By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
Six career firefighters of the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown were promoted during a swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on July 16.
Allingtown Chief Michael R. Terenzio, joined by Deputy Chief Keith T. Flood and Board of Fire Commissioners Chairwoman Iris Diaz, administered the oath of appointment promoting Capt. Stephen Panza to fire marshal, Lt. Michael DiMassa to captain, firefighter Joseph DeGrand to lieutenant and deputy fire marshal, and firefighters Daniel Hall, Christopher Iadarola and Peter Redding to lieutenant.
Each firefighter was presented with a new helmet adorned with their new rank.
The evening ceremony, held in City Hall’s Harriet C. North Community Room, was attended by Mayor Dorinda Borer, family, friends, and commissioners, chiefs, officers, firefighters and union stewards from the 119-year-old Allingtown department and West Haven’s two other fire departments.
Terenzio said he plans to strategically deploy the four new lieutenants to supervise and staff the recently reopened Admiral Street fire station, just off Route 1 near the Allingtown Green.
“This directly showcases our commitment to expanding neighborhood coverage and strengthening our front-line leadership structure.” Terenzio said.
West Haven’s storied fire service includes the 3rd District’s formerly independent Allingtown Fire Department, which was taken over by the city in July 2012 and is now known as the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown. It also includes the independent West Haven Fire Department, which serves the First Fire Taxation, or Center, District, and the independent West Shore Fire Department, which serves the Shore’s 2nd District.
Collectively, the departments have been in operation for 365 years: West Haven since 1888, Allingtown since 1907 and West Shore since 1918.