Lexington Fire Chief John Wilson Presents to Rotary

 
Monday was a dreary, drizzly, raw day outside but inside was fun and festive with an indoor cookout! There were burgers of all varieties, (thanks Patty) fries, corn on the cob, potato salad, as well as the usual delicious choices.
 
Joining the twenty four Rotarians, were three guests including the speaker. The pledge was led by PP Jim S. PSaA Charlie V led us in the first verse of America, and PDG Jack gave the invocation. The three guests were introduced and PSaA Charlie started us on the welcome song.
 
The raffle gifts were donated by Arlex Oil, Brookhaven and Wagon Wheel Nursery.
 
Happy dollars came fast and furiously.
  • PP Ed G. for a yes vote for the Brookhaven reconstruction.
  • PP Jim F., also for Brookhaven, thanking PP Ed, Bill Daley, and all who made phone calls to the selectmen.
  • PDG Jack M. for a wonderful dinner with the Lions, noting though, that his fellow Rotarians, PP Dan B, PP Nick C, and PP Bob S, were not wearing Rotary pins. PP Nick C. gave a long excuse involving his toilet which was not very believable.
  • PP Dan B. for his twins Jenna and Andrew’s thirty third birthday mentioning that Andrew and his fiancé, a nurse at Lahey will be moving in with him.
  • Allen A. a belated thank you to all for a fantastic Patriots’ Day
  • Terry W. for the honor of participating on the scholarship committee and thanking PP Jim F. and PP Ed G. for the experience.
  • PP Jim F. thanked the scholarship committee for the help to grant fifteen scholarships to students from LHS, LCA and Minuteman on May 15th at our luncheon.
  • PP Spencer B. for the upcoming comedy night on May 12th. Thanks to the advertisers and those who donated to the silent action. There are ten seats remaining and available!
 
PP Murry A. introduced the speaker, Chief John Wilson thanking him for the department always going above and beyond. While introducing Chief John, Murry said police instead of fire and paid a fine for that. Chief John has been a firefighter for thirty two years, coming in the same year the Rotary Club of Lexington purchased and donated the Jaws of Life to the fire department. Chief John is a fifth generation firefighter and a Lexington resident all of his life. He presented a slideshow and talked of the history of the Lexington Fire Department dating back to the beginning in 1829. It took four years of discussion but it did happen. A space was purchased for one hundred and ninety dollars and included a shed for two engines. In the 1890s, the department consisted of only three permanent members. In 1940, the first ambulance was purchased. In 1947 the department moved to the current location with eighteen members. In 1994, the software was updated to include a new GPS system. Currently, the Fire Department employs forty four paramedics, two intermediate EMTs, sixteen basic EMTs and two advanced Life Support ambulance personal. The department currently conducts extensive daily training which can include bus training using busses from C & W and the boy scouts, real fires using tear down properties in Lexington, and Auto Rescue using junk cars at John P Carroll’s Auto.
One new advancement coming soon is the improved 911 service which will speed up location information. The Fire Department also does a lot of community education such as SAFE, a school education program increasing student awareness of fire education. Also, programs at the senior center continue to educate that population as well.
Currently sixty five percent of the calls received at the Fire Department are related to a medical emergency. The department also does about eleven hundred inspections.
There were many questions relating to costs. A new Fire Station is badly needed and would require an override to fund the twenty million dollar cost. A bare bones striped down fire truck cost a half a million dollars. A multi functioning new ambulance cost one million dollars.
 
IP Lori M passed out a survey. It can be submitted online. Please fill it out entirely.
 
Reminder, please attend comedy night May 12th.
 
LAWM