The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 266 emergency incidents during the month of September including 43 box alarms and 223 still alarms.
The Department responded to three mutual aid requests during September, twice to Lynnfield and once to Melrose. During September it received mutual aid three times, once from Stoneham, Lynnfield and Melrose. A Crew from Wakefield Engine 2 covered the Lynnfield South Fire Station during the evening of September 6 while firefighters from that community were tied up with a serious car accident at Essex Street and Pillings Pond Road.
Firefighters under the command of Captain Richard Smith and Lieutenant Brian Purcell extinguished a fire at 49 Chestnut Street on September 1. The fire started when an electric space heater was accidentally left on and subsequently ignited nearby bedding and other combustibles. The fire caused considerable fire damage in several rooms on the first floor. The entire home suffered significant smoke damage. There were no injuries during this fire and the two occupants were displaced from the residence until the necessary repairs can be made.
The Wakefield Fire Department again experienced significant changes to its personnel. Veteran firefighter Thomas Curran retired on September 19 after serving more than 28 years with the department. Firefighter Curran was appointed to the department on March 17, 1983 and at the time of his retirement was the senior firefighter on Group 1. We wish him a long and healthy retirement.
Firefighter Philip Rogers Jr. transferred from the Wakefield Fire Department to the Chelsea Fire Department on September 6 after serving almost 18 years with the department. Firefighter Rogers was a member of the Essex County Technical Rescue Team as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Massachusetts Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team. Firefighter Timothy Robblee transferred to the Malden Fire Department on September 21 after three years of service to the Wakefield Fire Department. We wish Firefighters Rogers and Robblee well as they continue their careers in Chelsea and Malden.
Fire drills were conducted in all public and private school buildings in Wakefield during the month of September. School Evacuation drills were conducted at the Walton, Dolbeare, Galvin, and Greenwood schools as well as Nazareth Academy. The department conducted training sessions on emergency vehicle extrication techniques during the month of September.
