2015
(Photo by Fred Merriam with Andy Micu running the Ladder)
Fire Chief's Report
Chief Michael Curran retired after 39 years serving on the department starting his career as firefighter in 1976 and made his way through the ranks as Captain in 1987, Deputy Chief in 1996 and Chief 2010. Captain Bruce Donovan retired after 32 years serving on the department. Captain Donovan started his career as a firefighter in 1984 and was made Captain in 2012. Thank you both for your dedication and years of service and we wish you all the best!
Chelmsford Fire Department was very fortunate this past year. In December, 2014 we finally moved into our new building. This had been a long process with location and design of the new building. The vote was passed for the Billerica Road location and work began. This 15,500 sq. ft. building has 3 double sleeping quarters, 1 single sleeping quarter, showers to accommodate both male and female firefighters. The new station can now house Service 3, Rescue 1, Rescue 2, Engine 1, Tower/Ladder, gator, generators, light tower and rescue boat. The new building was dedicated to Chief Ernest Byam who was killed in the line of duty in 1965. The training room at the station has been dedicated to Deputy Chief Raymond McGlinchey who died in the line of duty in 1964.
Our new trucks have been in service now with driver training done. The Tower/Ladder is a 2013 Smeal/ Spartan Sirius Custom EMFD flat roof cab. This truck has a 100’ steel ladder with a platform, 300 gallon tank with a 2000 gallon-per-minute pump. The new E1 is a 2014 Smeal/Spartan Sirius Class A pumper with a 750 gallon tank and a 1500 gallon-per-minute pump.
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Chief Deputy Chief Training Captain Unit Captains Fire Prevention Captains Clerical Mechanic |
Firefighters Joshua Abbott William Amundson William Bacon William Bennett Edward Boisseau Evan Boudreau Christopher Brothers Michael Brothers Thomas Brothers Eric Byam Jeffrey Cancella Edward Casey Michael Chiasson Kevin Clarke Daniel Corey Patrick Daley Michael Ducharme Jesse Foster Robert Gardner Scott Gallant David Hadley Nicholas Hamilton David Houle Ryan Houle |
William Keohane Donald Kohl Keith Lindsay David Maher Michael Maher Leo Manely Andrew Micu Jason Moody Michael Nelson Donnie Peterson Casey Phelan Chhunly Prak John Reid Michelle Sacco William Schellback Gregory Segnini Timothy Shanahan Kevin Sheehy Gregory Sparks Jason Turner Joshua Turner Daniel Ubele Garrett Walsh Michael Young |
2016
Fire Chief's Report
In 2010, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) began a multiyear study of nearly 30,000 firefighters to better understand the potential link between firefighting and cancer. This study, which was completed in late 2015, provided evidence that firefighters are at increased risk of certain types of cancer as a result of occupational exposure. New building materials and furnishings contain synthetic properties that release lethal toxins when burned, exposing firefighters to carcinogens. The Chelmsford Fire Department has raised awareness to this serious life safety issue and continually seek ways to limit exposures during fire ground operations. We are appreciative of the town’s commitment to providing our firefighters with new turnout gear that will enable them to perform at the highest level, while protecting their long term health and safety. We will continue our efforts to educate and provide safe work practices for our members.
Scott Gallant resigned from the department to join the Massachusetts State Police. The department and the town lost a very special person, Walter Hedlund. Walther was a volunteer firefighter after his return from WWll for several years. When the department went full-time, Walter became the Emergency Management Director for 40 years but he was always helping every department out with any issues.
Our staff increased by 4 this year as we welcome Robert Albon, Gary Baker, Timothy McNiff and Patrick McGarry. All have completed the Massachusetts Fire Academy and are assigned to units.
