I am pleased to present the Annual Report of the Wakefield Fire Department for calendar year 2022. The Department had a busy year dealing with both emergencies and the construction boom taking place around town. The Department responded to 4,387 emergency calls during 2022, an increase of 9.7 percent over the previous year.
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact the Department during 2022. The Department responded to approximately 835 incidents where COVID-19 infections were either present or suspected. Increased immunization rates among the pubic as well as the widespread availability of personal protective equipment for first responders has lessened the impact of COVID-19 on Department members. The pandemic will continue to affect overtime expenditures within the Department in 2022 due to quarantine requirements imposed by positive COVID-19 test results of its members and close contacts with their infected family members.
The Department’s negotiated increase of the minimum staffing level from 10 to 11 became effective on October 18, 2021, requiring Ladder 1 to be staffed with a crew of three firefighters at all times. The cost of the additional four firefighters hired by the Department to accomplish this staffing increase has been significantly subsidized by a federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant that funds the salaries and fringe benefits of four firefighters until March of 2024. The Department is presently hiring new firefighters to maintain a staffing level of 55 uniformed firefighters, which will provide for four duty groups of 13 firefighters each, plus the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and Fire Prevention Officer.
The ongoing development in town, especially the construction of numerous large apartment and condominium complexes, has resulted in an increase in emergency responses handled by the Department. The Department has experienced a steady increase in emergency responses as large residential developments are being occupied. Instances of multiple simultaneous calls or back-to-back calls are occurring with increasing regularity. This increase in the number of emergency responses will have to be closely monitored. They may warrant further staffing increases or perhaps the addition of a third fire station in the future. Developments that have already been approved or that are presently under consideration will undoubtedly continue to create an increased demand on services provided to the community by this Department.
The Wakefield Fire Department continues to receive significant financial aid in the form of state and federal grants. These grants have become a vital source of funding to purchase new equipment and training programs for the Department. A summary of the financial aid received by the federal and state government can be found in the apparatus and equipment section of this report.
Emergency Incident Response
During 2022, the Wakefield Fire Department responded to 4,387 emergency incidents, including 3,998 still alarms and 389 box alarms. Wakefield had no civilian fire deaths in 2022. The Department responded to four incidents in 2022 requiring a multiple-alarm response.
Firefighters led by Captain Randy Hudson responded at 9:48 p.m. on April 18 to a report of smoke coming from the Pizza Express Restaurant located at 191 Albion Street. Firefighters arrived to find dark smoke pouring from the building. The fire was extending from the kitchen area of the restaurant out a rear window and inside the concealed space above the dropped ceiling. Visibility was reduced to zero inside the building as the dropped ceiling started to collapse. Captain Hudson ordered a second alarm at 9:58 p.m., bringing engine companies from Melrose, Reading, and Stoneham as well as a North Reading ladder truck to the scene. Firefighters entered a convenience store, part of the same structure, to check on the fire wall separating the two businesses. They discovered that the fire wall was working properly, keeping the fire from extending into that business. The heavy fire was knocked down inside the restaurant as crews worked to pull down the remaining dropped ceilings. Chief Sullivan ordered a third alarm at 10:18 p.m. for additional personnel, bringing engine companies from Saugus and Woburn and a Lynnfield tower ladder to the scene. The remaining fire was extinguished by approximately 11 p.m. The fire gutted the restaurant, causing well over $300,000 in damage. Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene to assist local investigators in determining the cause of the fire. The exact cause remains nundetermined, but appears to have started within an office area inside the kitchen. Three firefighters were injured during the fire. A Malden engine and ladder company, as well as a Wilmington engine, covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire.
