1998 Arlington FD Annual Report
Community Safety: Fire
Source of all information: 1998 Annual Report, made available to the spring 1999 Town Meeting
1999 Richard Maimone, director of fire services 316-3801
Budget: 1998 - $4,071,269 - 1999 - $4,211,036
Write to: Community Safety, 112 Mystic St.
Personnel, Full Time: 1998 - 87 - 1999 - 87
The Fire Services Division is responsible for the safety of the lives and property of the community not only from the perils of fire but also from all types of disasters whether man made or natural. The primary function of the Division is to prevent fires and to extinguish them with a minimum loss of life and property. Additional responsibilities include assistance during incidents involving hazardous materials, water rescue, and any other types of emergencies requiring trained personnel and equipment. The Fire Services Division is also the primary provider for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and first responders staff all fire companies. Through proper training and fire prevention practices the Fire Services Division is able to prepare for these emergencies. In addition, the Division provides emergency medical service for its citizens by treating the sick and injured and providing transportation to area medical facilities. The Fire Services Division will provide assistance whenever needed utilizing the concepts of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI).
One of the major goals of the Division includes major renovations of the three fire stations. Although a great deal has been accomplished with ongoing building maintenance, it is apparent that without a significant program to upgrade the buildings significant deterioration of all three buildings will continue. In addition, changes in building and life safety codes and accessibility requirements as well as changes in the ways fire departments operate all need to be carefully reviewed and addressed.
The Fire Services Division responded to 4,309 incidents in 1998, a slight increase from last year. Over 2,200 of these incidents were medically related. A breakdown of incidents by type follows -
Structure Fires and Smoke Scares 189
Vehicle Fire 19
Medical Calls 2,229
Outside Fires 51
Pressure Explosions 5
Assistance to Persons 93
Hazardous Conditions 259
Lockouts 112
Water Evacuation 59
Mutual Aid 42
False Alarms 229
(Alarm) System Malfunctions 342
Miscellaneous Calls 680
1998 Estimated Structural Fire Loss: $296,420
1998 Estimated Vehicle Fire Loss: $62,400
The dollar loss this year was the lowest in recent years. This figure represents the fact that Arlington experienced only one large dollar loss fire during 1998. The most serious fire occurred on April 3, a three-alarm fire on Everett Street causing an estimated $250,000 worth of damage. It is encouraging to see a reduction in the estimated dollar loss and hopefully the Division's strong commitment to fire prevention, code enforcement, and fire safety education will continue to keep these losses down.
The Fire Services Division will continue its pro-active involvement with the community. As in past years, the Division will be actively involved with Town Day activities, fire safety education through the Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program, and the annual Open House during Fire Prevention Week in October. Tours of the fire stations for scouting groups, pre-schools, and other organizations are always available and encouraged. Fire Prevention
The lives and property of anyone can be threatened by the perils of fire. Everyone should and can play a key role in fire prevention. Homeowners who install smoke detectors; children who learn what to do if a fire occurs in their home; patrons who make a point of checking exit signs in an establishment before enjoying an evening of entertainment all play a key role. These individual actions, or the lack of them, can be defined as part of fire prevention management in a broader sense.
The Fire Prevention Division is required by law to enforce the provisions of 527 CMR (Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation); the laws contained in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 148, the State Building Code; 780 CMR; and the bylaws of the Town of Arlington.
A new chapter of the State Building Code, related to one and two family dwellings, has kept the Fire Prevention Division quite busy. The new law requires all new one and two family dwellings or any additions to them that include sleeping areas (bedrooms) be provided with hard-wired interconnected smoke detection with battery backup. The detectors must be installed on every level of the home, at the base of stairwells, outside bedrooms, and inside each bedroom. Since itâs adoption on March 1st six new dwellings and fifty-four additions required plan reviews and final inspections.
Another regulation that has kept the Fire Prevention Division occupied has been the removal and upgrade of underground storage tanks (USTs). All USTs not used exclusively for consumptive use (heating) had to be upgraded or replaced by December 22, 1998. Several gasoline stations in Arlington closed during the year to meet this requirement. This regulation has been in the making for the past ten years and is now complete.
The Fire Prevention Division issued 1,048 permits in 1998 and collected $21,338 in permit fees. The Fire Rescue generated an additional $196,740. All fees collected were added to the Town's General Fund. Inspections were conducted, once again, to ensure proper placement of smoke detectors in all residential properties that were sold or refinanced. The importance of smoke detectors cannot be over stressed. All too often needless deaths and injuries have occurred because people either did not install detectors or did not replace the batteries. The Fire Services Division recommends changing batteries twice a year and to test smoke detectors once a month to ensure that batteries are fresh. An easy way to remember is to change the batteries when the time is changed in spring and fall.
