West Haven Fire Department Historical Library, Inc.

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West Haven Fire Department Historical Library, Inc.

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The West Haven Fire Department Historical Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

An archive and collective of the history of the West Haven Fire Department. We wish to tell the full story of those that came before us and ensure that it is passed down to future generations.

10/28/2026

Another great tradition still being observed. God bless all those who have come before.

10/09/2026

Congratulations to John Perry on his promotion to Deputy Chief of the West Haven Fire Department! (Photos by Jon Drost Photography)

10/06/2026

The WHFD Historical Library manned the tent this weekend at the Public Safety Expo. I even rolled out the 1920 Model T...

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

09/27/2026

Here's to you, my old partner in crime. 13 years ago this weekend we threw a huge dinner and parade for the WHFD's 125th Anniversary. Seems like just yesterday...

09/27/2026

Happy Birthday Jon Drost! Last man standing...

09/12/2026

It was my honor, once again, to ring the bell at the West Haven Fire Department's annual 9/11 ceremony. Chief O'Brien and I, together once again, 25 years after our time at Ground Zero.

09/11/2026

I met John Heffernan briefly one St. Patrick’s Day in New York City. I believe it was the “Great Parade of 1999”. It was the year my friend Patrick Reardon marched right out of his shoes. I have never seen that done before or since. Just before the parade stepped off, we landed in a local watering hole called Annie Moore’s right across from Grand Central. The place was so crowded that they opened up the “Downstairs” for the firefighters. As we sat at our table, hoisting our tankards in preparation for the day’s shenanigans, firefighters from the FDNY began to filter down the stairs. These boys were BIG. Giants among men. One in particular ducked his head so he wouldn’t hit it on the ceiling and made his way to our table. He looked at me and said “Is your name Heffernan?” I was stunned. How did he know? Probably from the nametag on my dress blues. He introduced himself as John Heffernan and pulled up a chair. We had a few cold ones and made the appropriate small talk as firefighters do. That easy going banter, like we have been friends for years. We tried to figure out if we were related. He told me that, years ago, his grandfather was a Chief on the job and he invented “some kind of hydrant thing”. Soon it was time to go and John and his boys went there way and the West Haven contingent wandered off to march down Fifth avenue in a sea of blue uniforms. We marched off to create a new WHFD legend. And create we did…
I never saw John again, he would be lost just two years later on September 11, 2001. I never forgot the cold b**r and conversation we shared that day. Many years later my wife and I were touring the New York City Fire Museum and, tucked away in the corner, an interesting piece of equipment was on display. It was the Heffernan Distributor invented by Deputy Chief James W. Heffernan in 1926. It was used to fight fires in the cargo holds of ships. It was the “some kind of hydrant thing” that John spoke about.

Address

365 Elm Street
West Haven, CT
06516

Website

http://whfdhistory.com/

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