Joseph Toscano

Fire Department Cancels Ceremony for Fallen Watertown Firefighter

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The sign erected in honor of fallen Watertown Firefighter Joseph Toscano at the corner of Merrifield Avenue and Bigelow Avenue in East Watertown. The Watertown Fire Department cancelled plans to honor Joseph Toscano on the third anniversary of the firefighter’s death due to concerns over the Coronavirus. “This decision has been made taking the orders of the Governor into consideration. We hope that everyone will keep him and his family in their thoughts and prayers at some point tomorrow,” said Watertown Fire Chief Bob Quinn. The Fire Department had planed three minutes of silence at 10:16 a.m Tuesday, followed by a salute to Toscano.

Mass. Fire Academy

Watertown Recruit Completes Mass. Firefighting Academy

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Watertown Firefighter George Black graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Watertown Firefighter George Black graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy 10 week training program, announced Fire Chief Bob Quinn. “He will return to the firehouse (this) week to serve the citizens of Watertown,” Quinn said. “We are very excited to have him back.” The following announcement was provided by the State Fire Marshal’s Office:

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Deputy Director Joseph C. Klucznik announced the graduation of the 280 th class of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s fifty-day Career Recruit Firefighter Training Program on February 14, 2020.

Police/Fire

Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Graduates from Management Training Program

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Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson, second from left, at the graduation of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program. Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson recently graduated Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program. Attendees of the 14-week program learned about the management fire departments not related to fire-suppression. As part of the course, Nicholson had to write a research paper that identified a problem or challenge facing the Watertown Fire Department in which he proposed a solution. He then had to present the proposal to be considered by a panel of municipal officials.

Police/Fire

Cause of Four-Alarm Fire in Watertown Determined by Fire Department

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Fire blazed on the side of a home on Robert Ford Road Friday. The four alarm blaze damaged 12 units in the Watertown Housing Authority complex. The fire that damaged 12 units on Robert Ford Road on Friday appears to have started due to an electrical problem, according to the Watertown Fire Department. Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Tom McManus said the investigation into the four-alarm blaze lead to the basement of the building at 62 Robert Ford Road. “It appears to have started with a short circuit in the basement,” McManus said.

Fire Safety

Watertown Granted Money to Teach Fire Safety to Students & Seniors

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The following announcement came from the Watertown Fire Department:

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Watertown Fire Chief Robert Quinn announced that the Watertown Fire Department has been awarded $5,663 for the FY ’20 Student Awareness of Fire Education or S.A.F.E. Program and $2,730 for the Senior SAFE Program by the state Department of Fire Services. Chief Quinn said, “Our firefighters enjoy working closely with our school teachers to help youngsters learn what they can do to prevent fires, to survive those that do occur, and how to respond correctly to fires and other emergencies.”

The S.A.F.E. Program was expanded to offer funds to local communities in support of senior fire prevention training. “The Senior SAFE Program will help us work with the seniors in our community who are most at risk of dying in a fire,” said Chief Quinn. “Seniors are the age group most at risk of dying in a fire. This program educates seniors on fire prevention, general home safety and how to be better prepared in the event of a fire.

Business

Watertown Fire Department Teams with Domino’s During Fire Prevention Week

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The following announcement was provided by Domino’s:

Watertown Domino’s, located at 111 Arsenal St., and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are teaming up with Watertown Fire Department to promote fire safety during Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6-12). On Oct. 9 from 5-7 p.m.

Anyone who orders a Domino’s pizza may be randomly selected and surprised at the door when their pizza arrives aboard a fire engine. If the smoke alarms in the home are working, the pizza is free.

Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighter Earns Award at Mass. Firefighter Academy

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Watertown Firefighter Corey MacDougall graduated from the Mass. Fire Academy and also earned an honor while there. The following information was provided by the Watertown Fire Department:

Watertown Firefighter Corey MacDougall not only graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy Training 10 week training program, but received an award for his outstanding work. 

Firefighter MacDougall was  the recipient of the Richard N. Bangs Award, which is given to the outstanding member of the recruit class, said David Evans, director of the Mass. Firefighter Academy in a letter to Watertown Fire Chief Bob Quinn. “This selection is based upon his achievements both on academical exams and practical skills,” Evans said.

Police/Fire

Pickup Truck Hits Watertown Storefront, Rolls Over

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A driver struck the side of a store on Main Street and flipped his pickup overnight, but suffered only minor injuries. The accident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday when a pickup heading west on Main Street went off the road, struck the side of Ricci’s Liquor Store at the corner of Waverley Avenue and rolled over at least once. The vehicle appeared to be speeding before the accident occurred, said Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Rob Iannetta. “We were responding to another call on Coolidge Avenue and he raced by us on Arsenal Street,” Iannetta said. “A minute or two later we got a call about a motor vehicle accident.”