Town of Norwood

 135 Nahatan Street, Norwood MA 02062
Call 911 for Police, Fire or Ambulance Emergency
Station Emergency Line Direct: 781-762-1313
Business Line: 781-440-5200
Fire Prevention: 781-440-5211

Chief Anthony J. Greeley
Ronald Maggio, Deputy Chief
Lieutenant Paul Butters, Fire Prevention Officer

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

FIRE SERVICES SUBSTITUTION COST ANALYSIS

 Report Norwood Fire FINAL 03-08-11

 Appendix A NFPA US Fire Department Profile 03-09-11

 Appendix B OSHA Two In Two Out 03-09-11

 Appendix C NFPA 1710 03-09-11

 Appendix D Letter Released 01-27-11 from Chief Howard 03-09-11

 Appendix E Letter dated 02-14-11 from Doug Smith CPA 03-09-11

 Appendix F Overtime Tracking Tools Spreadsheets 03-09-11

 Appendix G Revised Ambulance Revenue Projections 03-09-10

 Appendix H CAAS Ambulance Standards V3 2009 03-09-10

 Appendix I Comments from Substitution Pay Committee and Chief Howard re draft report 03-09-11 

 Appendix J Certification Handbook Entry Level Police & Firefighter Appointments 03-09-11 

  The Norwood Fire Department is a municipal organization which provides Fire, Rescue and Emergency Medical Services to the citizens of The Town of Norwood.
We proudly protect more than 29,000 residents living in an area of 10.48 square miles in a community located 14 miles from Boston in the County of Norfolk.
The Department is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by a 67 member full time dedicated firefighting force. Guided by Acting Chief Ronald Maggio, the Norwood Fire Department stands a continuous guard, ready and proud to protect our community.
Our primary mission is to provide the highest possible commitment in Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services to all people. To be ever vigilant of the constantly changing demands of our diversified world and community. To stand prepared and devoted to serve with courage and dedication the time honoured profession of Firefighting.   

Fire Prevention Bureau   

The Norwood Fire Prevention Bureau is headed by Lieutenant Paul Butters. Duties and responsibilities include the enforcement of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 148 Fire Laws and 527 CMR Massachusetts Fire Regulations. Some of the daily activities in the Fire Prevention Bureau include the inspection of Public Schools, Hotels, Nursing Homes, Boarding Houses, Public Buildings and Elderly Housing Complexes. The Fire Prevention Bureau also is responsible for the permitting of the installation of Oil Burners, Sprinkler Systems, Fire Alarms, Welding Operations, Firework Displays and Aboveground/Underground Fuel Storage. Over the course of the year Lt. Butters also visits different occupancies to conduct Fire Evacuation Drills, Safety Seminars and Fire Extinguisher Training. If you have any questions concerning Fire Safety contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at (781) 440-5211.

   Dispatch

When you call the Norwood Fire Department for an emergency the first person you speak with will be one of our highly trained dispatchers. These dispatchers have the experience and training to get you the appropriate fire department services fast! Our full time dispatchers are certifed in both Power Phone and EMD-Emergency Medical Dispatch. In fact many of our dispatchers are Certified Emergency Medical Technicians. The Norwood Fire Department uses the Enhanced 911 System and also has a direct emergency line at 1-781-762-1313. On average Norwood Fire Department Dispatchers have 10.5 years of experience and with that experience they are ready to take your emergency call!

Fire Investigation

The Fire Investigator for the Norwood Fire Department is veteran firefighter Bill Turner. FF Turner is responsible for determining the origin and cause of fires within the jurisdiction. FF Turner conducts interviews after fires, coordinates fire investigations with law enforcement and acts as a liason between the department and State Fire Marshall's office and District Attorney's Office. As fire investigator Bill Turner has attended fire investigation school at the Massachusetts Fire Academy, National Fire Academy and the Massachusetts State Police Arson Unit and Bomb Squad. Bill Turner has been a Norwood firefighter for 31 years and has been the Fire Investigator for 21 years.

Emergency Medical Services

The Norwood Fire Department provides the citizens of Norwood with exceptional Emergency Medical Services by operating two ambulances. One ambulance provides basic life support while the other provides advanced life support. So whatever medical emergency you may have, the Norwood Fire Department is prepared to respond with the appropriate medical services.

Basic Life Support Coordinator Billy Morrison

Advanced Life Support Coordinator Mike Downing

                        Ice Safety and Sledding Safety Tip s

Some of my favorite Winter memories growing up on Wilson Street in Norwood were of walking to New Pond or Ellis with my friends and playing pond hockey or going ice fishing. It was always a blast visiting “Grammy and Grampy” Eppich on the end of Fairview Ave to do some sledding on the hill by the Elks. And you may remember going to Norfolk Country Club after a snow storm to go sledding with your family and having some of the best times of your young life.

