On May 31, 1948, Lieutenant Daniel J. Sullivan passed away just 20 days after receiving injuries in the performance of his duty at a working fire at 8 Willow Street.
The reserve 1927 Pierce Arrow squad wagon was removed from service and discarded in 1949.
The first self-contained air masks were placed in service in May 1949, when 8 Scott Air-Paks were purchased at a cost of $1817.
A change was made in the helmet protection for the permanent firefighters in 1950, when the town purchased 25 black leather helmets made by Cairns of Clifton, New Jersey, at a cost of $325. These new fire helmets replaced the Army type helmets that were painted red with black tops.
A new air horn fire whistle was installed and in service on November 3, 1950 in the top of the hose tower at the Central Fire Station, replacing the steam whistle at the Municipal Light Plant on North Avenue.
One of the more notable fires in the town’s history occurred on Wednesday, December 13, 1950, when Officer Max Ramocki discovered a fire in the Town Hall and pulled Box 36 at 1:23 A.M. The third alarm was transmitted at 1:36 A.M. The fire caused over $100,000 in damage, having started in rubbish under the basement stairway, and extended via the partitions to the second floor. This fire resulted in the eventual 1958 demolition of the 77-year old brick building.
The first piece of apparatus to be purchased in 13 years was delivered on January 4, 1951. A Dodge-Seagrave, 500 gpm pump, was put in service as Engine 5 on January 11, 1951 at a cost of $8,000. This new pumper had a 500-gallon booster tank with two booster reels of booster hose. Engine 5 replaced the 1927 Pierce Arrow squad wagon discarded in 1949.
The installation of two-way radio communications, a great asset to the fire service, became a reality in Wakefield in 1952, when the Federal Communications Commission allocated the fire service frequency of 46.06 Mc to the Fire Department. Wakefield became the first of several communities to operate on that frequency, with the call sign of KCC 215. In time, Middleton, Reading, Stoneham, Lynnfield and Melrose fire departments joined the same radio frequency. (In 1993, only Middleton, Stoneham and Lynnfield remain on the frequency.)
In 1953, the Fire Department and the town suffered a great loss with the death of Fire Chief Clifford E. Jacobs on July 25. Chief Jacobs’ passing was attributed to an injury sustained in the line of duty as a result of having responded to box 54 late in the evening of July 24. The fire was in a rubbish container located at the intersection of Salem and New Salem Streets.
Fire Captain Robert P. MacDonald was appointed Chief-in-Charge of the department on that same date.
The work hours were reduced on July 1, 1953 from 70 hours to 56 hours per week and the permanent work force was increased from 24 to 30 men.
