The Belmont Fire Department is holding an open house at the Fire Department Headquarters on Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of National Fire Prevention Week.
Demonstrations of fire prevention and safety by members of the fire department will be performed. Pizza will also be provided by Papa Ginos.
The HQ is located at 299 Trapelo Rd.
Barrel blaze
Sept. 28 – At a quarter ’til 8 p.m., fire teams were sent to the field adjacent the Winn Brook Elementary School where they found a white plastic trash barrel on fire. Fire personnel made quick work of the blaze and the Highway Department was asked to remove and clean up the debris.
Belmont Light in charge
Sept 29 – A little after 8 a.m., Engine 2 was sent to Pleasant Street near Cityside Subaru for reports of arching electrical wires. Belmont Light was also on the scene, cutting power to the line and putting out a small fire on the line with an extinguisher.
Gas issues in the basement
Sept. 29 – A minute before 5 p.m., Engine 2 took off to a School Street address to investigate a carbon monoxide alarm going off. The homeowner said the basement CO detector displayed readings of 25 parts per million, a bit too high to hang around. While the homeowner’s detector was outdated (the model was last manufactured in 1995), there was some gas in the basement, about 10 ppm; there was normal readings on the first and second floors. Personnel decided to shut down the burner and the separate heating unit and red tagged them for service. After the building was ventilated, a second set of readings were conducted and it turned out normal.
The first of many flue calls this season
Oct. 2 – At just about 2:20 p.m., the department went hurrying to a York Road house after a report the house was full of smoke. The Engine 1 crew entered the house and discovered that someone hadn’t open the chimney flue before starting a fire in the fireplace. The result: heavy smoke throughout building. Personnel from Engine 1 and Ladder 1 extinguished the fire and ventilated the building.
Caught in time
Oct. 2 – At 5:35 p.m., fire crews set off to the Baptist Church on Lexington Street after a building fire alarm rang. On arrival, the crew from Engine 1 discovered the cause: an overheated light ballast behind the stage. The light was shut off, just in time.
Too many cooks
Oct. 3 – A quarter ’til 9 a.m., all fire companies headed to a two family on Waverley Street in which smoke was coming out of a second-floor window. They arrived to find the resident of the second floor resident waiting on the street. The Engine 1 crew went inside to investigated while personnel from Rescue 1 evacuated the first-floor occupant. Turned out the blaze was a cooking fire. Ladder 1 assisted Engine 1 in venting the second floor and shutting down the stove. Fire officials told the tenant not to use the stove until her appliance was serviced by a licensed professional.
Coal fired, not today
Oct. 3 – At a quarter past 11 a.m., Ladder 1 arrived at Mark & Toni’s Pizza on Trapelo Road in Cushing Square. Not to pick up that day’s lunch special but to investigate a natural gas odor. Since it did smell a little gassy, as a precaution the employees were asked to step outside. While the department and the gas company could not find abnormally high readings using their CO detection equipment, the business’ heating unit was red tagged, just in case. Fire officials spoke further with the business owner and both parties agreed to close the business for the day.
Slow cooking shut down
Oct. 3 – Just after noon, yet another call concerning a possible gas leak, this time in a two-family on Falmouth Street. Turned out the odor was coming from the gas stove on the first floor. Firefighters soon discovered that the oven was on at a low temperature and food was cooking inside. Crews shut off the stove and the gas main before venting the apartment by opening the windows and doors. The department notified National Grid and red tagged the stove for good measure.
It happens to us all
Oct. 3 – At just about 9:20 p.m., fire crews were sent to McLean Hospital due to a fire alarm. The cause: burned popcorn in the microwave.
With this ring … ouch!
Sept. 21 – About half-past 9 p.m., Engine 1 and Rescue 1 were sent to a Trapel0 Road residence. There they discovered that a resident’s ring had become a bit too snug around the finger. It was carefully removed.
Not the first or last time this fall
Sept. 22 – Half past 10 p.m., a call came in that a Belmont Street residential structure was filling with smoke. When the entire company arrived at the site, they discovered the building’s oil burner was running smoky as it started-up, most likely for the first time this season. The aforementioned burner was shut down, and the landlord was advised to have it serviced before placing it back in operation. Homeowners and landlords need to watchful with burners that have not been running since spring.
Grilled grill
Sept. 23 – At a quarter to 7 p.m., a Philip Road resident was cooking outside one last time when his gas grill suddenly caught fire. Luckily, the fire was contained to the grill.
What a fine mess you’ve got yourself
Sept. 25 – Just before 7 p.m., Engine 2 and Ladder 1 were dispatched to a Slate Road two-family to investigate a reported odor of smoke inside the house. Turns out that the likely culprit was an overheated light bulb in the first-floor bathroom. But firefighters also found a potential fire hazard from the large amount of storage in the basement. Firefighters assisted the storage maven to relocate some of his belonging as to create a five foot perimeter away from the burner.
