Faces of Norwalk: Glenn Iannaccone

Although Glenn Iannaccone retired from the Norwalk Fire Department about a month ago after a 31-year career, he's not done with being involved in the community.

In fact, the reason the 60-year-old retired now was partially because, he said, he's "still young enough to do something else."

Iannaccone, who has spent his whole life in Norwalk and is a second-generation Norwalk resident, was a dispatcher, then firefighter, then fire inspector and finally the fire marshal for 13 years during his time with the Norwalk Fire Department, he said. 

"(The) most enjoyment I got was doing construction documents, you know, claim reviews, working with the constructors on the outside," Iannaccone said. "Made a lot of friends."

He is now being appointed as the deputy fire marshal in Rowayton, a volunteer position in a quieter town that allows him to keep his certification.

But that's not the only license he's making use of – Iannaccone said he's also been working for Cappello Realty because he has a real estate license, though he "hasn't sold any (houses) yet."

Iannaccone is starting a fire consultation business as well, which will work on coaching businesses in fire safety and fire prevention tactics.

"I can go into businesses and help them with, if they have to put together an evacuation plan, or just talk about fire prevention," Iannaccone said. "On the other end it's going to be fire code consulting."

One of his biggest goals, he said, is to make people more proactive by placing a greater focus on prevention instead of fire suppression, or putting out fires.

"Most of the concentration goes on the suppression side and not the prevention side," Iannaccone said. "I'd like to see more toward prevention." 

Iannaccone was recognized for his firefighting service – in 1992 he received an award for being part of the firefighting crew that saved a woman from a fire started by a candle. 

"There was a lady just hanging onto to, sitting on the windowsill ready to jump out, so we rescued her. We put the ladder up, rescued her, took the hose in and knocked the fire down on the second floor in the bedroom," Iannaccone said. "The whole crew got an award for that, which was nice."

Iannaccone is hoping to run for Norwalk Common Council at-large this November, and will find out if he's gotten the nomination at the July 22 meeting. He said he's "always wanted to be on Council and I couldn't do it because of my position as fire marshal."

His wide-reaching community involvement isn't new with retirement, although he said he's "busier now than ever." 

In the past, Iannaccone served a year as the chairman of the Board of Education, was the president of the Norwalk Historical Society and was then appointed to the Historical Commission, served as president of the Rotary Club of Norwalk for three terms, was president of the Norwalk High School Alumni Association for five years and was president of Marching Bears, Inc., for two years. He also currently chairs the Norwalk High School Scholarship Committee.

Iannaccone has been married for more than 39 years and has four children, two sons and two daughters. One of Iannaccone's sons passed away in 2006 in a car accident, but Iannaccone said he's "still here, he's still around with me." Iannaccone also has three grandchildren.

He restores antique cars in some of his spare time, and he still owns the 1957 Chevrolet Nomad station wagon that he drove while attending Norwalk High School in the late 1960s. 

Staying involved in his community is key to Iannaccone.

"It's part of Norwalk," Iannaccone said. "I'm part of Norwalk."