I am pleased to present the Annual Report of the Wakefield Fire Department for calendar year 2023. The department had a busy year dealing with both emergencies and the construction boom taking place around town. The department responded to 4,325 emergency calls during 2023, a decrease of 62 responses over the previous year. This is the second in a row that responses have exceeded 4,300 calls.
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 in the future. 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 undoubtably 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 2023 the Wakefield Fire Department responded to 4,325 emergency incidents, including 3,915 Still Alarms and 410 Box Alarms. Wakefield had no civilian fire deaths in 2023. The department responded to three incidents in 2023 requiring a multiple-alarm response.
Firefighters led by Captain John Walsh responded to an alarm activation at 365 Audubon Road on April 20 at approximately 6:06 A.M. Arriving firefighters were informed by plant employees that there was an active fire in the rear of the building near the loading dock. The fire was quickly located in a storage area containing one-ton bales of shredded paper. Captain Walsh, concerned about the heavy fire load in this area, immediately ordered a second alarm for manpower. Engine companies from Melrose, Reading and Stoneham as well as a North Reading Ladder truck responded to the scene. The heavy fire in the area was quickly knocked down, however, the heavy bales were full of hot spots that needed to be pulled apart and fully extinguished. The bales were pulled outside by plant employees using heavy equipment. The Wakefield DPW sent a large front-end loader to the scene at the request of Chief Sullivan to assist in tearing apart the bales. The remaining fire was extinguished by approximately 10 A.M. A light smoke condition extended throughout the warehouse before finally dissipating. Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene to assist local investigators in determining the cause of the fire. The most likely cause was determined to be a malfunctioning light fixture that reportedly was dropping sparks onto the shredded paper bales. There were no injuries to firefighters or plant employees as a result of the fire and the corrugated-box manufacturing plant resumed operations as soon as the area was cleaned up. The fire gained considerable headway due to the fact that plant employees fought the fire using portable fire extinguishers and plant standpipe hose lines before the fire alarm system activated and notified the fire department. An engine company from Saugus and Woburn engine and a ladder company from Lynnfield covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire.
Wakefield’s second multiple-alarm fire of 2023 occurred at 340 Main Street at 4:04 P.M. on May 14, Mother’s Day. Firefighters under the command of Captain Paul Pronco responded to multiple calls for a building fire and arrived to find heavy smoke conditions pouring from the building. The first alarm companies were scattered around town handling other emergency calls and arrived in piecemeal fashion, making initial fire suppression operations more challenging. The fire originated in an exterior wall between the fire building and the Wakefield Cooperative Bank, quickly extending upward into the second and third floors. Captain Pronco struck a second alarm at 4:10 P.M., summoning firefighters from Reading, Melrose, Stoneham and North Reading to the scene. Hose lines were advanced to all floors of the building, with firefighters reporting both high-heat and zero-visibility conditions. Chief Sullivan ordered a third alarm at 4:24 P.M. as flames extended into concealed wall and floor spaces on the second and third floors. Engine companies from Middleton, Saugus and Woburn responded to the fire along with a Lynnfield tower ladder. Chief Sullivan ordered the building to be evacuated as the rear of the second and third floors began to buckle. Deputy Chief Purcell worked with numerous companies to keep the fire from extending from the rear of the building to Brightview Senior Assisted Living, located approximately 20 feet behind the building. Chief Sullivan ordered a fourth alarm at 4:52 P.M., bringing companies from Malden, Winchester and Wilmington to the fire. The exterior fire attack was successful in knocking down the fire. Crews re-entered the structure and completed extinguishment by 5:30 P.M. The fire caused extensive fire, smoke and water damage throughout the building. Four residents and two businesses were displaced by the fire. Sadly, two pet dogs were killed as a result of the fire. There were no civilians injured during the fire, however, three firefighters were injured, including one member who fell through a partially burned out floor. The presence of many concealed floor and wall spaces allowed the fire to spread undetected for a period of time before its discovery. The proximity of the fire building to the Wakefield Cooperative Bank and Brightview Assisted Living required more firefighters at the scene to protect these properties. Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Offices responded and assisted local investigators with determining the cause of the fire. The cause of the fire was determined to be an accidental but undetermined, possibly due to an electrical malfunction, originating in an exterior wall near the kitchen in the first-floor restaurant. A Danvers and Lynn engine company and a Burlington tower ladder covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire.
