EBFD Conducts Full-Scale Submarine Fire Drill on USS Hartford
Above: Electric Boat Fire Chief Jeff Chandler (center) stands among crew members of USS Hartford and area first responders.
The Electric Boat Fire Department (EBFD) conducted a submarine fire drill this morning aboard the USS Hartford at the Groton shipyard. The drill followed a tabletop exercise that took place in March in preparation for today’s full-scale response to the potential scenario of a fire on-board a submarine.
Supporting this full-scale simulation was Electric Boat, City of Groton and Sub Base New London personnel, the crew of the USS Hartford, over 20 surrounding fire departments and other outside first responders. Fire trucks and ambulances arrived outside the shipyard gates prior to the 9:00 a.m. start time before making their way through the south yard ways and staging near the Hartford in Graving Dock 2.
“The Electric Boat workforce collectively collaborated with ship force personnel from the USS Hartford and our mutual aid partners to test our Submarine Fire Response Plan,” said Jeff Chandler, Electric Boat’s Fire Chief. “We accomplished our goal of continuous water application to the simulated fire and are taking the lessons learned to apply to our response plan. This exercise demonstrated the strong commitment to emergency response which keeps our employees safe and protects our critical infrastructure.”
In an effort to increase safety at Electric Boat’s Groton shipyard, two speed tables are being installed across Eastern Point Road this week. The tables, a few inches tall and marked with yellow stripes, are designed to slow vehicle traffic in an area frequented by pedestrians. The first speed table crosses Eastern Point Road just...Continue reading→
Five members of the Electric Boat Fire Department in Groton were recognized for perilous, life-saving rescues during a pair of multi-alarm fires that engulfed apartments in Groton and New London in 2025. Firefighters Thomas Gugliotti, Arthur Keaten, Theodore Bartkoski, James Brady and Capt. Ryan Boulanger were each presented with Lifesaving Awards and the prestigious 2026...Continue reading→
Meet the Barnacle, Electric Boat’s newest parking-enforcement tool that will begin deployment in the Groton shipyard starting Monday, June 15. As our enterprise continues to grow, we are dedicated to ensuring parking is safe, fair and accessible to all. The Barnacle is an immobilizing parking-enforcement device that attaches directly to a vehicle’s windshield using heavy-duty,...Continue reading→
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Early Sunday morning, a devastating fire occurred at The Ledges Apartments in Groton. Eighteen fire departments, including Electric Boat’s, responded. Thanks to the heroism of these first responders no residents were injured. The fire did, however, displace more than approximately 50 residents and destroyed or damaged 44 units in the building. Several EB employees were...Continue reading→
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The Next Generation of Shipbuilders Takes the Stage Over the past two weeks, Electric Boat welcomed the next generation of shipbuilders at our Rhode Island and Connecticut Signing Day celebrations, marking the beginning of a journey that will help shape the future of our company and our nation’s defense. Held at Cranston High School West...Continue reading→
CT DOT is preparing to enter the next major phase of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project, and employees should expect new traffic patterns that may affect travel to and from EB’s Groton and New London facilities. A crossover will direct two northbound lanes onto the southbound bridge, as shown in this CT DOT...Continue reading→