Did you feel it?

At around 1740 hours this evening, several Rowley residents (and firefighters) reported feeling a rumble. Various people described it as a tree falling, a plow passing (it is snowing, after all,) or a distant explosion. One resident called 911 to report he thought a building had collapsed.

Rowley police and firefighters were dispatched to check the area, but found nothing. At the same time, authorities in Groveland, West Newbury, and Newburyport were investigating similar reports.

Reports are now coming in that a seismograph in Amesbury registered a seismic event. So where were you for the Big Earthquake of Christmas 2008, and did you feel it?

Update: At 2020 hours we received word from the MA Emergency Management Agency confirming a 1.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Haverhill, MA. It's official.

Christmas and Holiday Safety

The Rowley Fire Department wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season! Please enjoy these tips on Christmas tree and decorating safety.

• Inspect all lights before using. Discard or replace any that show signs of wear or damage.
• Don't overload electrical circuits.
  
• Keep natural Christmas trees properly watered, and keep all decorations away from heat or open flame.
• Use extra caution with candles. Never allow a candle to burn unattended. Place all candles on firm, non- flammable surfaces away from other combustibles.
• And remember, SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES. While you have the ladder out, why not change those batteries?
  

Holiday Decorating Safety


And for a final chuckle, please enjoy a bit of light-hearted education courtesy of the Fresno (CA) Fire Department:

Special Order 08-03, Hi-Vis apparel

Due to a change in Federal highway safety law, the RFD has implemented a Special Order mandating the use of high-visibilty safety vests when operating on any roadway. The only exception to their use will be in situations involving fire or hazardous materials, where use of the vest may expose the wearer to further dangers. Vests have been placed on all apparatus.

RFD members are advised to consult their email, departmental mailboxes, or the bulletin board for further information. (For any members who did not receive today's email, please contact C9 to update your email address.)

Preconstruction Conference

From E-One 2008

Today the Truck Committee completed the pre-construction conference for Engine 1 at the E-One plant in Ocala, FL. Every item was considered and reviewed in the day-long meeting, to ensure that the truck we get is the exact item we've ordered. This isn't exactly like building a pickup truck!

We've now reviewed and approved the plans, so the project can join the production schedule. Tentative delivery time is currently in the May/June 2009 area.

The day ended with a tour around the plant, both to observe the operation and to learn from some of the other apparatus present on the line.

Press Release - Seabrook Station Siren Test

From the Rowley Office of Emergency Management:

PRESS RELEASE

The Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant will be testing the network of emergency sirens in Massachusetts and New Hampshire on Oct 25, 2008, at 1230 pm. During this test all sirens will be activated simultaneously.

While the Town of Rowley falls outside of the Emergency Protection Zone, and there are no sirens located in the Town of Rowley, some areas of the town may hear the audible sound of these sirens.

Please keep in mind that this is a test and a test only. If you hear these sirens you should listen to the Emergency Broadcast Network (local radio and TV stations) and if there is an emergency you will be given important information.

If you have any questions about this test please contact the Emergency Management Director at 978-948-3812. Monday through Friday between 8 AM and 4 PM

Sincerely,


James C. Broderick
Fire Chief/EMD
Town of Rowley

MDA

On Saturday, August 30, RFD crews participated in the annual MDA Fill the Boot drive, raising $3401 for Jerry's Kids. Way to go, guys, and thank you to all who contributed!

--C9

Selectmen approve purchase of Engine 1

On Monday, July 28 the Board of Selectmen accepted the Truck Committee's recommendation and voted to award the contract for the purchase of a new Engine 1 to Greenwood Emergency Vehicles of Attleboro, MA. Greenwood will supply a 2009 E-One Typhoon rescue pumper, similar in features to our current Engine 3. The new pumper will be slightly larger and feature foam capability for flammable liquid fires.

The final cost to Rowley's taxpayers will be approximately $427,000, which includes the purchase of some loose equipment to fully outfit the new engine. (The voters authorized an expenditure of up to $440,000.)

Delivery is expected in approximately 9 months.

Bid Opening

Bids were opened for Engine 1 this morning.

Base prices:
Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, representing E-One, for a Typhoon custom pumper - $398,854
Ferrara Fire Apparatus, for an Igniter custom pumper - $409,667

Both bids included additional individual line-item prices for optional equipment. The Truck Committee chose to specify in this method to make sure the proposals would fit within the budgeted amount.

The Truck Committee is currently reviewing the proposals for compliance to the specification and for total cost including options. The committee will send a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen, who hope to award the contract at Monday's meeting.

