2019-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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WILDFIRE PLANNING Report of the Fire Department To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: On behalf of the members of the Mashpee Fire & Rescue Department, it is my honor to submit our report for calendar year 2019. OUR MISSION "The Mission of the Mashpee Fire & Rescue Department is to minimize loss and suffering within our community. We accomplish this by education, training, and the mitigation of emergency incidents within the limit of available resources." PERSONNEL As your Fire Chief, I am proud to work with thirty-four full-time firefighters and two highly - qualified administrative staff employees. Their work to accomplish the mission of this Department represents a 24-hour a day, 7-day a week commitment to the citizens we proudly serve. As of December 31, 2019, the current authorized strength of the Department was thirty-six operational members (4 Captains, 4 Lieutenants, 24 Firefighters, 1 Fire Prevention Inspector, 1 Lt. EMS Officer, 1 Fire Chief, and 1 Deputy Fire Chief, for a total of thirty-six members. FIRE OPERATIONS Our Fire Departments Fire Inspector and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Officer have developed many courses, site visits and other public safety events to enhance the quality of life in Mashpee over the past year. Some of the beneficial offerings have been Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detector surveys of your home or business; Child Car Seat Installation; Vial of Life medical review; Fire Extinguisher Training; Home Safety inspections & lectures, and the management of End of Life decisions. Further, we have continued our partnership with the Mashpee School system in the school to career program. Wildfire mitigation projects continue in the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge. The use of prescription fire for habitat restoration and fire fuels reduction in 2019 was limited due to frequent weather issues which prevented many of the planned burns. There are still plans in place to continue this program in 2020 in order to accomplish beneficial burns for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife property near Great Hay Road and Amy Brown Road. With the partnership still in effect and the signing of a memorandum of understand in December 2017, more beneficial prescribed burns are planned for 2020 off of Great Hay Road between Mercantile Way and Degrass Road. All of these planned prescription burns are accomplished with the partnership of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife, Orenda Wildlife Land Trust, and the Town of Mashpee. New for 2020 The three new ambulance which have been placed in service over the last two years allows for better delivery of emergency medical services on a more reliable chassis. They are equipped with an automatic stretcher loading system, making it safer for our personnel and the patient. The Departments 1980 Tanker, which had serviced the town with distinction for 40 years was replaced in March 2020. This new Tanker will inherit the previous tankers mission of allowing the Fire Department to have an uninterrupted supply of water to control fire in those areas of town without hydrants. Further, upgrades in the vehicle will allow it to have a more expanded role. THANK YOU I wish to thank the Board of Selectmen for their confidence in each and every member of the Fire Department. Further, I would like to thank the administration, department heads, and members of all Town departments. Your support and assistance is critical to the successful completion of our mission. On behalf of the Fire Department, I want to thank the citizens of Mashpee for their continued support and appreciation of our work. Respectfully submitted, Thomas C. Rullo, Fire Chief 132