1997 ANNUAL REPORT OF
THE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
I am pleased to submit the Easton Fire and Rescue Department Annual Report for the year
1997 for your review.
Easton Fire Department Mission Statement
"The Easton Fire and Rescue Department is committed to protecting the people,
property, and environment within our community."
"We will be responsive to the needs of our citizens by providing rapid, professional,
humanitarian services essential to the health, safety, and well being of the
community."
"We will accomplish our mission through fire prevention, fire awareness education,
fire suppression, emergency medical services and other related emergency and non-emergency
activities."
"We will actively participate in our community, serve as role models, and strive to
effectively and efficiently utilize all of the necessary resources at our command to
provide a product deemed excellent by our citizens."
"Always ready, proud to serve."
Fire Rescue Study
After a long process which started at the April, 1996 Town Meeting, proposals were opened on March 20, 1997 for a Study of the Town’s Fire & Rescue Department. Once all the proposals were reviewed, the Mass. Municipal Association (MMA) Consulting Group was awarded the bid for services to conduct the study by the Board of Selectmen on July 14, 1997. The MMA consultants visited the department during the week of September 30th and October 1 and November 3rd. We are expecting a preliminary report during the month of January, 1998, and a final report shortly thereafter.
Public Education and Fire Prevention
The number one priority of this Department is to prevent the needless injuries, suffering
and property loss caused by fires, accidents and related incidents. In this regard, we
maintain an extremely active educational program aimed at preventing these incidents
before they occur, or reducing the severity of any resulting incidents.
The highly successful Safety Awareness & Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) program (now in
it’s third year), continues to be well received by Easton elementary school children
and teachers. This year our State Grant was further reduced, and we only received
$5,185.00. I have asked for $10,000.00 in the FY99 fire budget to fund this important
program. The curriculum brings firefighters into the schools throughout the year teaching
fire and life safety. Important fire safety lessons designed for each grade level (K-6)
are taken right into the classroom and are presented in an effective interactive style.
This program reaches more than 2000 Easton school children.
Firefighters David Beals, Thomas Nicholson, Lawrence Blye again taught their fire safety
message to all Kindergarten classes and Day care centers on Fire Prevention Week in
October. They continued in following weeks teaching grades 1 through 6. Fire Safety
education for these grades will continue in the Spring of 1998.
The Easton Fire and Rescue Department is on the world wide web.
Using the latest technology to further the Fire Prevention message, Firefighter Jeffrey
Webster is our system administrator and creator of our Fire Department Home Page. He can
be contacted at (jtwebster@mediaone.net). The
web site can be reached through the Internet address of: http://www.eastonfire.com. On the site you will find
information about our department, fire safety information, as well as links to hundreds of
other fire services around the world. I can be reached via e-mail through our web page, or
at chief@eastonfire.com
Fire safety and fire extinguisher training was provided for local nursing home staff,
regional school bus drivers and Easton businesses under the direction of department
Training Officer Captain Howard and on-duty firefighters. During 1997, Firefighter
Anderson and Firefighter/Paramedic McCarthy conducted classes in cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) to the public, Town Pool Lifeguards, and Recreation Department
workers. Firefighter/Paramedic McCarthy and I taught classes on CPR/First Aid and OSHA
Safety for the first Easton Employee Safety Week held October 27 to 30.
The Fire Department’s 3rd Annual Open House was held on October 4th . Over 2,000 citizens toured Station 3, witnessed equipment demonstrations, viewed fire safety displays, etc. I would like to publicly thank Firefighter Lawrence Blye and all the other Easton Firefighters for all the work that they did to make this day a success for our Department, as well as interesting and enjoyable for our citizens. The highlight of the day for the children was a house front prop with flames in the windows the children could hose down. At the end of the day, a free raffle was held and prizes such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and fire safety videos donated by local merchants were awarded to the lucky winners.
The Fire Prevention Division, under Captain John Webster/Captain John Howard conducted fire inspections as required by State Law. A highlight of this year’s fire prevention bureau efforts concerned of Stonehill College’s multi-million dollar library . Fire Safety Compliance, Fire Alarms and Fire Sprinklers were the cause for many meetings and numerous plans review.
Operations
There were a total of 2842 incidents responded to by the department in 1997, for fire,
emergency or other related problems. There were 20 dwelling fires, 5 fires in commercial
property and 4 fires in other types of structures. There were 4358 Fire and Rescue
Department equipment responses in 1997. I am pleased to report that in 1997 none of our
citizens lost their lives, but seven (7) citizens were injured due to a fire. Estimated
property loss for all 1997 incidents to which the fire department responded amounted to
$464,650.00, an increase in loss of $131,200.00 from last year. Seventeen (17)
firefighters were injured in the line of duty in 1997, up by five from last year. The most
serious firefighter injury occurred to Firefighter Carey Benson who shattered his ankle
fighting an apartment fire on Washington Street on June 27th and out of work
for six months.
In 1997 the Easton Fire and Rescue Department continued to
render too, and request from surrounding towns and cities, mutual aid fire and ambulance
assistance. The department responded to 433 auto accidents. Fire personnel responded to 29
spills or fires involving hazardous materials in Easton during the year.