Stay tuned.

Anticipation. . .

Bid opening for Engine 1 is scheduled for 11:00 AM this Tuesday. We know that bid packages were taken out by E-One, Ferrara, Seagrave, HME, and KME.

We'll see what happens.

Firemen's Memorial Sunday

On June 8, 2008 the RFD held its annual Memorial Sunday. Services focus around the Volunteer Firemen's Memorial, and the Honor Roll of deceased members is read. The morning is punctuated by the sounding of Chief's Call on the 'fire whistle' in their honor. It's a moving moment.


The service is led by Chaplain Hagopian, and this year he explained the significance of the Maltese Cross.

Engine 1 bid process

Town of Rowley Board of Selectmen
Request for Bids for
1500 GPM RESCUE PUMPER

The Town of Rowley, Massachusetts is seeking sealed bids for the furnishing and delivery of a new 1500 GPM Rescue Pumper for the Rowley Fire Department. The Bid Documents and Specifications are available in the Office of the Rowley Board of Selectmen, Rowley Town Hall, 139 Main Street, Rowley, MA starting on Monday June 23, 2008. Bid documents may be picked up on: Mondays – Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., with the exception of Friday, July 4, 2008. A pre-bid conference will be held on Monday, June 30, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. in the Office of the Rowley Board of Selectmen, 139 Main Street, Rowley, MA. Sealed bids are due no later than 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 22, 2008. Individual bids are to be in sealed envelopes clearly marked “Bid for 1500 GPM Rescue Pumper”. Bids are to be opened and publicly read on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. in the Office of the Board of Selectmen by the Town Administrator and Fire Chief. The contract will be awarded by the Rowley Board of Selectmen to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. The Rowley Board of Selectmen reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids deemed in the best interest of the Town.

David C. Petersen
Chairman
Board of Selectmen

(notice courtesy of the Town of Rowley website)
Dates corrected above.

Cab Ride

Just a little fun filmed from the jumpseat of Engine 4 after the Firefighters' Memorial Sunday services this week. Video of the ceremony will be coming soon; part of the service is already online at the Chaplain's Corner.

Engine 1 progress

The Engine 1 spec has been completed and sent to the Board of Selectmen for legal review. Once Town Counsel has finished, it will be available for distribution to interested bidders.

I will post the date for the pre-bid conference and any other relevant information as soon as it becomes public.

--Webmaster

Thank You!

The Rowley Fire Department, RowleyFire.org, and SupportRFDEngine1.org wish to thank the voters and taxpayers of Rowley for your support. Thanks to you, Question 1 and Article 15 passed with overwhelming support.

Look to this space for updates to the Engine 1 replacement process.

The Webmaster would also like to thank the members and friends who worked hard to encourage the passage of Question 1.

Two organizations----one purpose, one priority.

guest column by FF Richard Gagnon

As you enter the fire station you step into a time capsule of sorts. The building itself is almost a hundred years old having been moved from its original site to the present location. Inside you will find historic reminders of the past, a small antique hand pumper, a plaque urging folks to donate S & H Green Stamps to help purchase a new fire truck, a 1953 Forestry fire truck lovingly maintained and still in use today. Upstairs is the original charter for a volunteer fire department signed in 1927. Indeed this is the home of the Rowley Volunteer Fire Protection Association, its 28 fire fighters and their trucks and equipment, dedicated to the safety and protection of the citizens of the Town of Rowley. But it is also the home of the Rowley Fire Department its three men and their equipment and they too are committed to the same purpose, the protection of the town and its people. Thirty-one firefighters, seven trucks, and all their equipment crammed into a six-bay century-old structure.
The town fire department came into existence because the changing demographics of the community was leaving the fire department with fewer volunteers present during the work day to respond to emergencies. Today the Rowley Fire Department (Town) is made up of three members, all town employees, and three fire trucks, all town owned. They respond from the station on Hammond Street and are on duty 5 days a week during the daylight hours.
The Rowley Fire Department (Association) is a non-profit organization made up of 28 firefighters, all call/volunteer, four trucks, the building and all related equipment (all owned by the Association) and residing also at the station. The call/volunteers respond 24 hours a day-7 days a week.

Two organizations----one purpose, one priority.

