 3, 2000).

The board approved promotions (three top candidates promoted to lieutenant effective July 1, 1999) and the hiring of nine new firefighters effective Jan. 3, 2000, after required physicals. Trustees also approved multiple smaller equipment purchases — replacement hose, helmets, a treadmill for Station 82 and a heater for Engine 80 — and accepted a donation of a 14‑ft John boat and trailer for water rescue from resident Rich Roberts.

Trustees recorded expenditures and contract renewals (Physio‑Control contract renewal at $3,211) and tracked Station 82 construction progress, scheduling an open house and dedication once final inspections complete.