The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 201 emergency incidents during the month of June 2007 including 37 Box Alarms and 164 Still Alarms. The fire department did not respond on any mutual aid requests during June, but received mutual aid on two occasions, once from Reading and once from Stoneham.
On Saturday, June 2nd at 4:27 PM the department responded to a serious house fire at 39 Hopkins Street. The fire, which started in an outside rubbish container, spread up the exterior of the house and into the attic via an attic vent opening, was spreading across the attic of the colonial style home when it was stopped by firefighters. This was an excellent fire-ground operation supervised by Captain Richard Smith and Lieutenant Joseph Riley where the actions of the firefighters prevented much more serious damage / destruction to this home.
The department provided several presentations for local school groups as the school year came to an end. Several schools traveled to visit the Headquarters or Greenwood Stations, and the department visited the Dolbeare and Woodville Schools with Ladder 1.
The Wakefield Fire Department observed our annual Firefighters Memorial Services on Sunday, June 10th at Lakeside Cemetery. Wakefield Firefighters Relief Association President Firefighter Sean Curran again planned and executed an excellent ceremony honoring the departed members of the Wakefield Fire Department.
Training activities during June included:
- Drill with firefighting foam / foam systems on our Engines 1,2, and 4
- Pre-fire plan tour of the new condominium building at Wakefield Crossing – Bldg. 4 on Ballister Street
- Complete our annual drill with the department’s rescue boat(s)
The department is grateful for two donations received during the month of June, including an $8,000 donation from Alcoa-Reynolds Food Packaging at 400 Audubon Road and a $1,500 donation from the Rotary Club of Wakefield. The Alcoa-Reynolds donation will be used to fund our annual school fire safety education program presented to the elementary children in October and the rotary donation to upgrade our cold water rescue gear, survival suits, etc.
