March 2025

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 367 emergency incidents during the month of March 2025 including 41 box alarms and 326 still alarms. The department responded to six requests for mutual aid during March, three times to Stoneham, twice to Reading and once to Woburn. The department received mutual aid twice during March, once each from Reading and Stoneham. Firefighters from Engine 2 covered Stoneham Fire Headquarters during a structure fire in that community on the afternoon of March 2. Later that day, a crew from Engine 1 covered a Woburn fire station during a second alarm in that City. A crew from Engine 1 covered Reading Fire Headquarters while that department handled a commercial truck fire on the highway on the afternoon of March 5. Engine 2 was sent to cover Stoneham Fire headquarters on their working fire during the evening of March 17. A crew from Engine 2 covered Reading Fire Headquarters on the evening of March 18.

Wakefield Firefighters under the command of Captain John Walsh responded to a reported garage fire at 63 Oak Street at 10:28 A.M. on March 31. Crews arrived within two minutes to find smoke coming from a detached garage in close proximity to a house. They forced open a locked yard gate and gained access to the garage through a side door. Firefighters then advanced a hose line up the garage stairs into the loft area, quickly knocking the fire down. Firefighters from Ladder 1 cut an opening in the garage roof to vent the structure of smoke and heat. The fire was under control by 10:48 A.M. A Stoneham fire engine covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire, responding to number of calls including several fire alarm activations and an emergency medical call. All apparatus had cleared the scene by 11:47 A.M. The entire loft area of the garage sustained heavy smoke and heat damage. The remainder of the garage sustained smoke and water damage. There was no damage of any kind to the adjoining home. The fire is under investigation by local police and fire investigators with the assistance of Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The exact cause of the fire hasn’t been determined yet but is considered to be accidental. There were no injuries to either residents or firefighters during the fire. Quick work by first arriving firefighters saved the garage from any serious structural damage.

Department members participated in Emergency Medical Technician training classes as part of their annual continuing education requirements. Several Groups toured the Northeast Regional Vocational School buildings currently under construction. The department’s four pumpers received preventive maintenance on their fire pumps during March. Several groups conducted training evolutions on the use of rescue struts and airbags, engine company operations and ground ladders. A District Fire Warden form the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation conducted a class on wildfire firefighting operations for all of the department’s duty groups. Representatives from the Wakefield Animal Hospital visited Wakefield Fire Headquarters on March 17 to demonstrate the proper use of a pet oxygen mask kit donated to the department by the hospital. A group of students from SEEM Collaborative visited Wakefield Fire Headquarters for a tour on March 25.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report