I left NLFD for a paid position across the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, which was divided into seven fire districts, the largest being Poquonnock Bridge, where I served as a firefighter and as an engineer when needed.  PBFD had three engines at the time, a 1964 Farrar 1000 GPM, single stage Barton American, a 1961 Ward LaFrance 1000 GPM two stage Waterous, and a 500 GPM Internation 4x4 with a single stage pump.  

While in Groton, I served with the volunteer ambulance and responded to fires off duty, because all paid men were also members of the volunteer company in a well run combined department where the only paid officer was the chief, who also served as the district fire marshal.  At PBFD I earned one written commendation. 

During my five years of service, I collected 16 training certificates from the Connecticut State Fire School then at Willimantic, and also completed courses at the New Haven Fire Department school and course work in fire science at Thames Valley State Technical School in Norwich, Connecticut.  

Worsening eyesight forced a decision to leave the fire service, but the fire service never left me, and I finally sat down two years ago to write Pipe Nozzle, which you can find at http://www.pipenozzle.com. Chapter 15 was written this year for the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire centennial commemoration and was included in the Triangle open archive in New York City, which was transferred to the Cornell University permanent collection on Triangle.