Wakefield’s second multiple-alarm fire of 2022 occurred at 26 Eastern Avenue just before noon on August 5. Firefighters under the command of Captain Brian Purcell responded to multiple calls for a house fire and arrived to find heavy heat and smoke conditions on the second floor. Several attempts were made to advance hose lines onto the second floor, however, zero visibility and high heat conditions soon forced firefighters to withdraw from the residence. Captain Purcell ordered a second alarm at 11:50 a.m. as flames started to break through the roof. Engine companies from Melrose, Reading, and Stoneham responded to the fire in addition to a North Reading ladder truck. The hot, humid weather made firefighting extremely challenging. Deputy Chief Purcell arrived and assumed command of the fire, leaving Captain Purcell to direct firefighting operations as the Operations Officer. A third alarm was requested at 12:06 p.m. and a fourth alarm at 12:56 p.m. bringing additional firefighters to the scene as temperatures hovered in the mid-90’s and rehabilitation of fire crews became a top priority. The extra alarms brought engine companies from Malden, Middleton, Saugus, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn as well as ladder companies from Lynnfield and Malden to the fire scene. The fire extended inside concealed knee walls on the second floor before burning through a significant portion of the roof. The heavy fire conditions were extinguished by approximately 1:30 p.m. The entire second floor was gutted by fire with heavy smoke and water damage occurring throughout the remainder of the home. The residence was a total loss with damages reported to be in excess of $500,000. A family of five living in this residence was displaced for an extended period of time until the home can be rebuilt. Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Offices responded and assisted local investigators to determine the cause of the fire. The cause was determined to be an electrical short on the second floor in the area of fire origin. The exact appliance where the electrical failure occurred could not be determined due to the extent of the fire damage. One Wakefield firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and taken to an area hospital for follow-up care. He was released from the hospital later that day. A Danvers and Lynn engine company and a Burlington tower ladder covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire.
Firefighters under the command of Captain John Walsh responded to a reported structure fire at 22 Jackson Lane at 11:17 a.m. on August 30. They arrived to find smoke pouring from the single-family residence and fire showing from the rear of the structure. Crews entering the home encountered low visibility and high-heat conditions. Captain Walsh ordered a second alarm as the fire extended into the attic of the residence. Deputy Chief Thomas Purcell responded to the scene and assumed command of the fire. Engine companies from Reading, Stoneham, and Melrose responded to the fire in addition to a North Reading ladder company. A Lynnfield ladder truck and a Woburn engine also responded to the fire as the hot humid conditions required rapid crew change-outs and rehabilitation. A Saugus engine and a Malden ladder truck covered Wakefield Fire headquarters during the fire. A Wakefield firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and was taken to an area hospital for follow-up care before being released later that day. Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office assisted local police and fire investigators in determining the cause of the fire. Investigators eventually determined that the fire was caused by the disposal of hot candles into a trash container. A family of four was displaced from the residence for an extended period while the home underwent major repairs. Damage was estimated to be in excess of $250,000.
The last multiple-alarm fire of 2022 occurred on October 15 at the Commonwealth Tank facility located at 84 New Salem Street. Firefighters led by Captain John Walsh responded to a reported truck fire next to a building. On their arrival, firefighters found a fully involved box truck with flames extending into the adjacent building via an overhead door. Captain Walsh struck a second alarm for additional personnel, bringing engine companies from Melrose, Reading, and Stoneham to the fire as well as a North Reading ladder truck. Initial fire suppression operations were completely successful in preventing any fire extension into the Commonwealth Tank building. Second-alarm companies assisted Wakefield firefighters in checking for fire extension in the areas adjoining the burning truck as well as the roof above the overhead door. No fire extension was found and the fire was soon declared extinguished. A trooper form the State Fire Marshal’s Office was requested to the scene to assist local fire and police personnel determine the cause of the fire, which was traced to an electrical malfunction inside the cargo area of the box truck. There were no injuries as a result of the fire. A Saugus and Woburn engine and a Lynnfield tower ladder truck covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire.
The Department responded to a number of serious motor vehicle crashes during 2022.
A pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle in the area of 1188 Main Street on January 18. Wakefield firefighters and Cataldo paramedics found and treated an elderly woman with life-threatening injuries. She was transported by ambulance to Veterans Field and then transferred to a Medflight helicopter before being flown to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Sadly, the woman did not survive her injuries.
