Member of Orange Volunteer Fire Department passes away at age 71 [Video]

ORANGE, Connecticut — A longtime active member of the Orange Volunteer Fire Department passed away Tuesday after suffering a medical emergency while driving his car on Route 1 in Orange, according to a release from the department.

Kenneth Mitchell, 71, was recently honored for 50 years of service to the department. He was a past captain, the release said. 

“Kenny was a firefighter’s firefighter,” Chief Vaughan Dumas said, in the release. “He remained an active firefighter in Orange as well as serving with departments in Ansonia and Derby. He also served on numerous organizations that help train firefighters and establish practices and procedures that helped make Connecticut’s fire departments among the best. His loss will be felt professionally and personally.”

According to the release, Mitchell was a second-generation firefighter who was sworn into the Orange Volunteer Fire Department on Oct. 11, 1973. He rose to the rank …