The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 237 emergency incidents during the month of September including 27 box alarms and 210 still alarms.
The department responded to three mutual aid requests during September, twice to Melrose and once to Reading. It received mutual aid eight times during September, twice from Stoneham and once from Reading, Melrose, Lynnfield, North Reading, Woburn and Saugus. Wakefield engine 2 covered Reading Fire Headquarters during the evening of September 12 during a structure fire in that community.
Firefighters under the command of Captain Joseph Riley responded to a fast spreading fire at 9 Anjim Lane during the afternoon of September 16. The 2-alarm house fire started in a concealed ceiling and wall area over the side porch. The fire extended up the side of the house and into several adjoining rooms before it was extinguished thanks to the fast and efficient work by both on-duty personnel and mutual aid companies. Thanks to their hard work the house was saved, although it was significantly damaged. The fire was determined to be accidental in origin although the exact cause remains undetermined. There were no injuries as a result of the fire; however, the homeowners will be displaced as a result of the fire until repairs can be made. Three pet dogs were rescued from the residence during the fire.
All four groups participated in a joint training program with the Reading Fire Department on engine-company pumping operations during the month of September. This training is partially funded through a federal Assistance to Firefighter’s Grant via the Department of Homeland Security. All four groups continue to receive emergency medical training toward their continuing education requirements for emergency medical technician. All fire department ground ladders were tested and successfully passed inspection during the month of September. All department vehicles successfully passed the state motor vehicle registry inspections. The Wakefield Fire Department conducted fire drills in all public and private schools during the month of September. School multi-hazard evacuation drills were conducted at Nazareth Academy, the Galvin Middle School, and the Woodville, Walton and Greenwood Schools during the month of September.
Wakefield firefighters Nolan Curran, Patrick Jarvis and Michael Rowe successfully graduated from the twelve week Massachusetts Firefighting Academy recruit training class 196 on September 28, 2012 during a ceremony held at the Stow campus on that date. The Wakefield Fire department welcomes these firefighters back and wishes them a long and productive career with the department.
The Wakefield Fire Department has initiated its annual in-service fire inspection program throughout town and all four duty shifts have been out walking through businesses gathering emergency contact information, familiarizing themselves with building layouts and discovering and reporting fire prevention hazards and violations. The department’s new Fire Prevention Officer, Captain Thomas Purcell, inspected all restaurants with liquor licenses during the past six weeks. Many hazardous conditions have already been corrected increasing the general safety of both Wakefield’s firefighters and its citizens.
