Morris fire company trains in Torrington

TORRINGTON — The Morris Fire Co. has undertaken an exhausting schedule to provide FF1 (firefighter) training for its newest volunteer members.

The Botsford Fire and Rescue from Newtown has provided assistance in Morris and Newtown, to provide training on extrication methods for crash victims and those trapped beneath a vehicle, and the Torrington Fire Department hosted a session at its training tower on Sunday.

Morris Fire Co. Chief Robert Ebner was highly complimentary of Torrington Fire Department instructor Mike Farrel, who led the group through a four-hour session demonstrating the power of a high-pressure hose and running to climb stairs into a burning building carrying the hose. A 100-foot section of large-diameter hose, when filled with water, can weigh approximately 944 pounds.

Morris First Selectman Tom Weik and Elizabeth Ebner were two of the volunteers at the training session. The Morris Fire Co. has created a GoFundMe page under the name “support-the-morris-fire-company” and is accepting donations by mail at Morris Fire Co., PO Box 527, Morris CT 06763, according to Treasurer Ben Paletsky.

President Michael Lauretano said the fire company is forming an auxiliary fundraising group, as they will need many supplies and pieces of equipment that were not left for their use in the firehouse.

Jo Ann Jaacks / Hearst Connecticut Media Morris Fire Co. member Elizabeth Ebner was joined at the training session by her children, Quinn, 9, and Violette, 8, and her husband, Morris Fire Co. Chief Robert Ebner. Below, Torrington Fire Department firefighter Mike Farrel, far right, was the instructor for training on the tower.