June 2021

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 348 emergency incidents during the month of June 2021 including 34 box alarms and 314 still alarms. The department responded to three requests for mutual aid during June, once each to Lynnfield, Revere and Saugus. The department received mutual aid three times during the month of June, twice from Reading and once from Lynnfield.

A crew from Engine 2 led by Lieutenant Christopher Crogan assisted the Saugus Fire Department at the scene of a structure fire at 57 Fairmount Avenue during the afternoon of June 19. Firefighters from Engine 2 under the direction of Lieutenant Sean Curran assisted the Revere Fire Department at the scene of a 7-alarm fire at 25 Hyde Street. This fire destroyed several large residential buildings before finally being contained and extinguished by firefighters from over a dozen communities on an extremely hot and humid night.

Firefighters under the command of Captain John Walsh responded to a reported truck fire at 96 Audubon Road during the early morning of June 7. Arriving firefighters encountered a fully involved refrigerated produce truck that was quickly extending to a second refrigerated truck of the same design parked adjacent to it. The fire was quickly knocked down but not before the original box truck was completely destroyed and the second vehicle was heavily damaged. Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office were called to the scene to help local investigators as the loss of the two trucks exceeded $100,000 in property damage. Fire investigators were able to determine that the fire was accidental in origin, most likely caused by an electrical malfunction in the original truck’s refrigeration unit. The fire did not extend to any other property and there were no injuries to firefighters during this incident. A Reading fire engine covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire.

Five new recruit firefighters, Samuel Carr, Richard Bruno, Charles Curran, John Panzini and Jarrod Fitzpatrick, started training exercises during the month of June. Three of the five new recruits, Charles Curran, John Panzini and Jarrod Fitzpatrick, started an intensive 30-day training class to become Emergency Medical Technicians sponsored by Cataldo Ambulance Service at no cost to the town. The remaining two recruits, Richard Bruno and Samuel Carr, reported to fire headquarters for specialized training in dispatch and radio communications as well as other specialized topics. The five recruits will be reunited after the July 4th holiday weekend to participate in additional training before being enrolled in Class # 295 of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Recruit Training Program. The recruit program is a ten-week training regimen starting on July 26 with an anticipated graduation date of October 8, 2021.

Veteran Fire Lieutenant Robert Taggart retired from the Wakefield Fire Department on June 28, 2021 after serving more than 32 years with the department. Lieutenant Taggart was appointed to the department on February 16, 1989. He was promoted to Lieutenant on February 1, 2008 and at the time of his retirement was the Senior Lieutenant in the department, assigned as the Lieutenant on Engine 2 in Greenwood under Captain Brian Purcell. Lieutenant Taggart served with the United States Army prior to his career in the Wakefield Fire Department. Lieutenant Taggart received a department commendation for his actions on August 24, 2008 assisting a man who had collapsed and become unresponsive. Lieutenant Taggart, off-duty at the time, administered CPR and performed rescue breathing on this individual, restoring a regular heart rhythm to him before the arrival of first responders. We wish Lieutenant Taggart a long, healthy and happy retirement with his wife Roberta, also a Wakefield Firefighter, and their children.

All groups continued their annual in-service business inspections during June. Quarterly fire inspection of the town’s schools, nursing homes, boarding houses and hotels were also conducted by the department during June. All department members participated in Emergency Medical Technician training classes during June provided free to the department by Cataldo Ambulance.

The Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, five Captains and the department’s EMS Coordinator participated in an active-shooter table-top exercise with other town departments and area police agencies held at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel on Audubon Road on June 8. This training was organized by Wakefield Emergency Manager Thomas Walsh with the assistance of a federal grant. The exercise simulates an active-shooter scenario at the Wakefield Memorial High School. All participants found the exercise to be enlightening and informative. The Deputy Chief and Fire Prevention Officer participated in an evacuation drill conducted by Brightview assisted living on June 16. All groups continued to train on various firefighting operations during June.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report