On March 13, 1979, a three-alarm fire caused heavy damage to the 2-story section of Allen Leather Co. at 62 Foundry Street. Box 2113 was transmitted at 3:25 P.M. when a spark ignited vapors. This was the fourth three-alarm fire in recent years at this location.
In 1980, the department started to replace the black Nomex fire coats with yellow Nomex coats at a cost of $135 each. The first boat to be purchased for the Fire Department was built by Boston Whaler Co. of Rockland, Mass at a cost of $1685. The white fiberglass 13-foot outboard motorboat was placed in service in June, 1980.
On August 10, 1980, a 3:30 A.M. fire caused heavy damage to the 1/2 story Armor Fence Co. at 116 Foundry Street. The three-alarm fire was the result of arson.
Effective December 5, 1980, Wakefield was admitted into Metrofire, a mutual aid system comprised of 33 Greater Boston communities and Massport. Commonly referred to as “Newton Control,” the City of Newton Fire Alarm division is the control center for the operation of Metrofire. The operating radio frequency is 483.2875 Mhz. All fire departments now have ten-alarm level running cards with pre-determined responses of engine companies and ladder companies on any given alarm level to the fire or to cover vacated fire stations. The purpose is to update, expand and control mutual aid and to establish common purchase for fire equipment needs.
The year 1980 ended with a total of 394 box alarms and 2100 still alarms for a total of 2494 incidents of total of 621 hydrants protect the entire town.
On June 25, 1981, an era of the Fire Department came to an end when the call-force with five remaining call-men was abolished as a result of Proposition 2 1/2 cutbacks in the November 4, 1980 elections. The call force had been part of the Fire Department, even prior to its official organization in 1854. The Fire Department now is a full-paid on-duty permanent force. During the year 1981, the permanent force was reduced from 52 men to 51 men due to lack of town-appropriated funds to fill the one position.
During 1981, Engine 2, the assigned engine to respond to mutual aid under the Metrofire system, responded to the city of Lynn on four major fires. The most serious fire occurred on November 28 for a ten-alarm conflagration that totally destroyed eighteen industrial buildings and heavily damaged seventeen other similar buildings, most of which were five to eight stories in height.
Due to the lack of funds for over-time expenses in 1982 and several years to follow, the on-duty firefighter strength would be less than eleven men for about 90% of the time. Each of the four groups had been designed as a twelve-man shift.
