February 2025

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 350 emergency incidents during the month of February 2025 including 32 box alarms and 318 still alarms. The department responded to three requests for mutual aid during February, two times to Lynnfield and once to Lynn. The department received mutual aid three times during February, twice from Lynnfield and once from Melrose. Firefighters from Engine 2 under the command of Lieutenant Michael Long covered a vacant Lynn fire station during a fire alarm fire in that city during the evening of February 21.

The department applied for a second round of grants from the Fiscal Year 2025 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant in the amount of $9,500 from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. This funding request, if awarded, will provide 100% of the funding for two additional hand-held thermal imaging cameras. This equipment is badly needed to replace worn-out equipment presently being used by the department.

Department members participated in the funeral services for retired Wakefield Firefighter Thomas H. Collins on February 10-11. Firefighter Collins was a respected member of the department who retired in 1992. Firefighter Collins was buried at the Firefighter’s Monument at Lakeside Cemetery on North Avenue.

The Massachusetts Fire Academy conducted a refresher program for department members regarding Hazardous Materials Incidents at the Operational Level on February 18. Department members participated in Emergency Medical Technician training classes as part of their annual continuing education requirements. Quarterly fire inspections were conducted in all school buildings, hotels, rooming houses and nursing homes during the month of February. All Groups toured the new Wakefield Memorial High School and the Northeast Regional Vocational School buildings currently under construction. All groups reviewed procedures regarding incident command and control, fire ground communications, establishing fire ground operations and mutual aid protocols.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report