Firefighters led by Captain John Walsh responded the department’s final multiple-alarm fire of the year after responding to a reported structure fire at 462 Main Street at 4:40 A.M. on September 1. They arrived to find smoke pouring from the vacant building and reports of squatters living inside. Firefighters immediately initiated a search of the building while attempting to locate the source of the smoke. Several building entrances were found forced open and it was unknown if anyone was inside the building. Captain Walsh ordered a second alarm, bringing engine companies from Reading, Stoneham and Melrose responded to the fire in addition to a North Reading ladder company. Deputy Purcell arrived and assumed command of the incident, requesting a Lynnfield Ladder truck and a Saugus engine also responded to the fire for additional personnel. The seat of the fire was eventually located in a basement crawl space near the right rear corner of the building, requiring numerous holes to be cut into the floor to gain access to it. Firefighters finally gained control of the fire after approximately four hours. A Woburn and Wilmington engine company and a Malden ladder truck covered Wakefield Fire headquarters during the fire. There were no injuries to civilians, however, three firefighters reported minor injuries as a result of the fire. Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office assisted local police and fire investigators in determining the cause of the fire, which officially remains undetermined. The building remains vacant but has been secured and is scheduled for significant redevelopment in the near future.
There were several other noteworthy fire incidents that occurred in 2023 that did not require a multiple alarm response. Firefighters under the direction of Captain John Walsh responded to a reported structure fire at 51 New Salem Street Rear just after 8:30 A.M. on September 26. Firefighters arrived to find a construction trailer fully involved in flames. The fire was quickly knocked down but the trailer was a total loss. The fire was investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s office as well as local investigators and was determined to be accidental but undetermined in origin. There were no injuries as a result of the fire. A Reading engine assisted at the scene while a Stoneham engine covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters.
Captain Brian Purcell led firefighters at the scene of a fire at 4 Bennett Street on October 17 at 11:24 A.M. Arriving firefighters found smoke pouring from the Verizon Building at that location and quickly determined the location of the fire to be in the basement in the vicinity of an emergency generator. The fire was controlled in a few minutes using portable fire extinguishers. There were no injuries to building occupants or firefighters. The cause of the fire was determined to be a mechanical malfunction in the generator that occurred while routine maintenance was being performed. The building was quickly vented of smoke while Verizon maintenance crews cleaned up the damage. There was no damage to the structure or contents beyond the emergency generator and the building was reoccupied shortly after fire crews left. A Stoneham and Reading engine company covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during this incident.
The department responded to a number of serious motor vehicle crashes during 2023.
Wakefield fire crews led by Captain Brian Purcell responded to a two-car motor vehicle accident at North Avenue near Yale Avenue during the early evening of January 4. Paramedics from Lynnfield Fire and Cataldo Ambulance also responded. Sadly, an elderly woman who was driving one of the vehicles did not survive the accident.
Firefighters under Captain John Walsh responded to a motor vehicle accident on route 95 southbound near exit 58 at 10:45 on the evening of January 19. A routine car accident with no injuries quickly escalated when a tow truck attempted to remove a Tesla Model S all-electric vehicle from the guard rail that it was hung up on. As the vehicle was removed from the guardrail, the lithium ion battery compartment was damaged, causing a thermal runaway condition to occur inside the compartment. A fire started within the vehicle involving approximately 7,000 lithium ion batteries. The fire gave off a tremendous amount of heat and toxic smoke, requiring a significant amount of water to extinguish. Engine companies from Lynnfield, Melrose, Reading, and Stoneham responded to the scene, setting up a water shuttle operation to the nearest fire hydrant. A Middleton Fire Department water tanker was also called to the scene for additional water. All together more than 20,000 gallons of water were required to completely extinguish the fire. Personnel from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection as well as a team from the Massachusetts District 2 Hazardous Materials Response Team responded to the scene to assess the incident. The vehicle was eventually towed from the scene once it determined that it was safe to do so. A Saugus engine covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire. The department has applied for funding from the federal government for training specifically regarding this type of electric vehicle fire and will look into purchasing specialized equipment for extinguishing them as more of these fires are sure to happen in the future.
