Fires, calls for medical help up
FITCHBURG » Though fires increased overall in 2019, Fitchburg Fire Chief Kevin Roy said his department made several life-saving rescues and continues to prepare for any challenge moving forward.
This revelation is part of the 2019 Annual Report compiled by the department and presented to the City Council last week.
“I am extremely proud of the work done, day in and day out by our entire staff here at the Fitchburg Fire Department,” Roy said. “lt has been an honor and a privilege working with the hundreds of firefighters in this department over the past 45 years. The work done by the members of this profession is truly courageous and heroic.”
In 2019, the department responded to a total of 465 fires, more than the previous year but in line with the five-year average. About 80% of the fires were structure fires, according to the report, while 34 were vehicle fires.
Meanwhile, the fire department received 10,161 calls for service, 7,241 of which were for medical support. Notably, there were 687 calls to investigate smoke and 339 calls for fire alarms with no smoke present.
The Fitchburg Fire Emergency Medical Service and the MedStar Ambulance Co. responded to a total of 8,434 calls in 2019.
According to the report, emergency medical service calls to the department have increased each year, evidence of why it needs to maintain an effective and efficient EMS Department.
“Fitchburg Fire EMS personnel are dedicated professional caregivers who will continue to broaden the assessment, diagnostic, and management
capabilities of pre-hospital providers,” said Capt. Chad Courtemanche. “Emergency care is very demanding in the City of Fitchburg and our EMS Department needs to keep up with these demands. The two Paramedic units and our own Rescue 3 continue to be outstanding in patient care.”
According to the report, the department saved more than $80 million in property loss due to the quick action of firefighters. There was an estimate of $1.4 million in property losses in building fires last year.
“The firefighters and investigators do their best to estimate the losses they can see, but the cost of demolition, permits, and reconstruction will probably be much higher,” wrote Fire Lt. Phil Jordan.
Jordan added that monetary losses cannot account for indirect losses such as a businesses that are closed for an extended amount of time or homes where family mementos are lost.
In 2019, the time spent on training and activities other than responding to alarms was 18,528 hours. That number includes hours department members spent receiving certifications and other training.
Training and Safety Coordinator Lt. Richard Liberatore said the city’s training program provides each firefighter with the opportunity to acquire new skills and sharpen existing ones to perform better during critical moments.
“We will always accept the latest and greatest procedures in firefighting technology, but we will never forget our basic foundation in firefighting skills,” said Liberatore. “No matter how many years you have on the job, we all benefit from daily training.”
Roy said the department continued to participate in active shooter drills with the Fitchburg Police Department and has purchased ballistic protective equipment for firefighters.
“As we see these violent occurrences across the nation, and the world, it is critical we continue to be ready to handle any of these violent and lifethreatening events,” Roy said in the report. “This training is now conducted annually along with the over 27,000 hours of training our firefighters do each year.”
He also said the department received a $290,000 federal FEMA grant to purchase new personal protective equipment. The department also added two new pump trucks at a cost of just over $1 million.
In the report, Roy also outlined several goals for the department in 2020.
Roy said serious planning is needed to replace the Oak Hill and Summer Street Fire stations. Once the City Hall renovation project is complete, he said, it is time for the city to create a schedule to relocate and rebuild the “ancient stations.”
Work was started back in 2008 to find a new location for each of the stations, but work was put on hold after state and local funding was reduced.
Roy said another goal is to maintain a rate of 17 to 18 firefighters on duty at all times.
“Fitchburg is a very busy Fire Department for a city our size, in both fire and medical calls,” he said. “This is in addition to Fire Prevention, Fire Education, Emergency Management, Training, and other duties we perform daily, which requires the proper number of personnel, to perform all these critical services.”