The International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO, granted a Certificate of Affiliation, Local No. 1478, to members constituting 51% of the Wakefield Fire Department on July 18, 1963. Firefighter John F. “Dinty” Sullivan was elected the first President.
A stubborn, spectacular $250,000 fire on New Years Day, 1964 in a two-story frame mercantile building at 406-412 Main Street, resulted in a three-alarm fire, bringing aid from seven communities. The zero degrees Fahrenheit temperature created hazardous ice conditions.
On October 6, 1966, the work hours were reduced from 56 hours to 48 hours per week and the permanent force was increased from 36 men to 42 men.
A 1967 International-Farrar 750 gpm pumper was put in service on July 12, 1967 as Engine 4, at a cost of $17,997. This new pumper had a 500-gallon tank and carried 1250 feet of 2 1/2 inch hose and 1000 feet of 1 1/2 inch hose. The body was built by Farrar Company in Hopkinton, MA.
The new Engine 4 replaced the 1955 Dodge-1950 Seagrave, which was assigned to Civil Defense Auxiliary Fire Department as Engine 5.
The first portable radios for Fire Department use were purchased in 1967 when two Motorola radios were obtained at a cost of $1321.
The first piece of fire apparatus to run on diesel power was the American LaFrance gasoline engine, converted to a Detroit diesel engine in Ladder 1 in 1968. When this proved successful, Engine 2 was replaced with a Detroit diesel engine in November 1969.
Firefighter John F. Sullivan passed away on September 3, 1968 from injuries received in the line of duty at working fire at 13 Walton Street on July 2.
