James Riordan, head building engineer at High Ridge Park Corporate Center in Stamford, recently celebrated his 80th birthday in Stamford, but his dedication to the safety of his neighbors spans Westchester and Fairfield counties.
“The fire department is my life; they are my brothers,” said Riordan.
Riordan grew up in Valhalla, N.Y., and attended high school in Valhalla and in Briarcliff.
Riordan went on to attend Iona College, which was then an all-male institution. He studied the then-new industry of engineering as it related to air pollution, focusing on heating, ventilating, and air conditioning.
Riordan was almost automatically attracted to the Valhalla Fire Department, where fraternity and tradition were strong.
“It was a different lifestyle then,” said Riordan of his younger days. “I walked everywhere and everyone knew everyone. That firehouse there on Legion Drive in Valhalla, I helped to build that.”
Riordan landed a position as an engineering apprentice at Burke Rehabilitation Center in White Plains. It was at Burke that Riordan learned steam engineering, heating and air conditioning. He worked for Burke for 18 years and was eventually promoted to the assistant engineer.
Riordan departed from Burke to work at the A&P food processing plant in Elmsford, N.Y., as an engineer. In something of a tradition, Riordan also spent 18 years at A&P.
“They were great jobs, there was a lot to be learned at each one,” said Riordan.
Riordan departed from his native Westchester in 1971 to become the building engineer at High Ridge Park Corporate Center in Stamford. Riordan and his entire family moved on site to the Turn of River Road complex and he has spent 38 years working to keep the buildings running properly.
In the 1980s, he was president of the local Westchester chapter of the National Association of Power Engineers.
“I learned a lot of what I know today from that association,” said Riordan.
Riordan was named “Engineer of the Year” by the Southern Connecticut Building Owners and Managers Association in 2007. Riordan is on call 24 hours a day at the High Ridge Park Complex and in his 38 years has only taken one vacation.
Alongside the High Ridge Park was the Turn of River Fire House, one of Stamford”™s major fire houses. Almost as soon as he moved to he Stamford area, Riordan was able to transplant his great love of firehouse culture to Stamford.
At the age of 80, Riordan still serves as the Turn of River Fire Department”™s chairman of the Board of Trustees.
“I love the work I do,” said Riordan.
Riordan has been a volunteer member of the department since 1976. He has stopped going out on calls, but continues to oversee the department”™s everyday activities. He can often be found trekking back and forth between High Ridge and the firehouse.
“The fire department is my life,” said Riordan.
Riordan said the culture of the fire department is a unique mix of fraternal relationships and a serious business in which lives are often at stake. Riordan”™s seasoned face collects a grin as he fires off story after story about the men he calls brothers who have come through the firehouse.
