Atwood Hose Members Responded to Working Fire in Attawaugan

Killingly, CT — October 31 — At approximately 11:12 a.m. the Atwood Hose Fire Company deployed its Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST) to address an active structure fire within the Attawaugan section of Killingly, Connecticut.

Upon arrival, Atwood Hose personnel integrated with incoming mutual aid agencies to constitute a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), tasked with maintaining immediate readiness to extricate firefighters who may become trapped, sustain injuries, or be unable to evacuate the structure during fireground operations.

The deployment marked a first in Atwood Hose Fire Company’s 130-year history. For the first time, company members formed a joint RIT with Webster Fire Department Engine 4 from Massachusetts.

The combined team brought together firefighters from two departments to support firefighter safety during the large-scale incident. RIT operations required coordination, communication and readiness to respond if an emergency involving an operating firefighter occurred.

The structural blaze necessitated a comprehensive multi-agency response. Local dispatches indicated the activation of a second alarm for the incident on Chase Road in Killingly, prompting the deployment of supplementary mutual aid resources to bolster suppression efforts.

The Atwood Hose Fire Company's FAST team maintained their presence at the scene until approximately 4 p.m., at which point personnel were formally relieved from their assignment. Headquartered at 24 Wauregan Road in Wauregan, Connecticut, the organization maintained its commitment to regional emergency response by facilitating mutual aid agreements and undertaking critical firefighter safety deployments.