The town pays the Association under negotiated contract for its services much like it pays for services provided by AMR (ambulance response). Take note however, that while AMR is a for-profit company, the Association is a non-profit. Much has been made of so-called “overfunding” of the Association especially with the town’s current fiscal crisis and the need to trim the budget. The reality is the Association has been level-funded for the past three years and as a non-profit can, if it so chooses, manage its finances without the oversight of town management. This however has not been the case and in good faith the Association has worked closely with the town selectmen and the finance committee to educate them on how the money paid to the Association is spent. Much has been made of a $64,000.00 surplus. This is false. It does not exist. At the end of each year the Association may or may not have expended all its funds. If we wind up in the red, we must assume the responsibility. If we have funds left over it is transferred into an account that allows us to close the books on the year. The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee have been educated on this process. Any ‘excess’ is then used for emergency purchases such as building renovations/repairs, equipment replacement, hose, equipment repair, and truck repair. If any vehicle suffers a major mechanical issue it is taken care of without going to the town for emergency funding-a costly and lengthy process, which would leave us without the protection supplied by that vehicle.
Much more can be said and as we approach the annual town meeting it is important for the citizens of Rowley to have a better understanding of how they are protected, what it is costing them, and how we are organized. In the coming weeks there will be more information distributed. But in the end we are two organizations----one purpose, one priority.

Chief Perley

The Rowley Fire Department regrets to announce the passing of Chief Robert Perley, retired.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday, May 14, 2008 from 17:00 to 20:00 at the FS Roberts & Son Funeral Home, Independent Street, Rowley. Funeral will be Thursday, May 15 at 10:00 at the First Congregational Church, Main Street, Rowley.

Burial will be in the Main Street Cemetery with fire department and military honors.

All available firefighters are requested to attend.

Bad day to drive a Buick

Today was a busy day, and a poor one for General Motors. Three crashes resulted in two totalled Buicks and two damaged Chevy trucks. There were no serious injuries, thanks to airbags and seatbelts. The driver walked away from this one but was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Two Steps Behind: On Budget Cuts and Department Pride

A recent fire buff photo show inspired the Webmaster to compose this presentation in tribute to Rowley firefighters.

After the events of the past week, however, the score seems appropriate in a different way.

On Monday, March 10 the Board of Selectmen notified the RFD that we will be subject to a 20% budget cut for FY2009. Regarding a projected $200,000 municipal budget shortfall, Selectmen Chair David Petersen stated, "We need desperately to come up with funding. What I'm looking for is about a $40,000 reduction for next year's budget." Selectmen stated they feel the RFD is ‘over-budgeted.’ Chairman Petersen also threatened possible layoffs if the money isn’t found within the budget.

In recent years the department has been able to end the budget year in the black through prudent spending. Our fiscal restraint has allowed us to save some money for much-needed capital projects. We would not have been able to repair the driveway without these funds, and this year’s ‘surplus’ is earmarked for a much needed new roof on the station. Saved funds were also used to rebuild Engine 4 to extend its useful life. Without them we would need to replace two engines instead of only one.

The RFD recognizes that financial times are tough, and there may be a municipal budget shortfall this year. We understand the need for belt-tightening. However, we strongly disagree with balancing the budget on the back of any one agency. Rowley’s selectmen are seeking to make up 20% of the budget shortfall from the fire department budget, while many other departments take smaller percentage cuts. This is unfair. If cuts are necessary, they should apply equally to all.

The Daily News agrees:
“A surplus is evidence that a department is planning for its future, and is prepared to deal with unexpected costs on its own, rather than running to the town demanding supplemental funding. That kind of fiscal prudence deserves praise, not punishment.”

The editorial goes on to emphasize that municipal department heads commonly overspend their budgets because they know they will lose the money otherwise. Selectmen should be giving departments incentives to save money, not punishing them.

Read the full editorial here: Budget cut sends wrong message to firefighters

In a related item, the RFD is still operating with one engine less than we need. Engine 1’s 1985 Ford was deemed unsafe two years ago. We urge the Selectmen and voters of Rowley to support its replacement. As always, funding would come from a Proposition 2 1/2 override and would have no bearing on the current budget crisis. For more information, please visit Support RFD Engine 1.org.

The taxpayers of Rowley may rest assured that regardless of the financial future of the town, Rowley’s firefighters will continue to respond to the best of their abilities. However, budget cuts and equipment shortages may soon leave us two steps behind.

Out with a Bang

2007 ended with a working structure fire in Byfield, just before midnight New Year’s Eve.

While RFD crews were still at the fire, Engine 4 rung in 2008 with a cardiac arrest. Here’s hoping the year slows down a bit. . .

Happy New Year and stay safe out there!