Outside fire is the pits
Sept. 27 – Just after 7 p.m., Engine 1 set off for Cushing Avenue after some people reported a fire and heavy smoke coming from the back yard. Turns out a resident was using a fire pit. The homeowner agreed to extinguish the blaze and told of the town’s bylaw prohibiting such outdoor displays.
Just before the start of summer next year, the Belmont Fire Department will return to a position it hadn’t been in since 2010: being fully staffed.
Thanks to a federal grant aimed at increasing the number of “front line” firefighters to meet national staffing and response standards, “[the BFD] will be budgeted for four shifts of 13 personnel for fiscal year 2016 and 2017,” said Belmont Fire Chief David Frizzell told the Belmont Board of Selectmen on Monday, Sept. 29.
“This is good news for the department,” said Fizzell, who came with BFD Assistant Chief Angus Davison who wrote the grant.
The $285,020 SAFER grant award to BFD from the Department of Homeland Security will allow the department to cover the salary and benefits of a pair of “fire suppression” personnel for two years, said Frizzell.
While budgeted for 50 employees, the department currently has 48 firefighters on staff after a recent retirement and the departure of another.
The additional staff comes just in time as the department prepares for a “significant turnover” among its ranks in the coming years, Frizzell told the selectmen. While he can’t specifically say how many personnel will be departing as they only need to provide two weeks notice before retiring or leaving, Frizzell said several department members will become eligible for retirement.
“Because there is a lag of sometimes four to six months between the time we have an opening and when [new employees] complete the hiring and training process, it will be important [the department has] these two new members staffed when we go through our staff reductions,” said Frizzell.
Late night entry
Sept. 14: Just before 11 p.m., Engine 2 was sent to a Stewart Terrace (that’s near Belmont Acres Farm) house. Seems like someone forgot their keys and needed assistance getting inside.
Too hot for modern technology
Sept. 15: If anyone was wondering why the entire Belmont Fire Department was outside the Butler School just before 10 a.m., not to worry. It was due to a faulty heat sensor in the gym.
What’s the order? Child, keys, door, lock? D’uh!
Sept. 15: It was a quarter to 3 p.m. and a parent had just picked up their child from Belmont Nursery School on Belmont Street. The fire log doesn’t exactly say how what was about to occurred happened, but the parent apparently got their child in the car, flipped on the lock, closed the door and … remember that their keys where in the now locked car … with the kid. Engine 1 came by straight away to liberate the child.
Bee-ware: Not-so-friendly bees require a fire rescue
Sept. 16: Firefighters in the Belmont Center station on Leonard Avenue were surprised by a distraught grandmother who rushed into the firehouse just after 10 a.m. She and her granddaughter had just driven to the Center when, unknown to granny, she some how disturbed a bee hive as she was parking the car on nearby Alexander Avenue. As she alighted to take the child out, grandma was suddenly attacked by several now not-so-friendly bees. After slamming the door shut, the grandmother ran over to the fire station. Could they help? In a few seconds, one of the ladder truck crew got inside the car and drove the vehicle to a safer and bee free area.
Outside, looking in
Sept 16: Just after 2 p.m., yet another resident – this one on Gilbert Road – required the fire department’s help getting them back inside their house.
Where did I leave my keys?
Sept. 18: At a quarter past 2 p.m., a motorist left the keys in their car in Belmont Center. At least Engine 2 firefighters didn’t have to travel far to open it; it was parked less than a block away outside the old Macy’s location on Leonard Avenue.
Collecting too much
Sept. 19: When Belmont firefighters and police arrived to conduct a well-being check on a Common Street resident just after noon, they couldn’t locate the homeowner but they did find his junk, and a whole lot of it. Apparently the person is a hoarder and the home’s condition has been reported in the past to the police and the town’s Health Department.
Keep your cooking INSIDE the Weber
Sept. 19: About 20 minutes past 8 p.m., fire crews arrived to a Thomas Street house for an emergency in the back. It was barbecue smoke. That’s OK. However, the crews came back shortly after 9 p.m. when the BBQ turning into an old-time campfire. That’s not OK. In fact, it’s a code violation in these parts.
The angry bee used in this article can be found on the website of children’s writer Chris (as in Christine) Cander. Check out her site at http://chriscander.com
Possible lightning strike uses lawn to get inside
Sept. 7 – At a quarter ’til 11 a.m., a resident who was returning from vacation to his Plymouth Avenue house discovered charring to an electrical outlet and the adjacent sprinkler control unit in basement. Firefighters told the man the charring pattern suggests the damage may have been result of electrical storm and a “surge” that likely entered the home through the sprinkler equipment wiring. The homeowner was advised to keep the power “off” at the breaker to the sprinkler and the outlet until a licensed electrician could inspect damage.
