April 2016

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 299 emergency incidents during the month of April including 38 box alarms and 261 still alarms.

The department responded to seven requests for mutual aid during April, four times to Stoneham, and once each to Lynnfield, Melrose and North Reading. It received mutual aid three times during April, twice from Reading and once from Stoneham. A crew from Engine 2 led by Lieutenant Michael Long covered Melrose fire headquarters during the early evening of April 1. Lieutenant Lou Sardella and a crew from Engine 2 assisted the Stoneham Fire Department at the scene of a 2-alarm fire at 10 Washington Avenue during the evening of April 10. Lt. Robert Taggart and a crew from Engine 2 assisted the Stoneham Fire Department at the scene of another 2-alarm fire at 92 Washington Street during the evening of April 12. Lt Phil Preston and a crew from Engine 1 covered the North Reading fire headquarters during an extensive brush fire in that community during the afternoon of April 21.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Brian Purcell responded to a potentially serious incident at 11 Eaton Street during the early evening of April 4. Firefighters arrived to find the home filled with smoke, the result of a pot full of water that had boiled off and ignited the pan. Fortunately the fire was confined to the area of the stove and the occupants were able to reoccupy the residence once the heavy smoke condition had been vented.

All of the department’s fire hose was pressure tested during the month of April. All four duty groups conducted a tour of the Camp Curtis National Guard facility on Haverhill Street on the Reading-Wakefield town line during the month of April and continued their annual in-service business fire inspections for the 2016 calendar year. All shifts reviewed standard operating procedures on radio and dispatch procedure as well as the testing of fire department hose. All department members commenced their annual emergency medical training during April. Department EMT’s will be taking their National Core Curriculum Requirements during 2016 as part of their annual continuing education for Emergency Medical Technician.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report