The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 207 emergency incidents during the month of November 2006 including 35 Box Alarms and 172 Still Alarms.
The Wakefield Fire Department sent aid to the Town of Danvers during the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 22nd, when a tremendous and violent explosion felt here in Wakefield destroyed a chemical plant and ravaged the adjoining neighborhoods. Wakefield Engine 2 was dispatched and assigned to the staging area at the Riverside School in Danvers, but fortunately was not needed at the scene and returned to Wakefield.
The Wakefield Auxiliary Fire Department responded to the blast scene in Danvers with their Squad – Lighting Unit during the late afternoon – evening of November 22nd to provide lighting for the firefighting / haz-mat / investigation operations.
The fire department responded to 6 mutual aid requests during November, including Melrose (2), Lynnfield (2), Saugus (1) and Danvers (1). The department received mutual aid on 1 occasion in November, that being from the Town of Stoneham.
Other Fire Department activities during the month of November included:
- Completion of the 2006 Fire Prevention Inspections of commercial / industrial properties
- Tour of the new Harts Hill Heights Assisted Living Facility on Harts Hill Road
- Assistance / support with the Wakefield High School evacuation drill held on November 1st
We would also like to acknowledge a very generous gift to the fire department from our friends at the Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation on Audubon Road. It is our hope to use these funds to help equip our new pumper engine due for delivery in early 2007.
Finally, L. Murray Young, a lifelong Wakefield resident and ardent supporter of the Wakefield Fire Department, passed away suddenly on November 30th. Murray served as an Auxiliary Firefighter, served on the Montrose Fire Station Study Committee, the Public Safety Building Committee, and was the Wakefield Fire Department Historian. Murray was always there to support and assist the fire department and his hometown of Wakefield. He will be sorely missed.