Now that the cold weather and snow are here you and your family can have great memories like these if you follow some basic safety rules:

Ice Safety

• Always consider ice covered waterways unsafe.
• As a general rule:     3"  or less STAY OFF
                               4" (new, clear ice) ice fishing, walking, cross country skiing
                               5" (new, clear ice) spread out groups of people
                               6” (new, clear ice) pond hockey, sports                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
• The thinnest ice is most often in the center of the water body.
• Never go out on the ice alone.  Have your partner walk a good distance away from you.  If you fall through, your partner can call 9-1-1.
• Never drive on the ice.  This includes motor vehicles, ATVs and snowmobiles.
• Slush on a water body is dangerous.  Slush indicates the ice is no longer freezing from the bottom.

What should I do if I fall through the ice?

• Stay calm.  Have your partner call 9-1-1.
• Use ice claws if you have them to pull yourself out of the water.  (Ice claws are two ice picks or screwdrivers attached with a cord.)
• Try to swim onto the ice using your hands and/or ice claws and kicking your feet.  If the ice breaks, keep trying.  Remember, the thinnest ice is in the center of the water body.
• Once on the ice do not stand up.  Instead try to distribute your weight over a large area by sliding or rolling to shore.  Follow the same route you took before you fell in.  Your original route was safe until you fell in.

What if I see someone fall through the ice?

• Stay calm.  Call 9-1-1.
• Tell the person who fell through that you have called for help.
• Do not attempt to save the person, unless you are professionally trained and have a rescue team with you.  If they fell through the ice, you will too.

Here are some tips for keeping your kids safe during the sledding season:

•  Make sure children know that sledding can be dangerous. They’ll be more likely to listen to you if they know their fun could be cut short by bumps, bruises, or even broken bones.
• Encourage riders to lie on their backs and go feet first down the slope. Alternatively, they can sit face forward on the sled. Either approach will greatly reduce the risk of head injuries.
• Check the terrain. Many young sledders think that trees, rocks, bare patches, creeks, and other obstacles are just part of sledding. They don’t realize how quickly one of these hazards could put an end to the fun. Make sure the slope is gentle, clear from top to bottom, and doesn't end near a road or freeway.
•  Keep your child away from makeshift snow ramps. While it may be tempting to go sailing through the air like Evel Knievel, ramps are hazardous and can even be deadly.
•  Bundle kids up. Younger children are more susceptible than adults to hypothermia, a potentially life-threatening situation where the body temperature falls well below normal. Be sure to check youngsters often, and bring them in right away if they get wet -- water and wind can reduce body temperature quickly. Older kids should dress in warm layers. In addition to protecting your child from the elements, proper winter clothing from head to toe can help cushion falls.
•  Consider buying your child a helmet, especially if she’s under 12. Helmets have become standard equipment for sports such as skateboarding and downhill skiing, and they won’t seem out of place on the sledding hill.
• Tell your kids to come inside for regular water breaks. Sweating under heavy winter clothing and breathing hard from exertion can cause dehydration.
•  Don't forget the sunscreen. Even though there may not be much skin peeking out from under those heavy coats and caps, sunlight reflecting off the snow can burn it in a hurry.
•  Most of all, watch your young ones to make sure they’re following the rules. Better yet, get your own sled and race them to the bottom. Kids may be fearless, but gravity is on your side.

By following these guidelines the Norwood Fire Department hopes everyone enjoys winter and the kids have a great, safe time during school vacation.

George Morrice
Norwood Fire Department Spokesman                                                                                                                                                                    

The Norwood Fire Department uses the Rescue Alive Ice/Water Sled for cold weather water emergencies. In warmer weather the NFD utilizes a Zodiac MK2 Classic boat with a 15 HP Johnson Outboard and a Minn Kota Electric backup motor.

Postings

Documents 

Norwood Fire Department and the Executive office of Public Safety warn drivers to “Move Over”.

            In an effort to keep Massachusetts roadways safer, the Norwood Fire Department and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security are raising awareness for the state’s new Move Over Law and promoting safe driving across the Commonwealth.

The new law, which took effect on March 22, 2009 is meant to help protect police, firefighters, paramedics, tow truck drivers and all roadside emergency and maintenance workers. The law requires all drivers approaching a stationary emergency or maintenance vehicle with flashing lights to move to the next adjacent lane if it is safe to do so, and, barring that, to reduce their speed. Violating the Move Over Law can be expensive as well as dangerous as failure to comply could result in a fine of up to $100.

“We ask that all drivers in Norwood and across Massachusetts take a moment to slow down and move over – if it is safe to do so – if they see an officer, emergency responder or maintenance vehicle stopped on the side of the road,” said Norwood Fire Department Spokesman George Morrice. “Together we can make the roadways of Massachusetts safer and less stressful for everyone involved.”

Every year, first responders across the country are injured or killed while providing emergency roadside help. In the past six months alone, several Massachusetts State Troopers have been injured on the job. According to the Merit Rating Board, in 2008 there were nearly 2000 violations of the Chapter 89 Law which deals with obstructing emergency vehicles including failure to yield and following too closely.

For more information, go to www.mass.gov/safety/moveover.