Wakefield fire crews led by Captain John Walsh responded to a motor vehicle accident at 131 Vernon Street during the afternoon of July 5. Firefighters arrived to find a single car crash with four teenagers seriously injured after their vehicle collided with a tree at that location. Two of the occupants managed to exit the vehicle but the driver as well as the passenger in the rear seat behind him were trapped inside the vehicle. Firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools to remove the roof and the two driver-side doors from the car. The dashboard was lifted and pushed away from the driver as well. The driver was transported by Medflight helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. Two of the passengers were transported to Lahey Burlington and the last occupant was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital by ambulance. Paramedic crews from the Lynnfield and Reading Fire Departments assisted Cataldo Ambulance paramedics and Wakefield Firefighters with the treatment and transport of the occupants. A second serious car accident occurred just after 3 p.m. on July 26. Firefighters under the direction of Captain Brian Purcell found a single passenger vehicle that had lost control and struck a telephone pole. The resulting collision started a fire in the car’s engine compartment, which was quickly extinguished. The only occupant of the vehicle, a 51-year-old woman, became unresponsive shortly after being removed from the vehicle. Firefighters initiated CPR on the woman and she was transported to Lahey Burlington for follow-up care. Sadly, the woman died as a result of her injuries.
Captain John Walsh led a group of firefighters responding to a serious pedestrian accident during the early evening of November 18. A 65-year-old woman was struck by a motor vehicle while crossing the street in front of 599 North Avenue with her dog. The woman suffered potentially life-threatening injuries and a Medflight helicopter was requested to respond to the scene. Wakefield firefighters worked closely with Cataldo paramedics to stabilize the woman’s injuries before she was transported by ambulance to Veterans Field and transferred to Medflight, where she was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital. Sadly, the woman’s dog did not survive the accident.
Weather played a significant role in the Department’s responses during 2022. The Town was hit by a serious snow storm with blizzard conditions during the day and evening of January 29. The storm dropped more than 22 inches of snow during a 16-hour period with snow drifts piling significantly higher in many areas. The Department responded to approximately a dozen calls during the storm, many of them medical emergencies. There were no major power outages and Wakefield Public Works crews did a terrific job keeping the roads open for emergency vehicles.
Severe drought conditions persisted in the greater Boston area during the spring and summer of 2022. Moisture levels in ground vegetation dropped to dangerous levels in the wooded areas around Wakefield, including Breakheart Reservation. A large brush fire broke out near the Saugus entrance of Breakheart on the evening of August 16. The Saugus Fire Department responded and found numerous fires burning. A second alarm was requested, bringing in mutual aid from several communities, including Wakefield. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) assumed fire suppression responsibilities for what ended up being five separate brush fires inside Breakheart. A state-wide mobilization of brush firefighting equipment was then activated in task-force-sized units to combat the widespread fires burning inside the reservation. These task forces consisted of small brush firefighting trucks and water tankers that responded to Saugus on a rotating basis from dozens of communities throughout Massachusetts. These task forces did not prove to be sufficient and additional help was requested from municipal fire departments, including Wakefield, using structural fire apparatus sent to Breakheart beginning on August 21. Thousands of feet of fire hose were extended into the reservation to knock down the edges of the fires. The Massachusetts National Guard activated Blackhawk helicopters equipped with aerial water buckets capable of holding up to 660 gallons of water. Blackhawk helicopters made a total of 103 water drops over hot spots inside Breakheart reservation, many in areas remote from roads in rough terrain. Fire suppression operations continued until August 25 when the fires were finally declared under control. Firefighters from DCR and municipal fire departments worked closely to save nearby property including millions of dollars in solar power panels located near the Saugus DPW. A total of 79 acres of woodland burned in Breakheart, more than 10 percent of the entire reservation. The shallow root systems of hundreds of trees were burned, resulting in the collapse of many trees. The cause of the fires was investigated by the Massachusetts State Police and determined to be suspicious in origin, likely intentionally set.
