Norton Fire Department Receives $18,014 Grant from Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program

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Norton Fire Department Receives $18,014 Grant from Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program

NORTON — Chief Shawn Simmons is pleased to report that the Norton Fire Department received a $18,014.55 grant from the Fiscal Year 2025 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program.

The Norton Fire Department will use the funding to replace aging nozzles, purchase specialty nozzles, and acquire an electric vehicle shut-off tool to deactivate electric vehicles in an emergency.

Fire departments across Massachusetts were invited to apply to the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program, which provides reimbursement on purchases of 135 different types of eligible equipment. Eligible items include hoses and nozzles, turnout gear, ballistic protective equipment, gear washers and dryers, thermal imaging cameras, hand tools and extrication equipment, communications resources, hazardous gas meters, and more.

In many cases, the purchase of this equipment will help departments attain compliance with Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) or National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) safety standards.

This is the fifth year that funding has been awarded through the program, which is administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

“Our department relies on critical funding from the state to maintain our equipment and stay on the cutting edge of firefighting technology,” said Chief Simmons. “We are grateful for this grant that will allow us to utilize these funds to update old equipment and purchase new equipment.”

Norton Police and Fire Departments Search for Lost Child; Divers Pull Her from Partially Frozen Pond

Cody Shepard News ,
Norton Police and Fire Departments Search for Lost Child; Divers Pull Her from Partially Frozen Pond

NORTON — Fire Chief Shawn Simmons and Police Chief Brian M. Clark report that the Norton Fire and Police Departments pulled a missing child from an icy pond off Power Street on Friday, Jan. 17.

Dispatch received the initial call for a missing 6-year-old child at 2:28 p.m. Norton Fire Department personnel responded to the scene to assist Norton Police in the search.

Due to the proximity of the home to the water, Norton Fire personnel immediately began searching nearby Barrowsville Pond and Wading River.

Norton Police and Fire staged a rescue command post at the bridge across the street from the child’s home.

Multiple Norton firefighters quickly put on cold water rescue suits at the scene. They entered the water to search for the child.

At 3:27 p.m., divers found the juvenile in the water on the Barrowsville side of the bridge over Power Street. EMS performed life-saving efforts at the scene, and in the ambulance during transport. She was transported to Sturdy Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

Norton Fire Department and Norton Police were aided at the scene by Massachusetts State Police, Metropolitan Law Enforcment Council, and Norton Emergency Management Agency.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim,” said Fire Chief Shawn Simmons.

“Our hearts go out to the family,” said Police Chief Brian M. Clark. “We offer our condolences for their loss.”

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Norton Fire Department Provides Ice Safety Tips

Cody Shepard News ,
Norton Fire Department Provides Ice Safety Tips

BEWARE OF ICE! During the winter months, it can be tempting to venture out onto frozen waterways, but we urge caution and remind residents that no ice is 100% safe ice. You should always consider ice potentially dangerous, as it’s impossible to judge ice conditions by appearance or thickness alone. Many factors, including water depth, the size of the body of water, water chemistry, currents, snow cover, age of ice, and local weather conditions, will impact ice strength.

One significant risk factor associated with winter ice activities is falling through the ice, which can lead to fatal and non-fatal winter drownings.

If you see someone in danger, remember the phrase “Preach-Reach-Throw-Go.”

📢 Preach: If possible, call 911 and let the victim know help is on the way. Reassure the victim and keep them calm.

🫴 Reach: If it is safe to reach the victim from shore, extend a sturdy object for the victim to grab.

🛟 Throw: If it is safe to do so, toss the end of a rope or a flotation device to the victim.

🚑 Go: If a situation becomes too dangerous, go find help. Untrained rescuers can often become victims.

Avoid walking or driving on ice-bound bodies of water — ice thickness can be deceiving. Stay safe!

NFD Retired Deputy Chief Robert Eddleston Passes Away

Deputy Michael Wilson News

The Norton Fire Department mourns the loss of Retired Deputy Fire Chief Robert Eddleston Sr. Deputy Eddleston was appointed as Deputy Fire Chief in 1963. He served as Deputy Fire Chief to both the late Fire Chief Hank Wetherell and the late Fire Chief George Burgess until his retirement in 1991. Deputy Eddleston also served as the first president of Norton Permanent Firefighters Local 2678 in 1971. Deputy Eddleston’s wake will be on January 16th from 4-7 PM and his Funeral Service will be on January 17th at 10:00 AM, both at Norton Memorial Funeral Home, 19 Clapp Street, Norton MA. The Norton Fire Department sends our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the entire Eddleston family

Norton Fire Department Offers Cooking Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

Cody Shepard News ,
Norton Fire Department Offers Cooking Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

The holiday season is upon us, with Thanksgiving later this week. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, with more than three times the daily average for such incidents. Christmas Day and Eve ranked second and third, nearly twice the daily average.

According to the NFPA, cooking causes over half (52%) of all reported house fires and nearly two out of every five (36%) home fire injuries. It is also a leading cause of home fire deaths (17%).

For tips on how to safely hold your holiday festivities, visit the NFPA: https://tinyurl.com/NFPA-Thanksgiving

Norton Fire Department Receives AI Ultrasound Devices for Paramedics and Thanks Donors

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Norton Fire Department Receives AI Ultrasound Devices for Paramedics and Thanks Donors

 

The Norton Fire Department’s EchoNous ultrasound devices use artificial intelligence to identify bleeding internally. (Photo courtesy Norton Fire Department)

 

NORTON — Chief Shawn Simmons is pleased to share that the Norton Fire Department has purchased ultrasound devices and received training for using them, thanks to donor funds.

EchoNous ultrasound devices are used by paramedics to find “free fluid,” such as blood, in an individual who has suffered a serious injury. Using the device, paramedics can scan a patient’s body to determine if they are bleeding internally. The technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify organs that are being scanned, allowing first responders to find where a potential injury is.

Discovering an internal bleed as soon as possible can let first responders know if they should transport a patient to a local hospital or a trauma center. In the event of an internal bleed, decreasing the time that a patient is brought to a trauma surgeon impacts survival tremendously. In some cases, a patient may appear to be unhurt, but an ultrasound scan can quickly determine if there is a serious internal injury.

Additionally, the device can help identify suitable veins in an individual with poor vascular access who needs an IV.

The Norton Fire Department is one of only a few fire departments in Massachusetts with access to AI-assisted ultrasound technology.

The two ultrasound devices were purchased this fall, and John Ribeiro and Norton-based Ribeiro Enterprises donated funds for training on how to use the devices. The donation from the Ribeiro family allowed the training to be completed this week, under the direction of a Rochester, NY-based training company, Insonate Point of Care Ultrasound Education.

“On behalf of the Norton Fire Department, I want to sincerely thank Mr. John Ribeiro, his late wife Hilda and Ribeiro Enterprises for their generous donation to train all our paramedics in using this groundbreaking technology,” Chief Simmons said. “These devices will have a profound effect on the level of EMS care that our community will be able to receive, and I am proud that Norton is ahead of the curve with the addition of this lifesaving equipment.”

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The AI-assisted ultrasound equipment. (Photo courtesy Norton Fire Department)
The Norton Fire Department’s EchoNous ultrasound devices use artificial intelligence to identify bleeding internally. (Photo courtesy Norton Fire Department)