Crime & Safety
Hundreds Attend Westport Fundraiser for Fallen Firefighters
While the popular party chant was absent during celebrations, metaphorically speaking, Lost in the the Flood got things cooking on the rooftop of Bobby-Q's as hundreds attended the annual Westport Firefighers fundraising event.
With the raspy-voiced and Bruce Springsteen sound-a-like Frank Bergonzi on vocals, local band "Lost in the Flood" attracted hundreds to Bobby Q's in Westport Saturday night — all in the name of charity that this year had fellow firefighters in mind.
For the past six years, the Westport Fire Department has held a fundraising event to support the Westport Firefighter's Benevolent fund, which donates to a number of town causes. This year, however, because of the recent blaze that killed two of their Bridgeport brothers, the firefighters wanted to collect relief funds for the families of Lt. Steven Velasquez and Firefighter Michel Baik of the Bridgeport Fire Department. Velasquez and Baik died while performing a search and rescue during a home fire at 41 Elmwood Avenue on July 24.
Firefighters from the neighboring cities of Fairfield and Bridgeport also attended the event. Following the first set from the Springsteen tribute band, which has participated in the event since its start six years ago, Westport Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Kingsbury saluted the legacy of the fallen firefighters and thanked everyone for their generosity.
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Bergonzi, of Westport, coordinated the inaugural event in 2005 to show support for the Westport firefighters. The event has garnered a strong following every year since.
"I just wanted to do something for the community," Bergonzi said.
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Westport firefighters echoed those sentiments and added that whether they are responding to a flooded basement, a cat stuck in a tree or a house fire, the bond between fellow firefighters remains a motivating mainstay and "makes it all worth it."