Stuck in the elevator
Sept. 11 – For the second time in a week, a person had to be sprung from a stalled elevator. This time it occurred just after 2 p.m. in a Leonard Street office building.
Sept. 13 – At a quarter ’till 8 p.m. a Claflin Street resident reported smoke in the building, possibly coming from a fire in an electrical outlet. The Engine 2 crew investigated and found a shorted receptacle in the kitchen. The power was shut down and the owner advised to contact an electrician.
The Belmont Fire Department held its annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony marking the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States at the FF Roland A. Weatherbee Fire Headquarters on Trapelo Road on Thursday, Sept. 11.
Firefighters remembered those who were lost in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Shanksville, Penn. Special tribute was paid to the 343 firefighters from the Fire Department of New York who were killed when the World Trade Center towers collapsed.
As a tribute to the FDNY, the Belmont Fire Department rung the department’s ceremonial bell, and held a flag raising ceremony. The flag was placed at half-staff by the Department’s Color Guard.
A floral wreath was presented by retired Chief of Dept. William H. Osterhaus and retired Firefighter Roy Sacco.
On and off-duty firefighters, along with several retired Belmont firefighters, participated in the ceremony.
Sept. 1 – A minute before 8 p.m., Engine 1 was dispatched to a different Beech Street location for smoke coming from the back of a two family. Turns out it was a barbecue.
... and it all falls down Sept. 1 – At a quarter to 10 p.m., a fire crew was sent to a Oak Street home after the homeowner called to say that the house was in danger of collapse. With firefighters at the ready, the town's building inspector determined that the structure - an old-style Colonial built in 1890 – was safe to be inside but two basement support columns needed to be repaired pronto.
Now that's hot Sept. 2 – It was so hot on Monday that a smoke detector in a Country Club Lane garage activated simply due to the heat.
Summer sparks Sept. 2 – There was an impromptu light show at the corner of Lewis Road and School Street just after 8 p.m. when an electrical wire began shorting out and started a fire on the secondary wires. Belmont Light was notified. Stuck on the first day
Sept. 3 – Just before 10:30 a.m., on the first day of school, the Ladder truck was sent to the Wellington School after two men became stuck in an elevator. How embarrassing! Fire crews rescued the men by shutting down the elevator and then rebooting the electrical system. The elevator company was notified.
Wild gas grill takes on wooden deckSept. 3 – At a quarter ’til 7 p.m., fire crews proceeded to Orchard Street for a gas grill gone bad. They arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the grill, located against the rear wooden porch. The grill was moved away from the house and the fuel source shut off. The remaining fire was extinguished by fire personnel.
Box truck totaled in blaze
Sept. 5 – Just after 3 a.m., Engine 2 and the Ladder Truck made a middle-of-the-night run to Crestview Road where they discovered a box truck with its engine compartment completely on fire in a person’s driveway. Two water hoses were used to extinguish the fire which originate in the engine area and extended to storage area of the vehicle.
Good-bye summer
Sept. 6 – Just after 6:30 p.m., a final barbecue on Arthur Road produced so much smoke the fire department was called to investigate. Just the final throngs of summer.
Left on the stove top
Aug. 17 – Right at 7 p.m., Engines 1 and 2, the Ladder truck and Rescue 1 were sent to an apartment complex at 655 Trapelo Rd. for a reported fire. It turned out to be food left to cook a bit too long.
Leaving the stove top on
Aug. 19 – At a quarter ’til 11 p.m., Engine 1 and Ladder 1 were sent to a multi-family on Thingvalla Avenue for a gas leak. Turned out that someone left the stove top on so it smelled a bit gassy.
Forgot your keys?
Aug. 20 – At a quarter until 10 a.m., firefighters were sent to Clyde Street to help a resident who was locked out of his home.
Not mulch of a problem
Aug. 20 – At 1:22 p.m., Engine 2 traveled to the corner of Blanchard Road and Concord Avenue for a grass fire. In fact, it was a “small” mulch fire in the island between the east and wet bound lanes of Concord Avenue. It was put out.
McLean monkey business
Aug. 22 – Fire crews were sent to McLean Hospital off Mill Street for a possible biological hazard after a hospital employee pulled the fire alarm after smelling what was describe as a “rotten egg” odor that could be detected on all four floors of the effected building including the basement hallways and tunnels.
In conducting their investigation, firefighters determined the odor came from the work a plumber was performing using a chemical to unclog a floor drain in a laboratory where the primates are held.