This year the slogan for Fire Prevention Week was Know When to Go; React Fast to Fire. This message urged people to know what to do when they hear a fire alarm sound and to react fast to its warning. All too often people ignore these alarms thinking they are false. Any time an alarm sounds whether at home, work, or on vacation assume the emergency is real and exit the building until the fire department responds and investigates the cause.
During Fire Prevention Week, the Fire Services Division provided education to all second grade students about fire safety. On Oct. 18 the Fire Services Division held its fourth Annual Open House. Sponsored again by Papa Ginos, the Open House was held at the Headquarters station. Despite the weather, over 200 families attended this event. Papa Ginoâs provided free pizza and firefighters gave live demonstrations and taught children the Stop-Drop-Roll technique and how to crawl low under smoke. A big attraction this year was the "Fire Safety House" which allowed children to practice exiting a home safely if in a fire. By crawling low under smoke and knowing two ways out of a house they exit to safety.
For the third consecutive year the Fire Services Division received a grant for the Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program. This years state grant totaled $5,492.18. The grant will provide the department with funding to educate children about the dangers associated with fire. In addition, the Kiwanis Club of Arlington generously donated an additional $5,000 to this life saving educational program. Fire safety education is the key to preventing fire-related deaths and injuries. This program will be taught to all Arlington school children in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
The Divisions rescue/ambulance vehicle responded to 1,553 calls for emergency medical aid in 1998. Sixty-one percent of the requests were for care related to basic life support (BLS) such as sprains and strains, minor injuries to the extremities, bruises and lacerations, and common illness. The other thirty-nine percent were determined to be potentially life threatening or requiring advanced life support (ALS). These included: cardiac arrest, strokes or brain attacks, trauma from falls or motor vehicle accidents, severe allergic reaction, respiratory illnesses, seizures, diabetic reactions, severe bleeding, and child birth.
The Fire Services Division purchased four automatic heart defibrillators from Survivalink to replace four that were less automatic. These new units are capable of analyzing the heart waveform through self-adhesive electrode pads that the firefighters attach to a patient without a pulse. When the defibrillator recognizes a shockable rhythm, the firefighter pushes a button to deliver an electrical shock in an attempt to regain a normal heart rhythm. This equipment has been used successfully nine times to shock a patient's heart.
The severe allergic reaction to ingested food, insect bites, drugs, and inhaled substances is a life threatening medical emergency called anaphylactic shock. Epinephrine auto-injector pens are carried on all vehicles and when administered by an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) to a patient it will begin to dilate the patient's constricted airway. While mowing his lawn this past summer, an East Arlington resident was stung numerous times by bees. The firefighter/EMTâs stationed at the Headquarters station on Engine 4 responded within three minutes and properly diagnosed the patientâs rapidly deteriorating respiratory condition. The Epi-pen was successfully administered to the patient and his life threatening symptoms quickly began to improve.
The successes of this life saving intervention are directly related to the rapid and professional care provided by the fire based Emergency Medical System (EMS) of the Arlington Fire Services Division. The cross trained/dual role firefighters are committed to providing effective, professional, and knowledgeable emergency medical care to the community. Our goal is the right response, on time, every time.
Training Division
Firefighters were trained on all aspects of firefighting and emergency medical techniques this past year. During the winter months firefighters practiced donning and doffing self-contained breathing apparatus, reviewed search and rescue protocols, and viewed Pulse and American Heat video series. These videos depict actual footage of emergency incidents throughout the country and provide an excellent method to plan for similar incidents that may occur in our own community. During the month of February, cold water rescue training was conducted on Spy Pond simulating actual emergency conditions. Firefighters practiced launching the rescue boat and ice sled, donning the floatation suit, and saving one another to become proficient at cold water rescues.
During warmer months ladder drills were common, focusing on proper selection and placement of the various size ladders that the Fire Services Division employs. Other outdoor drills included the application of water using the different size nozzles and master-stream appliances used during firefighting operations. A boat drill was again conducted to reinforce launching and starting techniques of the rescue boat.
Firefighters were able to practice their skills on actual buildings during 1998. In May, prior to demolition, the ALLMED building on Prescott Street, along with the Scout House served as perfect training sites for the division. Fire personnel were able to practice roof ventilation techniques through the use of power saws on flat and pitched roofs, placement of ground ladders and hydraulic aerial ladders. Search and rescue operations were utilized using a smoke simulation machine and forcible entry practices. In June, a house on Summer Street was also used for hands-on training prior to demolition. Interior firefighting tactics and strategies were practiced along with both aerial and ground ladder operations.
