A couple who own a home near Woodland Park thanked firefighters for dousing the recent fire that threatened their home, and the fire department says they can always use more help from people willing to volunteer.
A firefighter pours water on the flames on April 20 at Woodland Park Nature Reserve. (Photo courtesy of Noroton Fire Department)
Darien police say that on April 20 a teenage boy set the fire at Woodland Park Nature Preserve that burned five acres and took about 60 firefighters two hours to extinguish.
Here’s the letter (we’re using the names of the homeowners who told Noroton Fire Department that it could use their letter any way it wanted to support the department’s recruiting):
Dear Fire Department,
My husband and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your efforts this afternoon to successfully put out the fire in Woodland Park. As one of the houses that borders on the park, the fate of our home was in your hands today.
A fallen tree after the fire. A house can be seen in the distance. (Photo courtesy of Noroton Fire Department)
Before your team arrived, I watched as the flames inched ever closer; those were some of the most helpless moments I have ever experienced.
However, soon after the fire truck pulled into our driveway, hoses were zigzagged across the yard fighting the fire from every which way.
At some point I started to breathe again and believe that the house we made a home less than a year ago was going to survive.
Words are not enough when someone saves your child’s first handprints or old birthday cards from your deceased mother. But at the moment, words are all I have; so, thank you, thank you, thank you.
With immense gratitude,
Deborah and Robert Ven
10 Robinson Street
Response
Thank you for the kind words and we appreciate the support from our neighbors in town! The FD’s are truly amazing volunteer organizations and we are honored to serve our town with fire fighting services.
The Woodland Park Brush Fire was a collaborative effort from all three volunteer departments in town. All 3 departments are always seeking new members, and if anyone is interested in joining, please contact the Noroton Fire Department at nfdmembership@gmail.com, or Darien Fire Department at dfd@darienct.gov, or Noroton Heights Fire Department nhfd@darienct.gov and apply today!
Thank you!
Greg Geraci
Noroton Fire Department
Editor’s note: Contact information for the other departments was added to this article at 7;47 a.m., Monday.
Devastation in the woods after the fire at Woodland Park. (Photo courtesy of Noroton Fire Department)