January 2021

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 306 emergency incidents during the month of January including 35 box alarms and 271 still alarms. The department responded to three requests for mutual aid during January, once each to Melrose, Saugus and Woburn. The department received mutual aid seven times during the month of January, once each from Lynnfield, Melrose, North Reading, Saugus, Stoneham and Woburn.

A crew from Engine 2 under Lieutenant Christopher Crogan covered Saugus Fire Headquarters while their firefighters were tied up dealing with an extensive brush fire during the afternoon of January 24. A crew from Engine 5 led by Lieutenant Daniel Hancock covered a vacant Woburn Fire station during a 2-alarm fire in that community during the evening of January 24.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Brian Purcell responded to a reported house fire at 360 Water Street during the early morning of January 31. Upon their arrival, firefighters found a fire in the front bedroom of the single-family residence set up a steep hill set off of the street. Two hose lines were stretched into the home quickly knocking down the fire. A second alarm was stuck for extra manpower due to the zero visibility conditions present within the home and the very cold ambient temperature (5 degrees Fahrenheit). The second alarm brought engines from Stoneham, Melrose and Reading to the scene along with a North Reading Ladder truck. The residence was vented of smoke and heat and no further fire extension was found beyond the front bedroom and hallway. The cause of the fire was determined to be cause by the transfer of heat through a chimney cleanout found in the rear of the bedroom closet where the fire started. The owners had used the wood stove and fireplace during the previous evening, heating the access door to the clean-out to the point where it ignited combustibles stored against it. The two occupants of the home and their dog escaped the residence without injury and there were no injuries to responding firefighters. The occupants of the home will be displaced for an extended period until repairs can be made. A Saugus and Woburn engine and a Lynnfield ladder truck covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during this incident.

The Wakefield Fire Department continues to respond a significant number of emergency medical responses involving citizens sick with or suspected of having the Covid-19 virus. The department responded, along with Cataldo Ambulance, to 193 incidents in January where the presence of Covid-19 was either confirmed or suspected. Department personnel equipped with medical masks, gowns, shields and gloves respond to all requests for medical aid providing the highest level of protection for both the firefighters and the citizens of Wakefield. Citizens are reminded of the importance of calling 911 for injuries and illnesses that are not Covid-19 related. Hospitals and emergency rooms have taken extensive precautions to minimize the risk to patients not infected by Covid-19.

Wakefield Fire Lieutenant Louis Sardella officially retired from the Wakefield Fire Department on January 7, 2021. Lou was appointed to the Wakefield Fire Department on October 4, 1993 and was appointed a Permanent Fire Lieutenant on October 3, 2013. Lou was the senior member of group 1 at the time of his retirement, assigned as the Lieutenant for Ladder 1. He is a well-respected and competent fire officer and his extensive experience with the fire service will be missed. We wish Lieutenant Sardella a long, happy and healthy retirement along with his wife Lynne in their new home in Maine.

All department members participated in both on-line training and instructor led programs related to their continuing education requirements for Emergency Medical Technician. All duty shifts conducted in service walk-throughs of the ongoing construction project at 178 Albion Street during January. All groups practiced procedures involving cold water and ice rescues. All groups reviewed operating procedures involving carbon monoxide, electrical and natural gas emergencies. The department participated in the funeral services for retired Wakefield Fire Captain Peter E. Hubbard, a respected officer with the department for many years, on January 30.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report