The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 263 emergency incidents during the month of January 2009 including 45 Box Alarms and 218 Still Alarms.
The department responded to 12 mutual aid requests during January, including four to Lynnfield, three to Melrose, two to Stoneham, two to Lynn, and one to North Reading. The department received mutual aid a total of four times in January, twice from Lynnfield, once from Melrose and once from Reading.
The department started its bi-annual Emergency Medical Technician and First Responder re-certification training, including re-certification in CPR and the use of the cardiac defibrillators carried on all department apparatus.
The department has been very busy during January handing the usual calls related to our cold weather including numerous calls for heating system problems, carbon monoxide detector activations, and water problems related to frozen and burst water pipes.
Wakefield Firefighter Richard R. Cardavelli retired from the Wakefield fire department on January 2, 2009 after serving the department for 26 years. A Wakefield native, Cardavelli was appointed a fulltime Permanent Firefighter on March 18, 1982. Firefighter Cardavelli was the senior firefighter assigned to Group 1 under Captain David E. Myette at the time of his retirement. We thank Rick for his service and wish him a happy and healthy retirement.
A heating problem in the early morning hours of January 1st almost forced the evacuation of the Harborside Healthcare Nursing Home. Fortunately, The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department was able to get the heat back on quickly enough to head off the evacuation. The Wakefield Fire, Police and School departments, along with Action Ambulance and the MBTA worked well together in preparing a contingency plan to evacuate the more than 100 residents to the Wakefield High School and surrounding hospitals.
Wakefield experienced several significant snow and ice storms during the month of January. One particularly dangerous storm on the night of January 7th resulted in the department responding to 7 motor vehicle accidents in 45 minutes. Icy conditions from another storm on January 28th resulted in significant damage to Engine 4 when it skidded off New Salem Street into a concrete abutment during another busy night.
Wakefield Engine 2 responded out of town 12 times In January as surrounding communities experienced a number of serious fires. January 14th saw Engine 2 responded to two serious fires within hours of each other, the first at a commercial building at 221 Louis Street in Lynn and the second at a residence on Indian Lane in Melrose. Engine 2 supplied water at the Lynn fire scene for a number of hours and was the first out of town apparatus to arrive at the Melrose fire.
