ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

 

 

I hereby submit my report as Fire Chief for the year ending December 31, 2004

 

Fire Chief

Stephen A. Motta

 

Deputy Chief

Brian R. Legendre

 

Lieutenants

John W. Andrade                             Allen N. Manley, Jr.

Glenn A. Wood                                             Michael P. Silvia

 

Firefighter/EMT’s

                                    Douglas P. Orr                                     Brian D. Souza

                                    Raymond E. Benoit                              Daniel F. Ledoux

Brian A. Beaulieu (Military Leave)         Glenn R. Nunes

                                    Bruce Martin                                         Keith Nickelson

                                    Matthew Cowell                                                Dennis Pelland

                                    Darren Nunes                                       Glenn Mackillop

Mark Brisk                                            Paul Duhon

Daniel Baldwin

 

Call Firefighters

 

Delray Dorsey                                              Steve Lopes

Todd Mackay                                    Roger Maynard

                                    Bryan Moniz                                      Kendall G. Nickelson

                        Kenneth Reilly                                              Chad Vaillancourt

                        Ronald Vien                                      Anthony Ward

 

Principal Clerk

Theresa A. Vaillancourt

 

E-911 Coordinator

John W. Andrade

 

Training Officer

Allen N. Manley, Jr.

 

Drillmaster

Brian D. Souza

 

Fire Investigation Unit

Michael P. Silvia

Daniel F. Ledoux

 

Public Education Committee

Kenneth Reilly

 

EMS Coordinator

Glenn A. Wood

 

Assistant EMS Coordinator

Glenn R. Nunes

 

Computer Administrator

Michael P. Silvia

 

 

The Fire Department answered 1,968 calls for a total of 2,319 vehicle runs during 2004, classified as follows:

 

Buildings----------------------------------- 19

Woods/Brush----------------------------- 29

Vehicles------------------------------------ 12

Lost Persons------------------------------- 3

False Alarms------------------------------- 3

Mutual Aid

                                                            Fire------------------------------- 17

                                                            Ambulance--------------------- 54

Chimney------------------------------------- 1

Assist Rescue---------------------------- 41

Appliance Fires---------------------------- 4

Bomb Scares------------------------------- 0

Jaws-of-Life------------------------------- 24

Unclassified------------------------------- 28

Investigations----------------------------- 93

Dumpsters---------------------------------- 2

Fire Alarms------------------------------ 112

First Aid in Stations----------------------- 6

Unauthorized Burning------------------ 42

Public Assist------------------------------ 36

Hazardous Materials------------------- 31

Water Rescues---------------------------- 6

Carbon Monoxide Detector

Investigations------------------ 14

                                                Station Coverage-------------------------- 5

                                                Good Intent-------------------------------- 10

                                                Assist Police-------------------------------- 3

                                                Motor Vehicle Accidents------------- 167

                                                Emergency EMS Calls------------- 1,373

 

Emergency Ambulance------------ 1,427

Fire Related Calls---------------------- 541

 

 

Summary Of Vehicle Runs For The Year:

 

Engine 1-------------------------------------- 0

Engine 2---------------------------------- 164

Engine 3------------------------------------ 55

Engine 4------------------------------------ 46

Engine 5------------------------------------ 64

Engine 6---------------------------------- 118

Engine 7---------------------------------- 171

Tanker 1------------------------------------ 44

Chief's Car--------------------------------- 50

Deputy's Car------------------------------- 73

Marine 1 ------------------------------------- 3

Marine 2-------------------------------------- 1

Personal Vehicles------------------------ 20

Car 3----------------------------------------- 20

Car 4----------------------------------------- 13

Special Operations Unit------------------ 9

Ambulance 1----------------------------- 542

Ambulance 2----------------------------- 881

Ambulance 3------------------------------- 45

 

 

Permits Issued During The Year:

 

Smoke Detectors------------------------- 315

Oil Burners----------------------------------- 66

Underground Tank Removal-------------- 4

Propane--------------------------------------- 47

Open Air Fire---------------------------- 3,192

Blasting----------------------------------------- 3

Above Ground Tank------------------------ 7

Black Powder--------------------------------- 2

Waste Oil-------------------------------------- 2

Fire Reports--------------------------------- 17

Sprinklers-------------------------------------- 2

Tank Trucks----------------------------------- 4

 

 

Loss Due To Fire:

 

Buildings---------------------------- $ 336,000

 

Vehicles------------------------------     41,000

 

Total Loss-------------------------- $ 377,000

 

 

The 2004 Annual Town Meeting passed, subject to a Special Town Vote to authorize the purchase of a new Pumper/Tanker to replace a 1974 vehicle.  I would like to thank all of the Townspeople who supported us in this endeavor.  The truck is on order and will be put into service as soon as it arrives.

 

During the past year we have had many successes and a few failures.  Our most notable failure was the temporary condemnation of the South End Fire Station.  With the assistance of the Fire Association and private businesses we were able to bring it up to an acceptable level within a few days.  While we are able to use it we are still badly in need of new quarters.  The Mass Department of Occupational Safety and the Building Department have both indicated we will have to replace this building soon.  To that end I am requesting your support in our efforts to build a new facility.

 

Our successes are numerous.  Our Deputy Fire Chief has successfully completed a Haz-Mat Technician course, sponsored by the Mass Fire Academy.  This knowledge has already been used to our advantage, affording both a time frame and a financial savings.

 

Donations from Townspeople and Business have allowed us to purchase and install a washing machine for the firefighter’s gear should they become soiled.  I thank everyone who has donated to the Fire Department Gift Fund that continues to make things like this happen.

 

FF/EMT Brian Souza continues (for the second year) his Child Safety Seat inspections/installations.  This is in cooperation with the Local and State Police Program.  The majority of these inspections have been performed at the Fire Station at no additional cost to the Town.  Any resident who would like to avail themselves can contact him at the Briggs Rd. Station.

 

Call FF/EMT Ken Reilly continued his Fire Safety Programs with the Second, Fourth and Tenth grades.  In Spring 2004 he with the help of various businesses and fellow Firefighters conducted another edition of the Safe Prom Program for the Junior and Senior classes at the High School.  If this saves only one of our children’s lives it will have been well worth the time and effort.

 

Westport Firefighters continue to improve their skills through Fire Science and Fire Administration Degrees at various colleges such as Bristol Community College, Providence College and Empire State University as well as through the Mass Fire Academy.  The Fire Academy and its Staff have brought some of their “Impact: training sessions here to Westport as well as Department members making the 90 mile trek to Stow for courses at the Academy. The coming year will present some new challenges for the training team in the Westport Fire Department.  We will be running a firefighter recruit class, which will be the single largest group of recruits trained to date.  We will be using a new training curriculum purchased through the Fire Department Gift Account.

 

I would like to thank the members of the Department and the Community who have given their time, talent and resources to aid the Department in all aspects of its endeavors as we try to provide our Firefighters with a safe workplace while providing the best protection for our Community.

 

            Respectfully submitted,

 

            Stephen A. Motta

            Fire Chief