Stamford firefighters have a long-standing tradition of helping to improve the job that they love so much. In 1925, when budget constraints prevailed, Stamford Firefighters saved taxpayers $1,500 ($23,0000 in today’s money) by building their own training tower in the back of the Central Fire Station. The tower was designed entirely by the Chief of the Department, Victor Veit, and built by members of the Stamford Fire Department.
The following Fire & Water Engineering article provides the details of the story
The time-worn adage about firemen having “nothing to do except when the gong hits.’ is again disproved. This time the members of the Stamford, Conn., fire department have shown the taxpayers in that Connecticut city that their spare time and efforts with a load of timber and a keg of nails has saved $1,500 on one small job. The Stamford firemen, under the directorship of Chief Victor H. Veit, have recently completed the erection of a drill tower in the rear of the Central Fire Station on Main Street. The building is 54 feet high and rises five stories. Contractors bidding on the erection of the tower would not undertake the job less than $2,700. The city officials thought this too high. Chief Veit and his men built the tower for $1,200, a saving of $1,500. The tower was erected in two months and many times the men were called by alarms while at work on scaffolds on the higher floors. The building is set on a base of concrete five feet deep with one inch anchor bolts set in the concrete. The first floor is reinforced with concrete in order that smoke drills may be held.
The tower was designed entirely by Chief Veit. In the accompanying illustration members of the Central Station company are seen doing Pompeian ladder stunts and life net work.— Fire & Water Engineering Magazine, August 8, 1925