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Chief Deputy Chief Training Captain Unit Captains Fire Prevention Captains Mechanic Department Assistant Fire Prevention |
Firefighters Joshua Abbott Robert Albon William Amundson William Bacon Gary Baker William Bennett Edward Boisseau Evan Boudreau Christopher Brothers Michael Brothers Thomas Brothers Eric Byam Jeffrey Cancella Edward Casey Michael Chiasson Kevin Clarke Daniel Corey Patrick Daley Michael Ducharme Jesse Foster Robert Gardner David Hadley Nicholas Hamilton David Houle Ryan Houle William Keohane |
Donald Kohl Keith Lindsay David Maher Michael Maher Leo Manely Patrick McGarry Timothy McNiff Andrew Micu Jason Moody Michael Nelson Donnie Peterson Casey Phelan Chhunly Prak John Reid John Robinson George Ryan Michelle Sacco William Schellback Gregory Segnini Timothy Shanahan Kevin Sheehy Gregory Sparks Jason Turner Joshua Turner Daniel Ubele Garrett Walsh Michael Young |
2017
Fire Chief's Report
This past year we were able to purchase our 2017 Pierce truck which will become our E2. Deputy Donoghue along with several others have been working to fit the new pumper with the equipment that is needed every day such as a halligan, pick axe, extinguishers, water rescue kit, CO meters, spare S.C.B.A. bottles, portable lights, rope bag, portable jaws/cribbing, bolt cutters, pike poles, shovels, lock out kit, hose, connections and the medical bags. Training is taking place and the new engine will be ready for service.
We experienced an approximate 2% increase between all catagories in our call log. On July 3, 2016, Chelmsford was impacted with a large brush fire along Route 3. Shortly after returning to town from rendering mutual aid to the City of Lowell, the CFD responded to the Southbound lanes where the fire burned 11.5 acres along the backside of houses and the highway. Crews from Billerica, Dunstable, Littleton, Lowell, Nashua, Tyngsboro, Westford and the State had to respond with tanker trucks. We are very lucky no homes where destroyed as the fire crept closer to the residential neighborhood however, 5 sheds were destroyed and a firefighter experienced an injury.
January 19, 2017 approximately 3 a.m. the department responded to a train derailment in the area of School Street and Meadowbrook Road. The train was hauling 66 cars when 4 of those jumped the track. Crews worked to contain any leaks from the accident. Since this accident we now having training for such incidents like this for future issues.
In Memorium
February 25, 2017: Frederick H. Reid, Retired Chief of the Chelmsford Fire Department, passed away peacefully at the age of 89 years old. Fred became a permanent member of the Chelmsford Fire Department in 1955. Prior to his appointment, Fred served for a number of years as a volunteer fireman. In 1964, Fred was promoted to Fire Chief, a position he proudly served for 21 years until his retirement. He was a member of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, as well as the International Association of Fire Chiefs and throughout his career made several trips throughout the country to fire chief conventions. During his tenure as Chief, Fred also served the state on various boards for fire prevention. After his retirement from the fire department, Fred continued to serve the town as the center water commissioner.
Dennis J. Vargeletis, 81, a longtime Chelmsford resident, passed away peacefully on Friday April 7, 2017. Dennis was a firefighter for the Town of Chelmsford, for 28 years until his retirement in 1990.
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Chief Deputy Chief Unit Captains Mechanic Clerical |
Firefighters Joshua Abbott Robert Albon William Amundson William Bacon Gary Baker Michael Ducharme William Bennett Edward Boisseau Evan Boudreau Christopher Brothers Michael Brothers Thomas Brothers Eric Byam Jeffrey Cancella Edward Casey Michael Chiasson Kevin Clarke Daniel Corey Patrick Daley Michael Ducharme Jesse Foster Robert Gardner Nicholas Hamilton David Houle Ryan Houle William Keohane |
Donald Kohl Keith Lindsay David Maher Michael Maher Leo Manely Patrick McGarry Timothy McNiff Andrew Micu Jason Moody Michael Nelson Donnie Peterson Casey Phelan Chhunly Prak John Reid John Robinson George Ryan Michelle Sacco William Schellback Gregory Segnini Timothy Shanahan Kevin Sheehy Gregory Sparks Jason Turner Joshua Turner Daniel Ubele Garrett Walsh Michael Young |
2018
Fire Chief's Report
Active Shooter Training:
In June of 2017, members of a newly formed National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) committee met to address the rise in active shooter incidents. Members of the committee bring backgrounds in law enforcement, fire service, government, medicine, and behavioral health. The committee is special in that it marks only the second time in NFPA’s 121-year history that the Standards Council has authorized a “Provisional Standard” which is fast-tracked to immediately address emergencies. Prior to the provisional standard, the procedures for firefighters responding to an active shooter event involved the policy of standing by until the incident scene was deemed safe by law enforcement personnel. This past practice was inherently flawed, as responders were significantly delayed reaching, treating, and transporting wounded victims.
