Police/Fire

Fire Destroys Several Vehicles at Watertown Auto Body Shop

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A late night fire at a Watertown auto body shop damaged nine vehicles to varying degrees. 

On Oct. 3, 2018, the Watertown Fire Department responded to a fire at Perfection Auto Body at 2:29 a.m.

Firefighters gained access to the business on Pleasant Street and found several vehicles ablaze and they put out the flames. The fire started in one vehicle and spread to eight others, according to a report from the Watertown Fire Department. It totaled or damaged nine vehicles, according to Watertown Police Sgt. Thomas Grady.

Police/Fire

Watertown Fire Department Teaming With Domino’s for Fire Safety Week & Hosting Open House

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The week of Oct. 7 to 13 is National Fire Prevention Week, and the Watertown Fire Department has a couple of events plan, including a partnership with Dominos and and open house at the Fire Headquarters. The Watertown Fire Department provided the following information:

Each year for a week in October we try to bring awareness to fire risks and educate the public on how they can make their homes safer. This year’s Fire Prevention Week focus, which runs from Oct. 7 through Oct.

Police/Fire

Watertown’s New Fire Chief Remembers Fallen Colleagues; Wants a Progressive, Safe Department

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Watertown’s new Fire Chief said he will continue the tradition of his predecessors and work to make the department progressive and well trained while ensuring members of the department are safe and healthy. He also remembered a pair of recently lost members of the Watertown Fire Department. Robert “Bob” Quinn officially became the Chief of the Watertown Fire Department Thursday afternoon, after being sworn in in front of a packed room in the Watertown Library’s Watertown Savings Bank Room. After being introduced by Town Manager Michael Driscoll and taking the oath from Town Clerk John Flynn, Quinn said: “It is certainly a very proud moment in my career becoming chief of this great Department. I look forward to serving the citizens of Watertown in this role.”

Bob Quinn

Watertown’s Next Fire Chief Named by Town Manager

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{UPDATED Sept. 6 at 9:05 a.m.: The location fo the swearing in has been changed, see below}

Watertown’s next fire chief will be a familiar face — Bob Quinn — a 31 year veteran of the department who has served as provisional chief for the past 10 months. 

Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced that Quinn would be the new Fire Chief on Wednesday. He succeeds Mario Orangio, who retired in the summer of 2017 and died of cancer in November 2017. Quinn will be sworn in during ceremony at the Watertown Free Public Library on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. He said he was excited to be named chief. “I’m very excited to take on this responsibility for the Fire Department,” Quinn said.

Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighter Graduates from Massachusetts Fire Academy

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Watertown Firefighter Matthew Callahan graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy Training 10 week training program. He was one of 35 graduates in the 264th class of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow. Fire Chief Bob Quinn announced the graduation of Watertown’s latest firefighter, who attended the 10-week course. “Firefighter Callahan will return to work next week to serve the citizens of Watertown,” Quinn said. “We are very excited to have him back.”

Cancer

Watertown Fire Department Making Efforts to Avoid Risks of Cancer

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The past 18 months have been a difficult for the Watertown Fire Department, with two deaths within the department, and Fire Chief Bob Quinn wants to take steps to prevent further tragedies. In March 2017, Firefighter Joe Toscano collapsed and died from heart failure while fighting a fire. Then in October, Fire Chief Mario Orangio died after months battling pancreatic cancer, which is one of the types of cancer which firefighters are more at risk of getting. This year, Quinn has put an emphasis on the health and safety of his firefighters. This includes strength, conditioning, nutrition, stress managment, as well as reducing the risk of on-the-job cancer.

Fallen Firefighter

Watertown Firefighters Salute a Fallen Colleague, Lost 59 Years Ago

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Fifty-nine years ago, the Watertown Fire Department lost one of its own during an attic fire at the then-East Junior High School. On Friday afternoon, Watertown Firefighters paid tribute to Charles Morrill. 

More than a dozen members of the WFD lined up for a moment of silence on the field facing the former junior high on Mt. Auburn Street, which is now the Brigham House. They ended the brief ceremony by saluting their fallen colleague. Provisional Fire Chief Bob Quinn said the Fire Department wanted to remember its members lost while serving the Town of Watertown.

Government

Town Council Approves Funding to Renovate North Fire Station

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The Town Council approved the funds needed to make some major renovations to the North Fire Station to modernize it for the firefighters who live and work there. 

The facility on Orchard Street, also known as Station 3, has five firefighters assigned to it, and runs the Watertown Fire Department’s Engine 1 an Rescue 1 ambulance. The Council approved $1.242 million for the renovations, which will replace or modernize the systems in the building, said Provisional Fire Chief Bob Quinn. “These are long overdue improvements to Station 3,” Quinn said. While there have been some work to the roof within the last couple years and to the floor in 1998, but Quinn said some of the systems are very old. “We will get rid of the old steam radiators and replace them with new heated fin tubes,” Quinn said.