Tewksbury Firefighters Participate in Surface Swift Water Training

Two-day course was taught by team of instructors from the Massachusetts Fire Academy.

(Editor's note: The following information was submitted by Tewksbury Fire Chief Mike Hazel.) The Tewksbury Fire Department recently hosted a surface swift water training program for the benefit of local firefighters and the communities they serve. This two-day course was taught by a team of instructors from the Massachusetts Fire Academy to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely and efficiently conduct surface water rescue operations in moving water. Students learned to identify river features, perform a size-up, conduct witness interviews, perform self-rescue techniques, and following the rescue sequence, effect a shore-based water rescue using line systems in moving water. A site at the intersection of …

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Two Tewksbury Firefighters Honored for 30 Years of Dedicated Service

Powers and Sitar honored at Board of Selectmen meeting.

Two Tewksbury Firefighters were honored this week for 30 years of service to the department. Firefighter Stephen M. Powers and Captain Michael W. Sitar Jr. were honored in a ceremony at the Dec. 18 Board of Selectmen meeting. Fire Chief Michael Hazel said Powers, hired on Oct. 31, 1982, has served as an outstanding mentor and role-model to younger firefighters. "Firefighter Powers is one of those guys that knows his job and can tell you what's right and maybe not so right on a fire scene," said Hazel. "It’s something we look for our senior members to do in positive way, to transfer their knowledge and experience to the younger members of the Department." Hazel described Sitar as an officer and a leader willing to answer the call and go …

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Chief Hazel Graduates Management Training Program

Program offered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

(Editor's note: The Following information was submitted by the State Fire Marshal's Office.) Tewksbury Fire Chief Michael Hazel was one of 32 fire service personnel from 32 communities who graduated from the 20th offering of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program. The graduation ceremony took place on Dec. 13. The thirteen-week program was developed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association Standards for chief fire officers, and is delivered jointly by the University of Massachusetts Collins Institute Center for Public Management and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. It is a comprehensive course providing training in the non-fire suppression aspects of managing fire …

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Tewksbury Fire Department Joins Sparky’s Wish List

Fire Department invites community partners to support life-saving Fire Safety Education.

(Editor's note:To protect lives through community-based fire-safety education, the Tewksbury Fire Department invites its neighbors to join in support of Sparky’s Wish List™. Sparky’s Wish List: Partnering for Fire-Safe Communities, a project of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), brings Tewksbury businesses and the community together with local fire departments to fund life-saving fire safety educational materials. “Firefighters train to stay sharp with basic skills and new technologies alike. Sharing with the community the need to plan for the “what-if” scenarios is an important part of our efforts to help residents stay sharp with basic skills and new safety technologies in their homes,” said Chief Michael Hazel. “Our first …

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Students Will Be Riding Fire Engine To School

Ryan School students win essay contest sponsored by Tewksbury Fire Department.

Two Ryan School students will be riding high, literally, as they arrive at school Friday morning. Hope Splaine and Cameron Legvold were selected as the winners of the Tewksbury Fire Department's Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) Essay contest for sixth graders. As a reward, the two will ride to school on May 18 aboard a Tewksbury Fire engine, as well as other prizes. "This was our first time conducting this type of contest in the schools," said Fire Chief Mike Hazel. "However, we hope to make it an annual event to help promote key areas of fire safety behavior such as smoke alarm maintenance, making and practicing escape plans, crawl low under smoke, Stop-Drop-Roll, match and lighter safety, kitchen fire and burn safety, and …

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need To Know Today: Thursday, May 10

Bits of knowledge to help make you the smartest person at the coffee shop.

Here are five pieces of information designed to start your Thursday in the fast lane and to help make you the smartest person thinking about all of the quality time with your family you can spend this summer now that the Red Sox have shown they won't be participating in the pennant race. 1. Your Local 3-day Weather Forecast: According to the NWS, today will see howers, mainly before 2pm. Patchy fog before 10am. High near 68. Northwest wind between 6 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. West wind around 9 mph. Friday: Scattered showers, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. Northwest wind between 10 and 17…

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Town Meeting Vote Means South Fire Station Will Be Open Full-Time ... Maybe

Amendment on the floor of Town Meeting adds $302,000 to Fire Department overtime budget.

Anyone wondering about the power wielded by citizens at an Open Town Meeting got a first-hand civics lesson Monday night at Tewksbury High School. Acting on an amendment brought forth by Democratic Committee Chairman Warren Carey, residents voted 65-62 to add $302,000 to the overtime budget of the Fire Department which, in theory, would provide the department with the staffing needed to keep the South Fire Station open 24 hours a day, year-round. The money will be transferred from the town's certified free cash, money that had been earmarked toward the purchase of an Elgin sweeper for the DPW and paying off the town's long-term leases on various pieces of equipment. As a result of the vote, Town Manager Richard Montuori said the purchase …

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Melissa Gleaton

10:52 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012

I agree with you, Bob, 100%.   more ›

South Station To Be Open More Often Soon

Additional firefighters will provide full staffing levels.

Residents of South Tewksbury received some good news Wednesday, when Fire Chief Mike Hazel announced that the hourds of operation for the South Station would be extended later this month. Speaking at the first of three Neighborhood Meetings, hosted by Town Mananger Richard Montuori, Hazel was unable to provide specific hours that the station would be open. However, he did say it would be well over 50 percent of the time. Presently, the station is open less than half the time due to staffing shortages and budget cuts. Hazel said the department recenty hired three new firefighters to replace vacancies created by retirements.He said the three me will start on the job Nov. 14. "Once they start, that will bring us to full staffing," he said. "…

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Selectmen's Notebook: New Sewer Rates and a New Deputy Chief

Sheehan discuses increased crime rate.

Capt. Al Vasas has been selected by Town Manager Richard Montouri to serve as the town's new deputy fire chief. Vasas will succeed Deputy Chief Mike Hazel, who was selected to assume command of the Fire Department upon the retirement of Chief Richard Mackey. Hazel and Vasas will assume their new roles on an acting basis as of 5 p.m. Friday, May 27, when Mackey concludes his last day of work. Mackey will officially retire in July, after his leftover vacation time is used up. "I believe he'll make an outstanding deputy chief and that he'll be a great asset to the new chief," said Montouri, when announcing the appointment at Tuesday's Selectmen's meeting. The two finalists for the deputy chief position were Vasas and Capt. Mike Sicard. …

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Bill Gilman

8:11 am on Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Malcolm ... I'm not sure that what you are suggesting is legal. These employees who are collecting a pension from the town are collecting a benefit that was agreed to in collective bargaining. The unions and the town agreed to contracts and the town committed to paying these pensions. Now, if you want to negotiate different contracts with existing employees so that the cycle does not continue…   more ›

UPDATED: Hazel Optimistic As He Prepares to Take Reins of Fire Department

Deputy chief will take over as acting chief May 27.

UPDATED: Thursday, 4 p.m. Despite the challenges he faces, Deputy Fire Chief Mike Hazel is optimistic about the state of the Tewksbury Fire Department, as he prepares to succeed retiring Fire Chief Richard Mackey. The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the recommendation of Town Manager Richard Montouri at their meeting Tuesday night. "Mike will do a great job as chief," said Mackey. "He's done a great job as deputy chief the last couple of years and has had a great career with the department." Hazel has been with the department for 22 years. He assumed the title of acting deputy chief in July 2009 and was named permanent deputy chief on Nov. 10, 2010. Montouri said there were two "outstanding" finalists for the position of chief. …

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