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October 23, 2004
  Articles on this page: • Fire and Emergency Services
Fire and Emergency Services 20 Flansburg Avenue Dalton, MA 01226 Phone: 684-0500 The Dalton Fire Department currently has thirty-four members, twenty-two are certified emergency medical technicians. All members are trained in the use of semi-automatic de-fibrillators, as well as CPR, haz-mat and many other topics. Members of the department receive a stipend for the considerable amount of time spent answering emergency calls and training, according to Fire Chief Ted White who is also a certified emergency medical technician. When the 911 call comes in, you never know what it's going to be. The communications center, which handles emergency and non-emergency calls for the fire, police, highway/cemetery, and water departments, is separate. Headed by Michael J. Norton, the communications department has five full-time, and five part-time employees. Chief White also reminds residents to be sure their house numbers can be clearly seen from the street so precious minutes are not lost while officers search for the house. Not only will this help emergency responders locate your house quickly, it is a Massachusetts law that all residences must be numbered. Garaged in the fire station on Flansburg Avenue are three fire engines. The rescue truck and ambulance are owned and operated by the Fireman's Association, which is made up of members of the department. The costs of operating those vehicles are paid for by donations, a town-wide subscription drive, and by fees charged insurance companies for transporting patients to hospitals. The fire department is actually part of the Dalton Fire & Water District which was formed in 1884 by industrialists Byron Weston and Zenas Crane, Jr. After losing a total of seven mills to fires, they decided the town had to develop a water system and fire department. Although the district boundaries are determined by the water system, the fire department responds to calls beyond those borders. The operating costs for both departments are paid for by residents of the district who receive bills separate from their property tax bills. Offices for both departments are also located in the fire station. Gilbert Rudd is head of the water district, overseeing 20 miles of lines that carry water to more than 2,025 connections serving 6,000 residents. Water comes from the Windsor Reservoir or the smaller Egypt Reservoir and is purified in a new filter plant and stored according to federal standards. The water department number is 684-6118.  RETURN TO TOP |
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