Firefighters Keep Up Outhouse Tradition In Haddam

The essence of a 25-year tradition among local firefighters is toilet humor. Moving quietly on midnight missions, the volunteers plant brightly painted outhouses to mark important occasions within their ...

[airman]

Good for them! A lot of fire departments have forgotten the tradition part of the job. It's nice to see that some form of brotherhood still exsists in the fire service.

[Concerned Citizen]

These firefighters are in the kind of work, where they need to have an outlet. You might know that there would be some naysayers who can't understand and perhaps are nothing but a bunch of straightlaced and straighfaced people who need a life themselves. How many of us had grandparents who had no running water and therefore, had to have outhouses? My gosh, is it an embarrassment to yhr prudes to know what these were used for and should be hidden? Let these brave people, have a way to get the bad things off of their minds for a little bit. They aren't hurting anyone and just having some much needed fun.

[just-plain-nuts]

This practice is for fun. Good for the firemen and women in the Haddam fire dept. Thanks for your hard work!

[downeaster]

keep it up

[CT - FD]

Rock-On!!

[Donna Ploss]

I remember the late John Bertolini of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Dept., sharing his stories about the "Out House" tradition.I was with the Northford Volunteer Fire Department at the time. It always made me laugh. Tradition can be a good thing. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with it. They're not damaging anything, nor are they damaging anyone else's property. Let the legend go on!!

[North Forty]

Great stuff and a fun tradition. Too bad the killjoy administrators are such old farts.

[Tax Payer]

Maybe Haddam needs a new Chief. There was no harm done and it is great to keep up traditions. A senese of humor is needed in such tough economic times, espeically for those who do such a heroic service to the community in a moments notice. As a Haddam resident I observed the great job the Fire and Ambulance Departments have done.

[Middletown Joe]

As far as I can recall this department is volunteer.

In light of the economy, the shortage which most small town departments are having regarding members, one would think a little fun might be tolerated.

[Middletown Joe]

By the way.

Congratulations Franklin and Kristine Pierce!

Chief Gary Klare, look up the words micro manage. Glad to see you have that many members that you can afford to insert such negativity in to your department.

[Shoreline Bill]

keep up the good work HFD !!

A number of years ago, one of the shoreline fire departments had a Halloween tradition to borrow a working outhouse from Hammonassett and place it at various locations in town... I recall one night it ended up on the Chief's front lawn.......

[Middletown Joe]

Shoreline Bill wrote:

keep up the good work HFD !!
A number of years ago, one of the shoreline fire departments had a Halloween tradition to borrow a working outhouse from Hammonassett and place it at various locations in town... I recall one night it ended up on the Chief's front lawn.......

Easily undone humor.

Not unlike the morale in a volunteer department.

[Elaine]

I absolutely LOVE the tradition!! Firefighters are first responders in our communities and the outhouse celebration just shows the love and respect for their fellow firefighters.

[The Scribe-s Son]

Congratulations to the newlyweds Franklin & Kristine!
Thank you to all firefighters especially you volunteers!
Chief, back off! A fun tradition like this should not go down the drain.

[dan]

downeaster wrote:

keep it up

if they're using an outhouse--they should keep it down

[Laughing]

This is terrific. We all need more humor in our lives. Life would be so much easier if these old stick -in-the-muds would lighten up!

[Larry]

Seems like a fun variation of "Crittergrams" that pop up on lawns to announce births and birthdays.

[Barbara Kay]

My grandmother had an outhouse when I was growing up; we kids thought it was "cool" to visit it! Keep up the good, "clean" fun, you guys. And thank you for your hard work every day.

[Teacher]

Lighten up, Chief.

[Jenny]

You don't need to eliminate or replace the outhouses, you need to replace the Chief! He does not seem to understand that better morale translates to better firefighting on every level.

This is the first time in months that I actually laughed something in the "news".