News - Maynard Fire Department

January 21, 2020 by Taylor O'Neil Leave a Comment

Maynard Fire Department Warns Parents of Troubling Viral Teen Video Resulting in Fire Incidents

MAYNARD–Chief Anthony Stowers would like to warn parents of a new viral teen video that may result in fire incidents.

State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey released an advisory today to inform the general public of two incidents that have taken place in Massachusetts. Though there have not been any reports of incidents involving these “challenges” taking place in Maynard, officials would like parents to be aware of the new challenge.

The challenge seen on the popular video app, TikTok, involves partially inserting the plug part of a phone charger into an outlet and sliding a penny down the wall onto the exposed prongs. This action results in sparks and can cause electrical system damage and, in some cases, a fire. To view the video of the challenge click here.

“Online challenges such as this one tempt children to participate in dangerous activities,” said Chief Stowers. “If parents suspect their children to be involved in this trend, we recommend that they look for any burnt outlets or outlets that seem to be tampered with. Damaged outlets can be dangerous and may cause a fire.”

Chief Stowers would like to provide the following electrical fire safety tips from the U.S. Fire Administration:

Insert plugs fully into sockets.
If you have young children, install tamper-resistant electrical outlets.
Replace wall outlets if plugs do not fit tightly.
Do not overload outlets.
Never force a three-pronged plug into a two-slot outlet.

In addition to electrical fire safety, Chief Stowers would like to remind parents and children to discuss the dangers of certain online challenges and trends and recognizing dangerous activity on the internet.

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January 15, 2020 by Melissa Proulx Leave a Comment

Maynard Fire Chief Announces New Burning Permit Process

Chief Anthony Stowers would like to announce that burning permits for the State Open Burning Season can now be applied for online.

Burning permits from previous seasons do not carry over from year-to-year. All residents need to re-apply for a permit and can do so online by visiting the Maynard Fire Department’s website here.

The State Open Burning Season will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 15 and end on Thursday, April 30.

If you have a permit and are planning a burn, call 978-897-1014, option 7 to notify Maynard Fire Department and to make sure burning is allowed that day.

Residents must carry out their burning between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Burning must be done at least 75 feet away from buildings and be attended to at all times.

“We ask residents to follow these rules and use an abundance of caution while burning to prevent any fires from getting out of control,” Chief Stowers said. “If a fire does get out of control, call 911 immediately.”

Outdoor burning is only permitted for brush, cane, driftwood, forestry debris from other than commercial or industrial land clearing for new non-agricultural purposes. Burning brush, trees, cane and driftwood from commercial and/or industrial land clearing grass purposes is prohibited. Burning grass, hay, leaves, stumps, tires, plastic and trash are prohibited as well.

Violations of the permit requirements, open burning law and/or open burning regulations will be grounds for permit revocation. According to the law, residents who are found to be violating these rules may be punished by a fine of no more than $100, by imprisonment for up to one month, or both.

January 10, 2020 by Jordan Mayblum Leave a Comment

Maynard Firefighter Completes Rigorous Academy Training Program

MAYNARD — Chief Anthony Stowers is pleased to announce that a member of the Maynard Fire Department graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy today.

Firefighter Joshua Schrader was among 35 firefighters from 20 departments to graduate from the academy’s Career Recruit Firefighter Training Program Class 279 on Friday, Jan. 10. Graduates were recognized at a ceremony at the Department of Fire Services headquarters in Stow.

Schrader, a former Marine from Pepperell, had been working as a per diem firefighter in Boxborough prior to joining the Maynard Fire Department. While at the academy, Firefighter Schrader was elected as the class president and, in his remarks at today’s ceremony, impressed upon his classmates the importance of pursuing continued training throughout their careers.

“We’re proud of Josh’s accomplishment and are looking forward to having him join our department as a full-time firefighter,” Chief Stowers said. “Firefighters do much more than fight fires, and the academy’s deep training regimen reflects the diverse set of responsibilities that Josh and all of our members fulfill on any given day.”

Modern firefighters are the first ones called to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies, ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to a gas leak. They may be called to rescue a child who has fallen through the ice or who has locked himself in a bathroom. They rescue people from stalled elevators and those who are trapped in vehicle crashes. They test and maintain their equipment including
self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus.

The 10-week program teaches the essentials of fire and non-fire conditions, life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack. They also undergo rigorous training in areas like hazardous materials mitigation, stress management, confined space rescue techniques and more.

The other graduates represent the fire departments of Arlington, Acton, Bedford, Beverly, Concord, Hingham, Hopedale, Ipswich, Leominster, Lexington, Lynn, Manchester, Mansfield, Marshfield, Melrose, Rockland, Sudbury, Taunton and Yarmouth.

About the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy:
At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, firefighter recruits learn a wide range of skills in an intensive 10-week program. Certified and more experienced firefighters lead classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and firefighting practice. Students are given training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, confined space rescue techniques and rappelling. Upon successful completion of the Recruit Program, all students have met national standards of National Fire Protection Association 1001.

