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{Editor's Note - [The common line used
I the fire service communications industry
when announcing the passing of a firefighter
regardless s of it's nature begins with
"It is with deep regret that we
announce the passing of" and then
the announcement" goes on with
the details. As a former fire and EMS
Dispatcher I must use that same line
in this article.}
It is with deep regret that we announce
the passing of Chief Richard Pratt Sylvia
best known to this author as the former
editor of Fire Engineering Magazine
passed away at the age of 91.
Dick Sylvia (as he was known in the
pages of that magazine) began as a volunteer
firefighter with the Noroton Fire Department
in Darien, Connecticut. He held many
ranks in the department, including chief
for eight years. He was also a member
of the Connecticut Commission on Fire
Prevention and Control.
In terms of journalistic credentials,
when he graduated from Dartmouth College
he started with the New Bedford Morning
Mercury in Massachusetts, then moved
on to the Bridgeport Post in Connecticut,
then to the New York Sun, and finally
to the New York World-Telegram as head
of the night copy desk. He received
a master's degree in government from
New York University along the way.
In August 1966, Sylvia was appointed
associate editor of Fire Engineering.
His column, the Volunteers Corner, was
one of the best-read pieces of fire
service literature of its time-quoted
widely, reprinted frequently, and used
regularly by Fire Engineering readers.
It ran 221 consecutive months, beginning
in 1964. The editor at the time, Jim
Casey, called Sylvia a walking encyclopedia
on fire service matters.
In January 1981, Sylvia was named editor
of Fire Engineering. The magazine won
two prestigious Jesse Neal editorial
awards for the business media with his
participation. He retired in December
1982 at age 69.
Sylvia authored two books for Fire
Engineering: Modern Suburban Firefighting
(1983) and A Study Guide to Fire Service
Hydraulics Questions and Answers (Second
Edition 1971). Both of which this author
has used both as a student and now as
an instructor over the years.
Calling hours for Chief Sylvia were
Friday November 11, 2005, from 5:00
PM - 7:00 PM at Lawrence Funeral Home,
2119 Post Road, Darien, CT. The funeral
service was held on Saturday, November
12, 2005, at 10:00 AM at Lawrence Funeral
Home. Burial will took place at Nemasket
Hill Cemetery in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
Memorial donations may be made to the
Noroton Fire Department 1873 Post Rd,
Darien, CT 06820. For additional information,
contact Chief Mike Vitti at mvtncfd@yahoo.com
or Past Chief Bob Buch at BBuch@ci.darien.ct.us
or 203-656-7345.
{Editor's note 2 - In the past 5 years
I've had the great luck and fortune
to meet many of my "mentors"
over the years, some like Dick Sylva
I never met but yet they influenced
me with their words and their style,
other like Jim Page I got to meet and
even come to call friend but I'm at
the point in life where one goes to
more funerals than they do weddings
and we in the fire service seem to be
loosing the "legends" very
rapidly. If you have a mentor that is
getting up there spend some time with
them if you can because someday you
won't be able to LNM}
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