During the April school vacation week, the Chelmsford Police and Fire Departments, along with Trinity EMS and Lowell General Paramedics participated in a joint training exercise for an active shooter event at the Parker Middle School. The goal of the exercise was to familiarize responders with the protocol for dealing with an active shooter and to foster a collaborative relationship with other responding agencies. The exercise utilized the “Rescue Task Force” concept that is comprised of members of the police and fire departments that wear appropriate body armor to enter the “warm zone” (an area with no direct threat, but a potential for harm still exists) to quickly treat victims. Responders practiced delivering immediate medical interventions under a stressful environment of simulated gunfire and an activated fire alarm system. Responders treated “victims” for severe bleeding using hemorrhage control and addressed airway issues to stabilize patients for evacuation and definitive care.
On May 11, 2018, Lockheed Martin hosted a multi-agency active shooter drill at their Maple Road facility. This large-scale event was meticulously planned and coordinated among the participating responding agencies and Lockheed Martin staff over a nine-month period. This event provided all participants an opportunity to build upon the lessons learned during the April drills to effectively respond to an active shooter in a business environment. The training events show the importance of the rescue task force in the continuum of medical care as we transition into a wider acceptance of a coordinated Police/Fire-EMS response to a hostile event. Our thanks to the terrific staff of Lockheed Martin for their dedication to this concept and for allowing us the opportunity to work with them in planning the multi-agency drill.
In Memorium
August 15, 2017: Joseph F. Lynch, retired Firefighter of the Chelmsford Fire Department, passed away peacefully at the age of 83 years old. Joe was a longtime resident of West Chelmsford and was employed at the family owned business, Lynch Wallpaper and Paint Store of Lowell. Joe had served as a call firefighter in Chelmsford before joining the department full time in December 1966. He proudly served his community until an injury forced his retirement in 1983.
May 17, 2018: Wallace E. Maybury Jr., retired Firefighter of the Chelmsford Fire Department, passed away peacefully at the age of 74 years old. Wally worked at his family business, Harvey Lumber and Hardware before joining the Chelmsford Fire Department as a full time firefighter on February 1, 1971. Wally was instrumental in helping to organize the firefighter’s annual charity golf tournament, which continues to this day. Wally proudly served the community for over 12 years.
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Chief Deputy Chief Training Captain Fire Prevention Captains Mechanic Clerk Fire Prevention Clerk |
Unit 1 Captain Henry Houle Joshua Abbott Kevin Clarke Michael Ducharme Robert Gardner Donald Kohl Michael Maher Timothy McNiff John Robinson George Ryan Michelle Sacco Gregory Segnini Timothy Shanahan Jason Turner Unit 2 Captain Daniel Manley Robert Albon William Bennett Evan Boudreau Erik Byam Jesse Foster Ryan Houle William Keohane Leo Manely Michael Nelson Casey Phelan Chhunly Prak John Reid Daniel Ubele |
Unit 3 Captain Kevin O'Brien William Amundson Gary Baker Christopher Brothers Edward Casey Patrick Daley David Hadley Nicholas Hamilton Keith Lindsay Andrew Micu Donnie Peterson Joshua Turner Garrett Walsh Michael Young Unit 4 Captain Daniel Funaro William Bacon Edward Boisseau Michael Brothers Thomas Brothers Jeffrey Cancella Michael Chiasson Daniel Corey David Houle David Maher Patrick McGarry William Schellback Kevin Sheehy Gregory Sparks |
2019
Annual Town Meeting October 15, 2018
MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 5. Moved that the Town transfer $55,000 from Free Cash to be expended by the Board of Selectmen (in conjunction with the creation of an ad hoc public safety study committee) for the purpose of hiring a consultant to examine whether the Town should establish a municipal emergency ambulance service and whether the Town should consolidate its fire stations. SUBMITTED BY: Board of Selectmen
Recommendations: Board of Selectmen: Recommends approval by vote
of 3 - 2
Finance Committee: Unanimously recomends approval.