The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 62 requests for mutual aid during 2022. Mutual aid responses included fires in Chelsea, Lynnfield, Malden, Melrose, Reading, Saugus, Stoneham, and Woburn. A crew from Engine 1 led by Lieutenant John Mercurio aided the Malden Fire Department at the scene of a three-alarm fire at 63 Lowell Street during the evening of March 14. Firefighters from Engine 1 led by Lieutenant Daniel Hancock helped the Reading Fire Department at the scene of a three-alarm fire at 86 Walnut Street during the early morning of March 25. Firefighters from Engine 1 under the command of Lieutenant Erik Cole responded to the scene of a three-alarm fire at 35 Colonial Drive in Reading during the evening of July 25. A crew from Engine 1 under the direction of Lieutenant Cliff Silva responded to a three-alarm fire at 8 Sanborn Street in Reading during the afternoon of August 15. Lieutenant Philip Preston and a crew from Engine 1 aided the Lynnfield Fire Department at a two-alarm fire at 90 Summer Street during the early morning of December 25.
Lieutenant Michael Long is a member of the Massachusetts District 2 Hazardous Materials Response Team. This regional hazardous materials response team is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which pays for all the associated training and incident response costs to support the team’s activities. Lieutenant Long did not respond to any incidents associated with this hazardous materials response team during 2022.
Captain Paul Pronco and Lieutenant Steven Bivens are members of the Northeast Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team. The team trains for incidents that could require a technical rescue such as building and trench collapses, high-angle rope situations, and rapid-water rescues. The Northeast Technical Rescue Team is subsidized by funding from the Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council, which reimburses the Department for a portion of the training and incident response expenses associated with this team. Captain Paul Pronco and Lieutenant Bivens responded as part of this technical rescue team on January 31 to assist the Danvers Fire Department with the recovery of a deceased male from a confined space on the grounds of the former Danvers State Hospital. The man had gone missing and was found by Danvers firefighters in an abandoned smoke stack in the hospital’s power plant. Captain Pronco was activated again by the rescue team on June 14 to assist in the search of a missing 3-year-old boy in Lowell. Sadly, the boy was found deceased the next day.
Personnel
As of December 31, 2022, the Wakefield Fire Department consisted of 56 personnel: the Fire Chief, a Deputy Fire Chief, five Captains, including a Captain assigned as a Fire Prevention Officer, 12 Lieutenants, 36 Firefighters, and one civilian Administrative Assistant. The Wakefield Fire Department applied for and received a 2019 SAFER staffing grant worth $1.1 million, fully funding the salary and benefits of four new firefighters for the Department for a period of three years. This SAFER grant is in its second year.
The year 2022 brought several personnel changes to the Wakefield Fire Department. Two veteran firefighters retired from the Department. Firefighter Daniel P. Sullivan retired from the Department on January 5, 2022, after serving the Department for 35 years. A well-respected and capable firefighter, he received several Department commendations, including one for actions in knocking down a kitchen fire while off duty on Auburn Street in 2007 and another for saving the life of a choking man while off duty at a restaurant in 2009. He was appointed to the Department on January 27, 1987, and was the senior firefighter in the Department at the time of his retirement.
Firefighter William A. Carr retired from the Department on February 8, 2022, after serving the Department for more than 28 years. Carr received a commendation along with several other Department members for his actions in extricating two badly injured occupants during a serious car accident on Route 128 during the evening of February 9, 2001. He was appointed to the Department on October 23, 1993, and at the time of his retirement was the senior firefighter on the Department.
Wakefield recruit firefighter John Carano was sworn in during a brief ceremony at Town Hall on the morning of May 20. Firefighter Carano was hired to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Wakefield Fire Lieutenant Robert Taggart. Wakefield recruit firefighter Benjamin Tomsyck was sworn in during a brief ceremony at Wakefield Town Hall on August 3. Firefighter Tomsyck was hired to fill the vacancy created by the line-of-duty death of Wakefield Fire Lieutenant Robert Ford.
Wakefield recruit firefighters William Curran and Christopher Hagan were extended conditional letters of employment pending their attendance at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Recruit Training Program in February of 2023. They are being hired to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Wakefield Firefighters Daniel Sullivan and William Carr.
