Jump to content

Worcester Fire Department

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Worcester Fire Department
Operational area
Country United States
State Massachusetts
City Worcester
Agency overview[1]
Established25 February 1835 (1835-02-25)
Employees424 (2013)
Annual budget$33,940,872 (2013)
StaffingCareer
Fire chiefMichael Lavoie
EMS levelBLS
IAFF1009
Facilities and equipment[2][3]
Divisions2
Stations10
Engines13
Trucks5
Tillers2
Rescues1
HAZMAT1
Rescue boats1
Website
Official website
IAFF website

The Worcester Fire Department (WFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Worcester, Massachusetts.[4] The department serves an area of 39 square miles (100 km2) with a population of 183,000 residents.[4]

Notable incidents

[edit]

Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse fire

[edit]
Main article: Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse fire

On December 3, 1999, six firefighters were killed at the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire.[5] The fire occurred at 6:13 p.m. in an abandoned cold storage warehouse at Box 1438, 266 Franklin Street. Six Worcester firefighters died while looking for two homeless victims thought to be trapped in the blaze.[6] The fire went to five alarms and took six days to bring under control. Those killed were:

  • Lieutenant Thomas Spencer, 42, Ladder 2
  • Firefighter Paul Brotherton, 41, Rescue 1
  • Firefighter Jeremiah Lucey, 38, Rescue 1
  • Firefighter Timothy Jackson, 51, Ladder 2
  • Firefighter James Lyons, 34, Engine 3
  • Firefighter Joseph McGuirk, 38, Engine 3

Services for the firefighters were held in the DCU Center (then called Worcester's Centrum Centre). The funeral procession was broadcast on several national news networks and was attended by President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator John Kerry (who flew non-stop from Burma, where he had been attending a diplomatic function).[7] Also in the procession were firefighters from around the United States, Canada, and from Dublin, Ireland.[8]

Because his cousin, FF. Lucey, and high school friend, Lt. Spencer were killed in the fire, actor/comedian Denis Leary, a Worcester native, started the Leary Firefighters Foundation in 2000 to give aid and support to many fire departments, particularly those suffering from budget shortfalls by providing them with new equipment.[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ O’Brien, Michael. "Fiscal 2013 Annual Budget" (PDF). City or Worcester. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  2. ^ "Stations". Worcester Fire Department. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  3. ^ "Stations". IAFF 1009. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "About". Worcester MA Fire Department. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  5. ^ McDowell, Thomas. "Six Career Fire Fighters Killed in Cold-Storage and Warehouse Building Fire - Massachusetts". Division of Respiratory Disease Studies. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  6. ^ "Abandoned Cold Storage Warehouse MultiFirefighter Fatality Fire" (PDF). FEMA. Homeland Security. December 1999. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  7. ^ Jarvey, Paul (December 9, 1999). "Words are not enough". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  8. ^ Astell, Emilie; Shaun Sutner (December 8, 1999). "From president to residents, 25,000 expected at tribute". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Archived from the original on July 30, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "Foundation History". The Leary Firefighters Foundation. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Firefighting in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Worcester_Fire_Department&oldid=1292226164"