March 2023

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 319 emergency incidents during the month of March 2023 including 30 box alarms and 289 still alarms. The department responded to two requests for mutual aid during March, once each to Stoneham and Reading. The department received mutual aid three times during the month of March, twice from Lynnfield and once from Woburn. A crew from Engine 1 under the direction of Lieutenant John Mercurio covered Stoneham Fire Headquarters during an extended incident in that community on the morning of March 1. A crew from Engine 1 led by Lieutenant Daniel Hancock covered Reading Fire Headquarters during a structure fire in that community during the evening of March 1.

Firefighters under the command of Acting Captain Sean Curran responded to a report of a car on fire close to a house during the morning of March 8. On arrival, firefighters found a fire in the engine compartment of the vehicle starting to extend to the house. Captain Curran, in unison with several police officers on scene, emptied several extinguishers onto the fire, knocking it down substantially. Firefighters then arrived and used a hose line to completely extinguish the fire. Firefighters checked the interior of the house for any fire extension, finding none. The fire was contained to the vehicle, with the home sustaining some melted exterior siding and a cracked window on the section closest to the car. The cause of the fire was determined to be an undetermined mechanical failure inside the engine compartment of the vehicle. There were no injuries as a result of the fire and all occupants were able to remain in the building.

Fire Chief Michael Sullivan returned from medical leave to full-duty on March 18. Provisional Fire Chief Thomas Purcell, Acting Deputy Fire Chief Brian Purcell, Acting Captain Sean Curran and Acting Lieutenant Jerry Sancinito have all returned to their former positions. Chief Sullivan acknowledged all of their efforts to keep the department running smoothly during his absence.

All groups participated in classes regarding a review of HIPPA patient privacy regulations and Commonwealth of Massachusetts EMS Protocol updates as part of their Emergency Medical Technician training. All groups reviewed and practiced procedures to be followed during high-rise fires and structure fires. Department members also received training on the new electronic logbook being implemented by the department. All groups started their 2023 annual in-service business inspections in their assigned districts. These inspections are conducted by on-duty firefighters checking for safety hazards and familiarizing themselves with the many varied commercial properties in Wakefield.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report