Can you identify these Firefighters?
New Norton Firefighters Sworn In
Norton Fire Department welcomes new Firefighters (L-R) Devin Hunter, Evan Willard, Joshua DiCicco. These newest members once fully trained, will fill 3 open positions from retirements.
Norton Fire Department Group 4 Training
Group 4 training today at a house on Taunton Ave. The Norton Fire Department thanks the owners for allowing us to utilize this structure for training exercises prior to demolition.
Norton Fire Department Reminds Residents to Change Clocks and Check Alarms as Daylight Saving Time Begins
Chief Shawn Simmons and the Norton Fire Department remind residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms when setting their clocks ahead for Daylight Saving Time this weekend.
Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, and clocks will be moved ahead one hour at that time.
Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained are crucial life-saving devices that allow time to escape in the event of a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), from 2014-2018, almost three out of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (41%) or no working smoke alarms (16%).
The risk of dying in reported home structure fires is 55% lower in homes with working smoke alarms than in homes with no alarms or none that worked, according to the NFPA.
Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year, more than 400 people in the U.S. die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 100,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 14,000 are hospitalized.
Residents are encouraged to review the following safety tips, courtesy of the NFPA, to keep their homes and loved ones safe:
- Test all smoke and CO alarms at least once a month, pressing the test button to ensure the alarm functions properly.
- Smoke alarms with non-replaceable 10-year batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
- Alarms with any other type of battery need a new battery at least once a year. When you change your clocks, also replace regular batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Smoke and CO alarms should be maintained and replaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Smoke alarms should be installed inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. On levels without bedrooms, install alarms in the living room (or den or family room) or near the stairway to the upper level, or in both locations.
- CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards.
- For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms, and all CO alarms. When one sounds, they all sound.
- If the CO alarm sounds, immediately exit the house or building and move outside to an area of fresh air, ensuring each person inside the home is accounted for. Then call 911 and await instructions from emergency personnel.
- Working with each member of the household, create and practice a home escape plan. Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
The NFPA also notes that today’s smoke alarms are more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire conditions, yet mitigate false alarms. Residents are reminded that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are not interchangeable and should never be disconnected.
For additional information on installing and maintaining smoke alarms, click here. For additional information on CO alarm safety, click here.
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NFD Through the Years Firefighter’s Names
Public Meeting Notice for Norton Hazardous Mitigation Plan
Can You Identify These Retired/Late Norton Firefighters?
Can you identify these Retired/Late Norton Firefighters? We will be posting pictures sporadically on our new tab “NFD Through the Years” at the top of our homepage and located here – https://nortonfire.com/nfd-through-the-years/ If you can identify them, please fill out the link and submit. We will post the names next week.
Norton Fire and Police Department Joint Active Shooter Training
The Norton Fire and Police Department participated in a 2 day training class on Active Shooters. A special Thanks to Lt Jason Brennan from Medway Police Department, and Whole Foods Warehouse for allowing this training to take place at their facility.
Norton Fire Department Receives Nearly $14,000 Grant for Firefighter Safety Equipment
NORTON— Chief Shawn Simmons is pleased to report that the Norton Fire Department received a $13,917.98 grant from the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2024 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
The Norton Fire Department will use the funding to purchase structural firefighting gear.
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 or National Fire Protection Association safety standards. This is the fourth year that funding has been awarded through the program.
“The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grants are an investment in the health and safety of Massachusetts firefighters,” said State Fire Marshal Jon Davine. “The flexibility of the program is especially valuable because it allows each department to make purchases based on their specific needs and resources. It has become a vital part of the way the Massachusetts fire service prepares for the constantly evolving threats in the world around us.”
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Congratulations to Fire Chaplain Bernard Hinckley
The Norton Fire Department congratulates Rev. Bernard Hinckley on his 25th Anniversary of Ordination. Rev. Hinckley also serves as the Norton Fire Department Chaplain. Thank you Bernie for all you do for the Norton Fire Department and its members both past and present, we hope you are with as as Fire Chaplain for another 25 years!