Video shows disagreement between City of Norwich, volunteer firefighters
By: -----
Yantic, CT - The city has released a video showing a disagreement between city and volunteer firefighters during a fire call in Yantic two weeks before the department was shut down by the city.
The minute-and-a-half-long video, which was released to The Day last week, depicts a tense moment between City of Norwich Fire Lt. Christopher Paige and Yantic volunteer firefighter Joe Murray as they arrived at the scene where a potential fire had been reported at 42 Town St. on the afternoon of Jan. 27.
City Fire Chief Sam Wilson has confirmed the video was captured by a body camera worn by Paige.
Wilson said Murray's "behavior" at the incident constituted "a safety concern" and a direct example of noncompliance with the city's Unified Command policy. The policy, which was announced by City Manager John Salomone and City Fire Chief Sam Wilson in August 2025, established a single command structure with Wilson at the top, and standardized training, communications and emergency response protocols for both paid and volunteer fire services in the city.
"As Chief, I have a professional and ethical obligation to ensure that every company operating in Norwich meets established safety standards and follows the national protocols governing our profession," Wilson said in a statement. "(The Jan. 27) incident was a stark example of broader concerns that have existed for some time in our community. Volunteer companies failed to meet basic safety standards and did not coordinate with the City's fire officials and professional staff, necessitating immediate action to protect both our residents and our firefighters."
Wilson said he values the history of volunteerism in Norwich and wants volunteers to remain part of the fire service.
"This is why a unified command structure is so clearly needed — it will allow the volunteer companies to continue operating, but to do so with clear baseline safety requirements that keep our community and our first responders safe," he added.
The department was shut down by the city last month, after its failure to sign an agreement to the Unified Command policy.