Crews led by Captain Paul Pronco responded to a serious motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Water and Farm Streets during the afternoon of October 29. Firefighters arrived to find a vehicle that had apparently drove straight into a large boulder and rock wall on Water Street directly opposite Farm Street. The collision trapped the single female occupant of the vehicle, who was extricated using a hydraulic rescue spreader and transported to Lahey Hospital in Burlington with serious injuries.
Weather played a significant role in the department’s responses during 2023.
An artic weather front passed through Wakefield during the weekend of February 3-5 with moderate winds and sub-zero wind chills. The department responded to more than 60 calls for service including 30 calls for burst pipes, flooding water and water-related electrical hazards caused by them. The frigid temperatures challenged both department members and their equipment as they worked to help our citizens affected by it.
Relatively little rain and low humidity during the first half of April created tinder dry conditions in the wooded areas around Wakefield. The department responded to reports of a brush fire in the vicinity of Holland Road near Oak Street during the afternoon of April 21. Firefighters found an extensive brush fire on the western side of Holland Road inside a section of the town forest. A Stoneham engine was requested to cover Wakefield Fire Headquarters as all on-duty personnel were occupied fighting the fire.
A second brush fire was discovered in a steep wooded area off Crosby Road and the Stoneham engine was dispatched to that fire to work with the Wakefield crews as well as a forestry fire crew from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). A Reading engine was requested to cover Wakefield Fire Headquarters. Altogether a total of 5 acres burned before firefighters pulled out at dusk. Firefighters returned to the end of Crosby Road several times to extinguish flare-ups and lingering hot spots. The cause of these fires was undetermined and considered suspicious.
On May 27 an extensive brush fire occurred off of the end of Sylvan Avenue, requiring a full on-duty response of firefighters to extinguish. A fire crew from Massachusetts DCR returned to Wakefield to assist local firefighters extinguish a fire covering approximately three acres. Firefighters returned the next day to extinguish flare ups and hot spots. The cause of the fire was determined to be a campfire that was not properly extinguished.
The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 44 requests for mutual aid during 2023. Mutual aid responses included fires in Lynnfield, Malden, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Saugus, Stoneham, Winchester and Woburn.
One of the more notable mutual aid responses during 2023 occurred during the morning of February 23. Acting Lieutenant Gerald Sancinito, Firefighter Gene Doucette and Firefighter Michael Rowe responded to a 2-alarm fire at 590 Main Street, a single-family residence, in Stoneham. Shortly after their arrival they assisted Stoneham firefighters with the removal of a resident of the home through a rear window with the use of a backboard and ground ladder, where she was treated at a local hospital for follow-up care. Ironically, Lieutenant Sancinito and Firefighter Doucette along with Firefighter John Hurley returned to the same Stoneham residence during the early morning of February 24 when a 2-alarm fire broke out again at that location.
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 responded to several incidents during 2023 including the electric car fire on Route 95 that was discussed earlier in this report. The District 2 team was called out to Newburyport after a large explosion occurred at a chemical plant on Opportunity Way on May 5. Lieutenant Long worked with other team members to remove volatile chemicals from the site so that a search for missing employees could take place. Sadly, a male plant employee was killed by the explosion.
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 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. Lieutenant Steven Bivens responded as part of this technical rescue team on July 17 to Aggregate Industries in Swampscott to assist in the recovery of a deceased construction worker found dangling inside of a pit after an industrial accident. Lieutenant Bivens responded to a second incident in July when the team was called to 1 Nichols Way in Groveland after a vehicle had driven into a building at that location. The team worked with the local Building Inspector to determine if the building that was struck was still structurally sound.
Personnel
As of December 31, 2023, 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 final year.
The year 2023 brought several personnel changes to the Wakefield Fire Department. Wakefield Firefighters William Curran and Christopher Hagan were appointed to the Department on February 8, filling the two openings left by the retirement of veteran Firefighters Daniel Sullivan and William Carr. Both were quickly enrolled into the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Class 310. They successfully graduated from the Academy on April 28. Firefighter Curran, a veteran of the United States Army, was assigned to Group 1 under Captain Randy Hudson. Firefighter Hagan, A veteran of the United States Marines, was assigned to Group 4 under Captain Paul Pronco.
The department’s Administrative Assistant, Anne Boodry, retired after serving four years with the department and a total of 27 years with the town. Anne experienced a lot during her relatively short association with the department., including the Covid-19 Pandemic, the line-of-duty death of Lieutenant Robert Ford and the department’s expansion from 50 to 55 members. The department wishes Anne a long and healthy retirement along with her husband Bill, her three sons, Billy, Brian and Michael, her daughter-in-law Christine and her beautiful baby grandson Beau. The Department welcomes its new Administrative Assistant Pam Cruciani to the department and wishes her a successful and productive career.
