Commissioner: Loss of fire marshal also loss of a friend

CROMWELL — Todd G. Gagnon, the Fire District’s long-time fire marshal, is being remembered as “valued employee” who served the town.

Gagnon, 58, died on May 22 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford.

LeRoy Brow, the president of the Board of Fire Commissioners, issued a statement on behalf of the district, honoring Gagnon and his service to the district and the community.

Gagnon left a wife, Margie, five children, and seven grandchildren.

In his statement, Brow said Gagnon was not only a valued employee of the district, “but he was my friend for over 30 years.”

And not just a friend, Brow said. “He was my best friend here in Cromwell,” Brow said.

Gagnon joined the fire department in 1989 as a firefighter and emergency medical technician, Brow said.

Gagnon became the fire marshal in 1994.

In that position, Brow said, “Todd was instrumental in bringing our fire marshal’s office through many changes.”

As just one example of those changes, Brow said, “Starting off as an informal one-man operation,” the office “progressed to a sixman inspection and investigatory division.”

Gagnon, who was a master electrician, also earned an assistant building official certificate. He was also a member of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4662.

The services for Gagnon will be private.

As he died during what Brow described as “this difficult and unexpected time,” the notice of a public celebration of Gagnon’s life “will be provided if and when such an event is appropriate.”

In the meantime, “I ask that his family be left to mourn privately,” Brow said.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka,

Kan., 66675-8517.

“Sympathy cards can be mailed to the Local and will be hand-delivered to Todd’s family,” Brow said.

The address is: Cromwell Professional Firefighters, P/O. Box 43, Crowell, 06416.

Meanwhile, Executive Director Julius C. Neto said the district’s personnel committee is scheduled to meet June 25 to begin the process of finding a new fire marshal.