January 7, 2020 by Jordan Mayblum Leave a Comment

Town of Maynard Introduces New Emergency Alert System

MAYNARD — Town Administrator Greg Johnson announces that the Town of Maynard has chosen a new alert system to help keep residents better informed during local emergencies.

The new emergency alert system, Hyper-Reach, replaces the previous Maynard Blackboard system. It will provide rapid notification of hazardous and urgent situations using a mix of telephone calls, text and email messages, and even TTY/TDD service for the hearing impaired.

The system is capable of sending thousands of messages to geographically targeted households in seconds, and can simultaneously deliver them to an even broader audience via social media. It can also send broadcast messages to most modern mobile telephones (made since 2011) in an affected area by providing access to FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system.

“Our job is to protect the citizens of the Town of Maynard and keep them informed as effectively and cost-effectively as possible.” said Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Anthony Stowers. “We reviewed Hyper-Reach as a potential emergency notification service for Maynard, and their system gave us everything we needed at a competitive price. We’re really excited about this improved system.”

The town plans to use the service in the same way it utilized the previous system, primarily for alerts about weather and environmental hazards, public safety and missing persons. Landline phone numbers are automatically enrolled for community alerts. In order to receive updates on mobile phones by email, as well as weather alerts to landline phones, residents must enroll. Residents and people who work in the Town of Maynard are encouraged to enroll now either by calling or texting “Alert” to (978) 307-8700 or by going to the website http://hyper-reach.com/mamaynardsignup.html. There is also a link from the town’s web page.

Residents can also download the Hyper-Reach Anywhere app on their smartphone. Hyper-Reach Anywhere is a free smartphone app that allows individuals to manage and monitor the alerts they receive, both for their home and office addresses and for other important addresses, such as those of elderly relatives or friends.

“We’re honored to have been selected by the Town of Maynard to provide its emergency alerts,” said Sam Asher, President of Hyper-Reach. “It’s gratifying to be part of an effort to keep residents informed, save lives and protect property and we take that responsibility very seriously.”

About the Maynard Emergency Management Agency

The Maynard Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is the Town agency responsible for coordinating federal, state, local, volunteer, and private resources during emergencies and disasters in the Town of Maynard. Emergency Management develops plans for effective response to all-hazards, disasters or threats, trains emergency personnel and volunteers to protect the public, provides information to residents, and assists individuals, families, and businesses to mitigate against, prepare for, and respond to and recover from emergencies, both natural and manmade.

The Emergency Management Director (EMD) serves as the Chairman of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The LEPC is the planning side of the Town’s department-wide response to emergencies. The Maynard EMA continued using the state’s web-based emergency management communications system, WebEOC, to provide real-time information sharing during natural and man-made incidents. The EMD worked closely with staff from the MEMA Region 1 Office in Tewksbury and Framingham Headquarters. In addition, staff attended several Local Directors Meetings and various stakeholder meetings/trainings throughout the state.

About Hyper-Reach

Hyper-Reach (www.hyper-reach.com) is a mass notification system with over 15 years of experience in emergency messaging. Hyper-Reach sends messages via automated telephone calls, text messaging (SMS), email, and social media, such as Twitter. Other uses of Hyper-Reach include Amber alerts, toxic chemical warnings, and armed shooter alerts. In addition to 911 centers, Hyper-Reach is used by law enforcement, educational institutions, and corporations.

For more information about Hyper-Reach, go to www.hyper-reach.com.

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December 12, 2019 by Matthew Reid Leave a Comment

Maynard Fire Department Announces Grant Award for Firefighter Turnout Gear

MAYNARD — Fire Chief Anthony Stowers is pleased to announce that the Maynard Fire Department has received a $2,497.11 Firefighter Turnout Gear Grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) and the Department of Fire Services (DFS).

The department will be able to purchase protective hoods and gloves for personal protection during firefighting operations.

“This gear will protect our firefighters from the immediate risks associated with fighting fires in dangerous environments, and just as importantly, protect them from the delayed risk of occupational cancers caused by exposure to the toxic chemicals produced during fires,” Chief Stowers said. “Properly equipping our firefighters with the gear they need to be safe allows them to do their jobs as effectively as possible, and is a great benefit to the overall safety of our community.”

Maynard is one of 174 Massachusetts fire departments in the state to receive the grant funds.

“We now know that the risk of occupational cancer is among the greatest threats faced by modern firefighters, and are thankful that the Commonwealth has been able to invest in this personal protective equipment to improve the overall health and safety of firefighters,” said State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey. “Providing firefighters with new hoods and gloves to protect their heads and hands from exposure to the toxic chemicals that cause cancer is one of the most effective steps we can take to prevent future cancer diagnoses.”

Funding for this grant program was made available through the Baker-Polito administration for fire departments across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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