Apparatus and Equipment
The department did not purchase any fire apparatus or other vehicles during 2023.
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 2023. It is presently in the final 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.
A state Fiscal Year 2023 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant for $11,383 was awarded to the department in January 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. 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% 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.
A federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) was awarded via the U.S. Department of Homeland Security worth more than $88,000 to replace the air compressor located at Wakefield Fire Headquarters used to supply the breathing air for the department’s self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Funding for this AFG grant also funded the purchase of uniform jackets to be used during non-fire related calls such as medical aids and lockouts. 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 department received $14,000 in funding from its Capital Outlay Budget to replace 12 lockers for the Greenwood Fire station used to store firefighting protective gear. The new lockers are large enough to accommodate the two sets of protective gear issued to department members. This year’s Capital requests include a vehicle to replace the fire prevention car, a fire boat, an ATV and safety equipment to be installed on the department’s overhead doors for a combined total of $250,000. An additional request for more than $1 million is 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.
All the department’s pumper engines, fire hose, ground ladders, its aerial ladder and breathing apparatus were inspected, tested and certified during 2023. The air compressor used by the department to refill its breathing apparatus was also inspected. All of the department’s semi-automatic defibrillators received their annual service during 2023.
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 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. This included training with the new battery-operated rescue tools and saws acquired from the FY23 State Fire Equipment Grant
- Participated in classes pertaining to the treatment of injured police canines (Nero’s Law) as well as the proper use of the Lucas automatic chest compression system as part of their Emergency Medical Technician training
- Practiced aerial ladder-pipe set-up procedures for 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 training on October 23-26 provided from an outside vendor pertaining to emergency vehicle operation and defensive driving. The training included both classroom presentations and a driving course with traffic cones set up to simulate specific driving scenarios; reviewed emergency dispatch and radio procedures
- Participated in a class conducted by the Department of Fire Services on November 3 regarding the state’s blasting regulations as they pertained to the duties and requirements of firefighters working on-site blasting details
- 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 93 Hopkins Street, 581 Salem Street and 259 Water Street
- Conducted search and rescue drills and firefighting procedures at the Hurd School
- All duty shifts participated in a program offered by the Department of Fire Services utilizing a towed trailer to conduct controlled live-fire exercises on site in conjunction with the Reading Fire Department.
Wakefield Firefighters William Curran and Christopher Hagan were enrolled in the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA) recruit training class #310 on February 8 and successfully completed the ten-week program, graduating on April 28.
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. All three department members attend regular monthly training pertaining to their specialized teams.
Fire Prevention
The Department continued its practice of conducting in-service inspections of commercial and industrial properties in town during 2023. As a result, 563 business fire inspections were conducted in the community between March and November of 2023 by on-duty firefighters operating on a ready-to-respond basis. An additional 81 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 91 inspections related to local and state licensing of restaurants, liquor stores, assembly halls, group homes, day care centers and after-school programs. He completed 248 compliance inspections during 2023 to ensure that any potential violations or hazards previously discovered were corrected.
Wakefield continued to experience a construction boom in 2023. Large construction projects are being planned for locations on Broadway, Foundry Street, Hopkins Street, Main Street, North Avenue, Quannapowitt Parkway, Salem Street and Water Street. The Fire Prevention Bureau is closely monitoring construction that is presently under way on a new 30-unit apartment building at 610 Salem Street and a 173-unit apartment complex at 89-95 Hopkins. The department conducted approximately 106 on-site safety inspections of large construction sites during 2023. The Bureau reviewed approximately 78 sets of plans during 2023, including residential additions, new homes and commercial tenant fit-ups in many locations around Wakefield.
Fire Prevention Officer Captain David Shinney, as well as 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 conducted numerous fire station tours during 2023 including numerous boy and girl scout groups, preschools and summer school programs. Additionally, several in-service visits were made by firefighters to various pre-school and kindergarten classes in town. Fire drills were conducted at each school facility. Several Multi-hazard evacuation drills were conducted during the fall of 2023 with more being planned for the spring of 2024.
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 2024, 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 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 2023
