In the summer of 2001 several area fire chiefs met in
the New Haven Fire Department Chief’s office and opened discussions on
creating a special hazards team to address issues of hazardous materials and
WMD. These discussions took on new urgency after 9/11 and it became clear
that this was a necessity. Over the next several months the group looked at
the best way to organize. The South Central Council of Governments (COG)
voted in 2002 to authorize the fire chiefs from the 15 communities that made
up the COG, to move forward with the concept and develop a plan.
Early in 2006 the Department of Emergency Management
and Homeland Security (DEMHS) adopted a new
Map dividing the State into 5 regions.
The Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security also
indicated that it wished to recognize 5 regional hazardous materials teams
including NHASH in Region 2.
In January of 2006 the South Central Council of
Government Board of Directors was advised of this change. The NHASH Board of
directors voted in February 2006 to update their
By-Laws
and include all the communities located in DEMHS Region 2 as part of NHASH
if they choose to participate. The Derby Fire Department has recently joined
NHASH as the “Valley” Division.
a more detailed history of the development of NHASH is
available
here
Additional information can
be obtained from Chief Peter Struble, Wallingford Fire Department 203-294-2730 or
peter.struble@snet.net
