2020
Annual Town Meeting October 21, 2019
ARTICLE 11: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer from available funds
a sum of money for the purchase of a replacement breathing air compressor unit for the Chelmsford Fire
Department; or act in relation thereto.
SUBMITTED BY: Town Manager
MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 11. I move that the Town
transfer $95,000 from Free Cash for the purchase of
a replacement breathing air compressor unit for the
Chelmsford Fire Department.
MOTION UNDER ARTICLE 11: Carries by unanimous consent.
Fire Chief's Report
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I would like to thank the residents of Chelmsford for always supporting the Chelmsford Fire Department. This past year we were able to purchase our 2020 Pierce Fire Engine. Deputy Donoghue, mechanic Frank Fader, and several others have been working to install the required life safety equipment on the new apparatus. Training is taking place and the new engine will be placed into service in August. |
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Pastor Steve Burkett A special dedication goes to Pastor Steve Burkett who served as the Chelmsford Fire Department Chaplin since 2001. Through the years, Pastor Steve has paid visits to injured fire fighters, attended calling hours at funeral homes, and led prayers at 9-11 programs and official ceremonies. In moments of tragedy, he has offered solace to fire fighters and community members in need. He provided comfort and friendship to all he encountered. Pastor Steve retired on June 28, 2020 and he and his family moved back home to Maine. |
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COVID-19 Over the years, the fire service has dealt with several pandemic events. Since the 9/11 attacks, they have answered the calls for biological terrorism and dealt with emerging diseases from H1N1, SARS, and numerous Flu outbreaks. Like the rest of the country, the residents of Chelmsford have been significantly impacted as COVID-19 proliferated throughout Massachusetts. Everything changed at a moment’s notice, especially for those providing emergency services while under the threat of COVID-19. In the midst of this challenge, the Chelmsford Fire Department continues to deliver services our residents need and have come to expect from us. COVID-19 has changed just about every aspect of the Chelmsford Fire Department. From social distancing guidelines that prompted new operating protocols to discontinuing participation in community events, like station tours and allowing outside access to our conference room. The Department also transitioned to an online permitting system to process permits and review building plans. All this was done to minimize “in person” visits to Town Hall and our Fire Stations. Inside the Fire Stations, we also took steps to minimize exposure; firefighters would begin each shift by having their temperatures taken to screen for COVID-19 symptoms, technical team-based training was revised by assigning fewer firefighters to a task, and enhanced cleaning measures were undertaken. Stations, bunkrooms, and apparatus were sanitized with an electrostatic sprayer, which uses “atomized” sanitizer that clings to surfaces and actively kills pathogens for 24 hours after application. Biocontamination control measures were implemented for potential exposure. The 911 public safety dispatchers performed a critical function as they implemented enhanced caller screening by asking targeted questions in an effort to triage calls. The information gathered from dispatch provided emergency responders crucial situational awareness when responding. Operationally, all fire department responses took on the aspect of a potential COVID-19 exposure. Protocols mandated enhanced personal protective equipment to align with CDC recommendations and when possible, fewer firefighters entered a home or business to minimize exposure. Our interaction with the public was changed as initial medical assessments were often conducted from a distance of six feet to protect both the responder and patient. Our Fire Prevention Office was re-engineered to conform to COVID-19 infectious control practices. Plexiglass barriers were erected to protect against airborne droplets and occupancy limitations were put into effect.
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William “Bill” V. Cady, Jr., age 71, sadly passed away on October 3, 2019 at his home in Singer Island, FL. Bill joined the Chelmsford Fire Department in 1971 and assumed the role of the department’s first Fire Safe Education Officer in 1996. He demonstrated a passion for teaching fire safety to early elementary students and served as a role model for future educators. In 2001, Bill retired from the department after serving 30 years. We celebrate his incredible life and commit ourselves to carry on his legacy by continuing his noble work. |
Chelmsford military veteran Aubrey Pine joined the department on September 4, 2019. In March, Firefighter Pine graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy. We welcome him to the Department and wish him a long and successful career.
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Chief Deputy Chief Training Captains Fire Prevention Captains Mechanic Clerk Fire Prevention Clerk |
Unit 1 Captain Marc Pare Kevin Clarke John Robinson George Ryan Robert Gardner Timothy Shanahan Michael Maher Michael Ducharme Michelle Sacco Jason Turner Gregory Segnini Timothy McNiff Aubrey Pine Unit 2 Captain Daniel Manley William Keohane Leo Manley William Bennett Casey Phelan Michael Nelson Joshua Abbott Evan Boudreau Erik Byam Donald Kohl Robert Albon Derek Hamilton Kenneth Labrecque |
Unit 3 Captain Kevin O’Brien Christopher Brothers William Amundson Keith Lindsay Michael Young Garrett Walsh Edward Casey Patrick Daley Joshua Turner Andrew Micu Nicholas Hamilton Gary Baker Scott Newcomb Unit 4 Captain Daniel Funaro William Bacon Daniel Corey Jeffrey Cancella Thomas Brothers Michael Chiasson Edward Boisseau Michael Brothers David Maher David Houle Gregory Sparks Patrick McGarry |
2021
For news and photos 2022 and beyond, please vusit the Chelmsford Fire Department Facebook group here: |
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