By Jonathan Barbagallo

The volunteers with Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD) and Norfolk Lions Club Ambulance had a busy Fourth of July holiday weekend, which sadly included two deaths – one a visitor passing through town and the other a resident of Greenwoods Road West. 

The emergency calls started with a request for the NVFD to assist the Town of Cornwall with a house fire early Friday morning. On Saturday, the fire department stayed busy with an automatic alarm on Westside Road.  

On Sunday, the morning started with an early morning two-car accident on Route 44 in Colebrook with both the fire department and ambulance assisting Colebrook and a few hours later, both responded to Doolittle Lake for a reported house fire that thankfully was a false alarm.  Later in the afternoon at 4 p.m., both agencies responded to Route 44 near Memorial Green for a motorcycle accident where the operator lost control on the corner by the Catholic church and was ejected from his bike.  Despite the best efforts of the town volunteers, regional paramedic and Life Star all working together, the injuries were too severe and a resident of Torrington lost his life. 

On July 4^th and before the holiday was finished, both agencies once again responded together for a woman in cardiac arrest.  Sadly, the efforts of the volunteers fell short resulting in a tragic weekend for several families.  

The volunteers of the ambulance service and fire department spent a combined 20 hours of their time responding to the calls of others during the holiday weekend when many were relaxing with friends and loved ones.  Please support them in any way possible and think about volunteering.  Both agencies have many roles to fill that don’t involve fire or blood!  

Jonathan Barbagallo is the Public Information Officer for the Norfolk emergency services.