The electronic voting devices recorded the
following votes:
YES: 27 NO: 89 ABSTENTIONS: 2
MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 5: Fails to carry
Fire Chief's Report
Within the past year, five members of the Department have retired. Captain Henry “Hank” Houle, Firefighter Jesse Foster, Firefighter David Hadley, Firefighter Donald Peterson, and Firefighter Kevin Sheehy. The retirement of trusted co-workers and the loss of experience and historical knowledge of the organization is challenging. We are extremely fortunate to have benefited from their service and will do our best to carry their sense of duty forward. We wish them a long and enjoyable retirement.
Two new recruits, Firefighters Derek Hamilton and Scott Newcomb were hired and have successfully completed and passed their EMT course. Both members will be attending the Massachusetts Fire Academy in July 2019 and we wish them well in their new positions.
On September 13, 2018, excessive pressure in natural gas lines owned by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts caused a series of explosions and fires to occur in the Merrimack Valley communities of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. The Chelmsford Fire Department immediately responded to the impacted communities as part of the District 6 Structural Fire Task Force. The Task Force departments responded to approximately 150 emergency calls that included 60-80 structure fires. Sadly, one Lawrence resident was killed as a result of a home explosion. In addition to the initial emergency response, the Chelmsford Fire Department collaborated with officials from Lawrence, North Andover and Andover in forming 20 teams, each consisting of a police officer, firefighter and natural gas technician going house-to-house to approximately 8,600 affected natural gas customers to verify that the gas meters and utilities were safely shut off. The Department offers our thoughts and prayers to all those impacted by this tragic event. I would also like to commend and thank the members of the Chelmsford Fire Department for their dedication to serving those in need.
Providing a membership that is healthy, physically fit, and emotionally prepared to perform in a dangerous stressful environment is paramount. We have established initiatives that will assist us in our battle against the ravages of cancer in the fire service. These initiatives include the procurement of a second set of bunker gear for our fire personnel, installing additional washing machines, providing wet wipes in the apparatus, and the annual service and testing of our diesel exhaust extraction systems. In addition, on May 6th the Chelmsford Fire Department became the first District 6 community to host a skin cancer screening for our firefighters. A special thank you to Dermatologist Dr. Christine Kannler for providing this invaluable service. Collectively, these measures are critical in protecting our most valuable resource, our members.
In June 2019, the Chelmsford Fire Department participated in a multiagency drill on the Merrimack River. The drill simulated a chemical spill on the river and the challenges that had to be met to protect the drinking water supply to over 500,000 people in Lowell, Methuen, Tewksbury, Andover, and Southern New Hampshire. The MassDEP, Water Treatment officials along with public safety departments from Lowell, Tewksbury, and Tyngsborough collectively devised the appropriate strategies and tactics to contain and collect the spill. My thanks to all who participated and coordinated this event.
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Chief Deputy Chief Training Captain Fire Prevention Captains Firefighters in Training Mechanic Clerk Fire Prevention Clerk |
Unit 1 Captain Henry Houle (ret) Captain Marc Pare Joshua Abbott Kevin Clarke Michael Ducharme Robert Gardner Donald Kohl Michael Maher Timothy McNiff John Robinson George Ryan Michelle Sacco Gregory Segnini Timothy Shanahan Jason Turner Unit 2 Captain Daniel Manley Robert Albon William Bennett Evan Boudreau Erik Byam Jesse Foster (ret) William Keohane Leo Manely Michael Nelson Casey Phelan Chhunly Prak John Reid (ret) Daniel Ubele (ret) |
Unit 3 Captain Kevin O'Brien William Amundson Gary Baker Christopher Brothers Edward Casey Patrick Daley David Hadley (ret) Nicholas Hamilton Keith Lindsay Andrew Micu Donnald Peterson (ret) Joshua Turner Garrett Walsh Michael Young Unit 4 Captain Daniel Funaro William Bacon Edward Boisseau Michael Brothers Thomas Brothers Jeffrey Cancella Michael Chiasson Daniel Corey David Houle David Maher Patrick McGarry William Schellback Kevin Sheehy (ret) Gregory Sparks |
CALL HISTORY
