SOMERVILLE AUXILIARY
FIRE DEPARTMENT
C/O Fire Headquarters
266 Broadway Somerville MA, 02145
Ray Pitcher Charles Breen
Captain Chief Engineer
To: Chief Breen
Fr: Captain Raymond Pitcher
Re: 2020 Hours and Responses
Da: March 1st, 2021
For the year 2020, The Somerville Auxiliary Fire/CERT expanded its membership, extended its duty nights and went from 2,163 community service hours total for 2019 to 1,933.5 community service hours total for 2020, a decrease of volunteer hours, mainly due to Covid-19 fears within the Cert membership.
With the expansion with the CERT team there has been interest within the community to join the SAFD /CERT team. We now have a total of 20 members, 1 Captain and 3 Lieutenant’s with over 38 years of dedicated service, 5 new membership applicants in process or completed and a District Chief from the SFD overseeing the SAFD.
The concept of the CERT team is to get more of the community involved in volunteering. The Somerville CERT team has worked hand in hand with the SFD, Massachusetts Emergency Management as well as Federal Emergency Management to make sure that the Somerville CERT team follows the guidelines, such as trainings for its members and to be prepared when an emergency might occur.
During the 2019-2020 pandemic, The Somerville CERT/SAFD was activated to perform many Covid – 19 responses which included; food distribution, Community Mask set up and distribution as well as Medical tent set ups.
The CERT TEAM membership has expressed interest in becoming CERT trainers and will attend the classes when available through MEMA.
This CERT program was also awarded its second CERT federal/state grant; this accomplishment again is a very proud moment as it is our second grant, which will be medical supplies and PPE.
The total incidents the Somerville Auxiliary Fire/Cert for 2020 was 69.These incidents varied into different categories. A response means that a team was put together and responded with a vehicle to the location of the incident or event. The SAFD/CERT responds to working fires and above in the City, which supports the SFD with lighting etc. The SAFD operates with Squad 1 and Squad 2 as well as a shelter in place trailer which is operated by the SAFD in the event of an emergency.
Somerville Fire Responses 4
Mutual Aid Responses 2
Special Assignments Calls 49
Basement water pump outs 6
Assist Police 0
Parades 2
Community Service Events 69(Covid-19 related)
Total Responses 132
Training for 2019 was very extensive as we expanded training and added another member to our training staff. Each of our training staff has different training experience to teach its members. Lt. Salvi teaches CPR, First Aid, Incident Command, and all CERT classes required. Fire fighter Thomas Blow teaches most in house training that has to do with scene safety, SAFD operations at a fire scene, understanding of the fire service.
A total hour of 2020 training was as follows:
CERT Training 38 hours
In house trainings 16 hours
Total Training; 54 hours
Membership Total Hours
Captain Pitcher 269.5
Lt. Mike Salvi 228.5
Lt. Joe Coughlin 208.5
Lt. McGowan 53.5
FF. Price 19.0
FF. Blow 44.5
FF. Pavado 161.0
FF. Donovan 20.0
FF.Quaratillo 116.0
FF. Soares 135.0
FF.Alves 110.0
FF. Marchado 91.5
FF. Gover 178.0
FF. Karki 88.0
FF. Clark 79.0
FF. Artinian 150.0
FF. Guzman 43.5
FF. Yearwood 41.5
CERT Goldman 8.0
FF. Kwan 17.5
FF.Lee 13.5
FF. Capozzi 7.0
Total Membership Hours 1,933.5
.
Thank you to all that have supported the SAFD/CERT, we look forward to a successful, educational 2021.
Thank You
Captain Raymond Pitcher
Somerville Auxiliary Fire/CERT