There were 1383 emergency medical responses by the Fire Department Ambulance in the past
year. These responses resulted in the transport of 826 persons to local hospitals. The
Fire Department continues to hire Firefighter/Paramedics off the civil service list to
replace those fire personnel that retire. Our Advanced Life Support trained personnel now
total six (6) Firefighter/Paramedics and seven (8) Firefighter/Intermediate Emergency
Medical Technicians. In addition we have 19 Firefighter/Basic Life Support EMTs.
All three Fire Stations remained open throughout 1997. As a result of the dry summer, large brush fires near Flyaway Pond, Lincoln Street, Ames Rifle club and East side of Washington Street in back of #256 tied our forces up for days at a time.
Firefighter Training and Education
Training and education are vital in ensuring that the Easton Fire and Rescue Department is
able to respond effectively to the many and varied calls for assistance it receives. The
Easton Fire and Rescue Department provides comprehensive training in the following areas:
recruit (entry level), in-service skills development and refresher training, special
skills development (hazardous materials, arson investigation, technical rescue, etc.), and
officer supervisory skills and command skills development. During the year members attend
required training which provides individual skills development and promotes team building.
The results of this effective training program show up on the emergency scene through
smooth, safe and effective operations.
Three new members of department graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting
Academy’s 11 week Basic Firefighter Recruit Training Course in Stow MA. This course
combines classroom with practical sessions including rescue, hazardous material response
and controlling and extinguishing live fires.
As our Town grows and develops, the Department is called to deal
with situations that are becoming increasingly complex due to technological advances in
our society. The Department is finding that it is more and more difficult to provide
in-service training in the advanced technical fields, and that we must send personnel to
places such as the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, Barnstable Fire Academy and the
National Fire Academy, in Emmitsburg, MD. As Fire Chief, I am proud of the capabilities
and accomplishments of this department’s employees, and can assure you that they are
up to the challenges the future may bring.
Fire Alarm
The Fire Alarm Division, under Deputy Norman McNeill/Captain Thomas Stone has continued to
update the fire alarm system. New master fire alarm boxes were installed on commercial
buildings. Fire Alarm wire was extended into new developments and street Fire Alarm Boxes,
paid for by contractors, installed.
Apparatus
Over the last few years that I have been Fire Chief, I have
requested that the Town start a regular replacement of our fire apparatus. Thought must be
given by the Capitol Budget Committee, Town Administrator and Board of Selectmen to my
proposed 5 year replacement program for pumping engines and 15 year replacement program
for a ladder truck. Our Fire Apparatus is aging. Recently, one of our main engines, a 1973
Maxim had its pump break. Estimates to repair it are close to $10,000. This is only a
makeshift effort at best. The current ladder truck is approaching 30 years of service and
a recent D.O.T. inspection revealed a number of deficiencies. Only one of our front line
apparatus, Engine 1, a 1992 Emergency One Pumper, was given a D.O.T. Approval sticker. The
rest of the fleet was denied due to various problems. I have had to double my apparatus
maintenance budget for next year in order to keep these vehicles responding to our
citizens emergencies. The Town must purchase a new modern Fire Pumper and Ladder truck to
replace our aging vehicles before they fail us..
Personnel
Two long time employees of the Easton Fire Department retired in 1997. Captain John Webster, Fire Prevention Officer, retired on November 17, 1997 after over 32 years of service to the Town. Firefighter Paul Berry retired on December 31, 1997 after over 30 years of service. Their knowledge, experience, and camaraderie will be missed.
Two new Firefighters/Paramedics Christopher Mills and Evan Malone began employment with the Town, in January. A third Firefighter/Paramedic David Dowd was hired in September. One Firefighter/Paramedic Richard Lopez resigned in March to take a job in another department, but returned to us in December.
The Lyons Club presented Firefighter David Beals with its annual heroism award at award at a banquet in April, 1997 for a saving the life of a young boy who had fallen through thin ice. Firefighter Beals was off-duty at the time, skating with his family. At the same banquet, the Lyons club presented Deputy Chief Ted McNeill and Chief Blye with community service awards for 20 years of service to the Citizens of Easton as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
I would also like to thank my Office Manager, Lillian McGranachan, and all the Fire
Officers and Firefighters of this department for the assistance they me throughout this
past year. The officers and firefighters of this department continue to donate many hours
of their own time assisting the department and attending training in order to perform
their tasks in a more efficient manner. I would again like to recognize and thank all
thirty-four of them for their contribution in making the Easton Fire and Rescue Department
the professional and well educated organization it is. As Fire Chief, I take great pride
in the capabilities and accomplishments of our personnel who give so willingly of their
time and talents for the people of Easton.
Conclusions
In closing, I would also like to thank all of Easton's citizens, officials, boards,
committees, and other town departments who have come to our assistance this past year. You
may rest assure that we will continue to provide the best in both emergency and
non-emergency services in the most efficient manner possible in the future.
Respectfully submitted,
Phillip E. Blye, Chief
Send your questions or
comments to the Chief at chief@eastonfire.com