Apparatus and Equipment
The Department did not purchase any fire apparatus or other vehicles during 2022. Funding from federal and state agencies continues to serve a vital role in providing the necessary equipment and training that the Department needs to carry out its public-safety mission.
The Department continued to receive aid from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during 2022. It is presently in the second year of a SAFER grant in the amount of $1.1 million to fully fund the salary and benefits for four additional full-time firefighters for the Town of Wakefield for a period of three years. Four firefighters were hired and sworn in on May 19, 2021, as a result of this SAFER grant. This SAFER grant is in addition to a 2018 SAFER grant already awarded to the Department to staff one full-time firefighter for salary and benefits at a 75 percent level for two years and a 35 percent level for the third year (2022) for a total award of $195,229. The 2018 SAFER grant’s funding period concluded on January 1, 2023.
The Department received a state grant award worth $2,500 via the Automated External Defibrillator Equipment program offered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research on March 30. This grant will be used to purchase a new defibrillator for Engine 1, stationed at Wakefield Fire Headquarters at the Public Safety Building.
A state Fiscal Year 2023 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant for $11,383 was awarded to the Department in December to fund a variety of battery-operated roof saws and rescue tools for the Department as well as a new thermal imaging camera to replace an old and worn out unit. This program is part of a five-year grant program being offered to municipal fire departments by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A similar grant for more than $13,000 awarded last year was used to purchase a larger battery-operated hydraulic rescue tool, which included a combination cutter and spreader.
State funding also pays for the training and response costs associated with the Department’s participation in the regional hazardous materials and technical rescue response teams. State funding reimburses the Department for 100 percent of the costs of participating with the regional hazardous materials team and a portion of the cost for its participation in the regional technical rescue team.
The fire apparatus ramp at the Public Safety Building was completely rebuilt in November as part of the Public Safety Building’s renovation. The emergency generator at the Greenwood Fire Station was replaced in November as well. Funds were obtained via Wakefield’s Emergency Management Department during 2022 for the purchase of a washer and dryer for each fire station to be used to wash contaminated uniforms and clothing.
A Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) was applied for via the U.S. Department of Homeland Security worth more than $100,000 to replace the air compressor, located at fire headquarters, used to supply the breathing air for the Department’s self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
The Department has made three capital requests for the coming fiscal year totaling more than $1 million. They include $14,000 to replace 12 lockers for the Greenwood Fire station used to store firefighting protective gear. The present school-style lockers are approximately 60 years old and are not large enough to accommodate the two sets of gear issued to Department members. A second request for $23,000 is for 55 uniform jackets to be worn during non-fire calls such as emergency medical incidents. These jackets are equipped with highly reflective stripping for safety and serve to minimize the time that firefighters are wearing their firefighting protective gear which, despite regular cleaning, still contains carcinogens. The most significant request is $1 million for the purchase of a new fire engine. The cost of fire apparatus has risen sharply over the last several years as raw materials such as steel and electronic components are difficult to obtain.
The Department’s pumper engines, fire hoses, ground ladders, aerial ladder, and breathing apparatus were inspected, tested, and certified during 2022. The air compressor used by the Department to refill its breathing apparatus was also inspected.
Training
The Department participated in many training programs this year, including programs offered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and outside vendors. Department members also completed continuing education requirements for their Emergency Medical Technician certificates. They were all re-certified in CPR techniques as well as the proper of use of the Department’s defibrillators. The Department conducted training activities on the following topics during 2022:
- Practiced water and ice rescue procedures at Lake Quannapowitt
and Crystal Lake, including the operation of the two fire boats
owned by the Department. - Reviewed high-rise firefighting procedures including the use of
standpipe systems. - Conducted training with the Department’s hydraulic rescue tools,
including the “Jaws of Life,” hydraulic rams, jacks, and air bags. - Participated in a live training session regarding the use of the Medflight
helicopter featuring a landing of the helicopter at Veterans Memorial
Field on North Avenue on April 27. - Practiced aerial ladder pipe set-up procedures for the ladder truck.
