Old Saybrook Fire Department Remembered Henry “Gator” Davis

OLD SAYBROOK, CT — AUGUST 24 — The Old Saybrook Fire Department honored Firefighter Henry “Gator” Davis on the 48th anniversary of his line-of-duty death.

On August 24, 1978, at 6:25 a.m., an automatic fire alarm was triggered at a home on Schenker Avenue.

Davis, who was 36 years old, lived nearby on Middletown Avenue and walked toward the scene.While en route, he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

Two Old Saybrook firefighters, who were trained in first aid and CPR, provided initial care before Davis was transported by ambulance to Middlesex Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The fire alarm was later found to have been caused by a malfunction.The department’s historical records noted that modern medical resources such as automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and regional paramedics were not available at the time.