Local firefighters head west to aid in Oregon wildfire battle

Firefighters from Norwich, Waterford and Griswold were among 19 members of the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew who were mobilized Tuesday to help fight wildfires in Redmond, Ore.

The team, coordinated by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, was deployed as part of a general call-up of Eastern U.S.-based crew members, many associated with local fire departments, certified to battle forest or wildfires.

Connecticut maintains this firefighting capability as part of a reciprocal aid program operated by the U.S. Forest Service. Under this program, trained personnel from other parts of the nation are available to assist Connecticut in the event of a fire emergency or other natural disaster in return for the support of state personnel when needed.