- Reviewed procedures involving the use of the Department’s multi-gas
detectors and responses to carbon monoxide, natural gas, and propane-
related emergencies. - Practiced chimney fire procedures and related operations.
- Participated in an instructor-led training involving engine and truck
company emergency vehicle operations conducted by On-Scene Training
Associates during the week of May 9. - Reviewed emergency dispatch and radio procedures.
- Took part in training classes sponsored by Cataldo Ambulance as
part of the Department’s Emergency Medical Technician continuing
education program. - Conducted building familiarization tours of new or renovated buildings at
168-178 Albion Street, 69 Foundry Street, and 27-37 Water Street. - Conducted search and rescue drills and firefighting procedures at
the Hurd School.
Firefighter John Carano was enrolled in the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA) recruit training class #303 on May 23 and successfully completed the ten-week program, graduating on August 5. Wakefield Firefighter Benjamin Tomsyck was enrolled in MFA recruit training class #305 on August 4 and graduated as a fully trained firefighter on October 21.
Captain Paul Pronco and Lieutenant Steven Bivens continue to be active members of the Northeast Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team, and Lieutenant Michael Long continues to be an active member of the District 2 Hazardous Materials Response Team.
Fire Prevention
The Department continued its practice of conducting in-service inspections of commercial and industrial properties in town during 2022. As a result, 457 business fire inspections were conducted in the community between March and November of 2022 by on-duty firefighters operating on a ready-to-respond basis. An additional 80 quarterly inspections of school buildings, nursing homes, hotels, and boarding homes were also conducted by on-duty firefighters.
Captain David Shinney, the Department’s fire prevention officer, conducted 90 inspections related to local and state licensing of restaurants, liquor stores, assembly halls, group homes, day care centers, and after-school programs. He completed 205 compliance inspections during 2022 to ensure that any potential violations or hazards previously discovered were corrected.
Wakefield continued to experience a construction boom in 2022. New construction is scheduled for locations on Foundry Street, Main Street, Salem Street, and Water Street. The Fire Prevention Bureau is closely monitoring construction that is presently under way on a new 19-unit apartment building at 581 Salem Street and a 16-unit apartment building at 259 Water Street. The Department conducted approximately 98 on-site safety inspections of these construction sites during 2022. Plans are approved or pending approval for large apartment buildings on Crescent Street, Foundry Street, Hopkins Street, Quannapowitt Parkway, North Avenue, and Salem Street. The Fire Prevention Bureau will monitor these developments during 2023. The Bureau reviewed approximately 126 sets of plans during 2022, including residential additions, new homes, and commercial tenant fit-ups in many locations around Wakefield.
Fire Prevention Officer Captain David Shinney and Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Purcell continue to fill a vital role in the Wakefield Fire Department. The Department can’t function properly without these two administrative positions. The Deputy Fire Chief also serves as the Department’s executive officer, assuming command of the Department in the absence of the Fire Chief. The Deputy coordinates training, develops new policies and procedures, and helps to prepare the operating budget. The Deputy also coordinates the maintenance of the Department’s fire stations, equipment, and vehicles.
The Department was able to resume some fire station tours during 2022, although they were significantly limited by the ongoing construction renovations at the Public Safety Building. Several in-service visits were made by firefighters to various preschools in town. Fire drills were conducted at each school facility. Several multi-hazard evacuation drills were conducted during the fall of 2022 with more being planned for the spring of 2023.
Conclusion
I am grateful to the community and especially the Town Council, Finance Committee, and Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio for their ongoing support during the year. As Wakefield enters 2023, my goals are to monitor the Town’s ongoing construction projects, provide quality training programs for Department members, and identify funding resources such as additional grants to assist in the Department’s equipment and training needs. I would like to thank all the members of the Wakefield Fire Department, the Wakefield Police Department, all other town boards, committees and departments, and the citizens of Wakefield for their continued support and assistance.
Respectfully submitted,
Chief Michael J. Sullivan
Wakefield Fire Department
Also see the Statistical Report 2022
