About the Department

  1. Message from the Chief
  2. Mission Statement
  3. Philosophy

Message from the ChiefFire Chief Gary P. Merwede

The Hamden Fire Department strives to deliver the best and most professional emergency services in the areas of fire prevention, fire suppression, paramedic EMS response, and technical rescue. Our mission statement is driven by the responsibility to provide life safety protection and conservation of property to an engaged and diverse community.

As both the Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director, I view our department as community driven critical infrastructure. We will work daily to maintain the public trust and hold ourselves to the highest possible professional standards. Our firefighters and firefighter-paramedics remain committed to a rigorous and comprehensive training schedule designed to prepare our responders to meet the challenges of modern firefighting and emergency response.

Hamden residents and visitors to our town are encouraged to stop by our neighborhood fire stations. Our personnel are proud of the publically funded apparatus we maintain and always ready to demonstrate the personal protective equipment and tools required to perform their duties. Likewise, you are invited to stop by the Fire Marshal's office located in Government Center with your life-safety code enforcement questions or general information on inspections and fire prevention.

Thank you for your continued support during the annual budgetary process. Public safety is the cornerstone of good government.

Stay Safe.

Gary P. Merwede

Chief-of-Department