NORWALK, CT—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) today visited Norwalk's Central Fire Station headquarters to highlight how the city’s firefighters and the community are benefiting from the public investment that built the state-of-the art facility. Himes joined Norwalk Fire Chief Denis McCarthy and Deputy Director of Emergency Management Michele DeLuca, who was recently named Connecticut’s 2014 Emergency Manager of the Year, for a tour of the headquarters. The $16 million facility opened last year and includes the fire station, an indoor training facility, and the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
“Norwalk's fire headquarters is an example of how all levels of government can work together to provide the resources our firefighters need to do their life-saving work in the safest, most efficient way possible,” Himes said. “This is an investment that will benefit Norwalk’s firefighters, first responders and the entire community for years to come. I thank Chief McCarthy, Deputy Director DeLuca, and all of Norwalk’s brave firefighters and first responders for risking their safety and lives to protect our community.”
“Today’s visit allowed the Congressman to see the hard work and dedication that the firefighters and staff put into designing a modern firehouse for the City,” Norwalk Fire Chief Denis McCarthy said. “From the training areas to the living and office spaces, the fire station combines tradition with technology and allows us to meet the needs of the City.”
In 2011, Congressman Himes helped secure a federal grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Operations Center Program to build and supply the EOC within the Norwalk facility. Norwalk was one of just three cities nationwide to receive the maximum $1 million from the grant program that year.
The Norwalk Central Fire Station and Emergency Operations Center is a 31,000 square-foot, energy-efficient, modern fire department headquarters, training center, and EOC. The EOC houses office space for staff, conducts volunteer training and community education programs, and has meeting space to coordinate response efforts during emergencies.