EMT Pathway Aimed at Diversifying Hamden FD

In an unusually agreeable meeting of the Hamden Legislative Council, members Tuesday evening almost unanimously approved a new scholarship to promote diversity in the fire department, a mental health-related billboard campaign and 13 appointments and reappointments to town councils and board.

The evening started off with technically a separate special meeting about Quinnipiac University’s facilities master plan. Over an hour later, when the regular meeting commenced, the usually rancorous and divided body reached consensus on almost every measure, without a single public comment submitted.

Council President Mick McGarry started off with a message about the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol and a reflection on the inauguration of President Joe Biden set to occur the next morning.

“Let’s hope that tomorrow is a celebration of democracy and not another historically tragic day in America,” McGarry said. ​“If we can create a positive, it comes from our willingness to use the challenges of this point in time to be introspective to consider our truths.”

Grooming EMTs

Fire Chief Gary Merwede presented an amendment to the Hamden Fire Department budget to create the Sam Jones Scholarship. Sam Jones became the first person of color to join the Hamden Fire Department in 1961; the scholarship will allow a graduating Hamden High School senior of color to attend the Yale New Haven Hospital Center for EMS (YNHHCEMS) on the path to becoming state-certified.

“My intention is to take this from the EMS revenue line, which is where we would pay the invoice for the scholarship from,” Merwede said. ​“Since the beginning of the fiscal year we have collected $84,505 in EMS revenue. That’s 56.5 percent at 24 weeks.”

In the coming 24 weeks, another $72,400 will be collected at this rate, surpassing the goal of raising the revenue by $1,500 to secure a spot at the Yale New Haven Center for EMS, Merwede estimated.

This program is part of the first prong of the fire department’s diversity plan, Merwede said. Nationally, more than 80 percent of EMTs and paramedics are non-minorities, according to a memo from the Hamden Fire Department.

“This serves as a model for all of our departments as we move forward,” McGarry said. ​“We need to increase the diversity of our workforce.”

Representative Justin Farmer questioned Merwede about the term ​“person of color” to determine whether the scholarship is intended for Black and Hispanic students, or any non-white person.

“My intention is to make this as broad as possible in order to achieve the most opportunity for the greatest amount of people,” Merwede said. ​“Parenthetically, I want to have nothing to do with choosing the recipient of the scholarship. We want to leave that to the Career Pathways Department at Hamden High School.”

In addition to this diversity initiative, the fire department is partnering with Hamden Public Schools and Gateway Community College to create a health sciences and public safety program, which they hope to get off the ground in September. Students grades 9 – 12 will be eligible.

“I want to just say, ​‘Amen, Chief Merwede!’” Representative-at-large Dominique Baez said.

The vote to amend the budget passed unanimously.

Mental-Health Message

Youth Services Coordinator Susan Rubino presented a bill waiver before the council for a billboard company called Outfront Media, allowing youth-designed billboards relating to mental health to be displayed around town.

This is the fourth year that Hamden Youth Services will stage a billboard campaign. Past themes have included substance abuse prevention and Covid-19 safety.

“This year we are going to be doing mental health, general mental health that every person can relate to,” Rubino said. ​“It will include ways in which we can improve our mental health.”

Any Hamden student in grades K‑12 can design a billboard and enter it in the competition. There will be three finalists in each age category and the winners will be displayed around town on billboards that will start going up by the end of the winter, according to Rubino.

High school winners will receive small scholarships sponsored by TD Bank. There will be a total of nine different designs over 18 different billboards.

The bill waiver was approved unanimously.

Appointments and Reappointments

The council also approved 13 appointments to town positions to, among other commissions, Parks and Recreation and Planning and Zoning.

Baez moved to cluster the appointments, which was quickly seconded and approved.

All of the appointments then passed.

“There is much work to be done, and it can’t be done by a few individuals,” Farmer said. ​“Kudos to all those who sent in their names.”