Firefighters joined at the Beverly Fireman's Relief monument to remember their fallen brothers on a rainy Sunday June 14th. This year firefighters remembered the six Beverly Firefighters that have died in the line of duty in addition to all those who have fallen in our proffession.
Beverly Firefighters and Northeast paramedics work at the mock car crash
On June 10, Beverly Firefighters took part in a Mock car crash to show High School Seniors the importance of good decision making when it comes to alcohol and driving. During the Beverly High School Peer Education sponsored program members of the Beverly Fire, Beverly Police, Northeast Regional Ambulance, Grondins Funeral Home, Campbell's Funeral Home and Beverly Emergency Management all worked with students to show a scenario in which two of their classmates died in a tragic automobile collision. As victims played their roles, the senior class stood by watching. Firefighters cut the roof off of one vehicle while paramedics worked on critically injured patients. In the forefront, a Beverly Police Officer gave a student a field sobriety check and arrested him for driving under the influence. The annual event is meat to remind the students that the best of their lives is still ahead of them and a single poor decision can change their life along with countless others in a split second.
Beverly Fire Department Divers Recover Canoe
On Sunday, June 7 Beverly Fire Department Divers responded to Chebacco Lake in Hamilton to assist Environmental and Hamilton Police officers with the recovery of a canoe involved in a personal injury incident. Divers searched an area based on witness accounts for forty five minutes before finding the canoe on the bottom of the lake in 17 feet of water. Using air bags, the canoe was floated to the surface and transferred to awaiting Environmental Police Officers.
Firefighters from Beverly and Wenham prepare to aply foam to a simulated aircraft fire
Beverly Airport Exercise
Multiple agencies from three different cities and towns responded to a mock aircraft crash at the Beverly Airport on June 11. The disaster involved a corporate jet aircraft crash landing, breaking into two pieces and half of the plane bursting into flames. There were also three victims on the airfield including one trapped in a vehicle that simulated the cockpit of the aircraft.
The drill was a tremendous success. Due to the complexity of the incident, it was paramount that all of the responding agencies worked together in an effort to mitigate several problems that varied from rescue to fire extinguishment. The best benefit came from putting plans to practice and identifying strong points and shortcomings.
Agencies involved included Beverly Police and Fire, Danvers Police and Fire, Wenham Police and Fire, Northeast Regional Ambulance, Lyons Ambulance, the Beverly Airport Commission, Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Bureau.
Firefighters practice getting a downed member on air and out of a building during Rapid Intervention Training
Firefighters Prepare for the Rescue
Beverly Firefighters were given the opportunity to use a building with a dark history of taking lives for training that may save a life. On July 4, 1984 fifteen lives were lost in one of the worst loss of life fire in Massachusetts history.
As the building that sits at 434 Rantoul Street is about to be demolished for construction of a new CVS, firefighters were allowed to get into the building to conduct self rescue and Rapid Intervention training.
The rigorous training included techniques for dragging, changing air supplies and coordinating the rescue effort all while working in a no visibility atmosphere with a limited air supply.
“This type of training is very valuable” said Deputy Chief Paul Cotter “not only are we learning new techniques, but it reinforces the importance of knowing your equipment without being able to look at it”.
The training is part of a State wide initiative to standardize the way firefighters rescue themselves. More and more often, firefighters find themselves working in other communities. By standardizing the training, firefighters will have the best chance of survival under emergency situations.
