The New Canaan Fire Department recently hired two volunteers to fill some vacancies, including the first woman on the department's career staff.
Lauren Freeland and Peter Black were both selected from the department's volunteer fire company and will soon attend a four-month firefighter training program at the Connecticut Fire Academy.
New Canaan Fire is a combination department with both career staff and volunteers. Freeland and Black were both selected from the department's volunteer fire company.
"Our volunteers play a very important role in the community," Fire Chief Albert Bassett said to Patch, "because we're not just out responding to calls. We do a lot of community engagement, and they're actively involved in that."
According to Bassett, volunteers help with public education through events such as the department's annual "Touch-a-Truck" celebration.