In December, a home on Rhinecliff Street also became available for training. The Fire Services Division received permission from the owners to use their property for training purposes. The Fire Services Division greatly appreciates the use of these structures. The experience and knowledge gained from this training is invaluable.
Every firefighter was re-certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in October. Vehicle extrication, using the Jaws of Life and other tools was the training subject in November. Four automobiles were donated to the department and fire personnel practiced their skills freeing victims from the wreckage. On November 30, eight new recruits graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. The eight recruits received an intense eleven-week course of study and hands-on training. They are now assigned to firefighting suppression groups and will be a valuable asset to the Division and the community.
The annual re-certification in the use of external cardiac defibrillation for all EMTâs took place in December. Also during the month firefighters were given a class on emergency vehicle operations. Emphasizing safe driving techniques and continuously practicing all aspects of safe driving at the company level is imperative.
The Fire Services Division will strive to prepare its firefighters to perform to the best of their ability in the event of any type of emergency incident.
Support Services - Support Services/ Inspections Division Budget: 1998 -$855,468 - 1999 - $904,532 Personnel, Full Time: 1998 - 19 - 1999 - 19 Street Lighting Budget: 1998 - $550,000 - 1999 - $550,000
The Apparatus Maintenance Division includes one master mechanic along with one fire apparatus repairman and one motor equipment repairman. They are responsible for the repair and upkeep of the equipment used by the Fire Services Division in their firefighting duties. Additional responsibilities include upkeep and installation of mobile radio equipment in all emergency vehicles and central dispatch and maintaining air-supply equipment for self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
One superintendent and two assistants staff the Fire Alarm/Wire Division. During the year these members tested all fire alarm boxes throughout the town. They are also responsible for street painting of crosswalks, as well as, repairing traffic lights and street lighting.
Nine emergency central dispatchers are responsible for the timely notification and dispatching of fire apparatus and police vehicles to emergency incidents utilizing the computer aided dispatch (CAD) system.
Auxiliary Fire Personnel/Local Massachusetts - Emergency Management Agency
The services that are provided by these dedicated individuals should not be overlooked. These twenty-two volunteers donated over 1,200 hours of service to the town in 1998. These hours were donated by performing regular and special details, reconditioning equipment, assisting the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency during storm emergencies and assisting our fire personnel with the use of their Lighting Plant and Generator Unit. These volunteers also patrol the Minuteman Bikeway on weekends. The professional assistance of these volunteers is greatly appreciated by the Fire Services Division. The Division hopes that the hours and number of volunteers will increase in 1999.
Retirements, Appointments, and Promotions
Many experienced personnel retired from the Fire Services Division in 1998. These individuals include Director of Fire Services, Perry G. Cayton, twenty-seven years; Captain Timothy Murphy, twenty-eight years; Lieutenant Clifford Fallis, thirty-two years; Lieutenant Ulick Burke, twenty-eight years; Firefighter Richard O'Brien, thirty-two years, Firefighter William LaRue, thirty-one years; and Firefighter John Cuqua, twenty-eight years service.
Deputy Chief Richard Maimone was appointed Director of Fire Services and Captain Gary Stratton was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief. Lieutenant Jeff Cummings was promoted to the rank of Captain, Firefighter Michael Tierney and Firefighter Robert Casey were promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Michael Power, Philip Sirianni, Michael Martin, Paul Moniz, John Kelly, James Lawson, Andrew Carrigan, and David Gera were appointed new firefighters in September.
Inspections Division
The Inspections Division has the responsibility for the enforcement of the Massachusetts State Building Code, Fuel Gas and Plumbing Codes, National Electrical Code, and the Town of Arlington Zoning Bylaws. Responsibilities of the division include the inspection of all building construction and renovations.
In 1998, the Inspections Division issued 2,768 permits that included: 871 building permits, 532 plumbing permits, 534 gas permits, and 831 electrical permits. For each permit issued, the appropriate inspector requires one or more inspections. The building permits issued totaled $31,367,866 in construction costs. The fees collected for issuing said permits totaled $244,618. The staff of the Inspections Division consists of an Inspector of Buildings, a Local Building Inspector, an Inspector of Wires/Local Building Inspector, an Inspector of Plumbing/Gasfitting/Local Building Inspector, and a Principal Clerk/Administrator. In addition to the regular department work, the Division continues to serve in its advisory capacity to assist citizens, boards, commissions, and other town departments.
Town of Arlington Web site, © 1999 Town of Arlington, Mass. Created June 18, 1999 and updated Nov. 15, 1999