As Fire Chief and Emergency Manager, I am pleased to submit the following annual report for 2006. Personnel and Administration The Longmeadow Fire Department's twenty two career and four call firefighters worked extremely hard during the last twelve months to deliver service to the highest volume of calls ever experienced by this department. Ambulance and Emergency Medical Calls have proven to place heavy demands on the department. These dedicated professionals continue to strive to provide the best emergency services possible. Firefighters Todd Davis and Rick Gebo coordinate our emergency medical operations. These men are responsible for ensuring the required training is accomplished, our service stays in compliance with all state and regional regulations, and services delivered to our residents are maintained at the highest level possible. With recent regulatory changes these men have been challenged to keep our service ahead of the curve. Work continues in our Emergency Management planning. Over the last year we secured the Services of Hall Engineering to develop specifications for the installation of an emergency generator for the high school. This would enable this building to be used as an emergency shelter. The Town's new Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan was drafted and submitted to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Refinement of this plan is ongoing. Through the use of Homeland Security Grants, we were able to secure an emergency notification system that enables us to communicate with the public by telephone rapidly during an emergency or to convey important information. Incident Responses The Fire Department responded to 1,963 emergency calls during 2006. Fire losses were extremely low only totaling $45,000. This is the lowest year for dollar losses in recent memory. The average loss was $2,500, which is substantially lower than the state average of $13,700.  2006 Fire Department Responses  Structure Fires  19  Vehicle Fires  8  Other Fires  16  Rescue & Emergency Medical  1,204  False Alarms  267  Hazardous Conditions  104  Mutual Aid  88  Service Calls/Assist Police  257  Total Responses  1,963 Fire Prevention Our Fire Prevention Bureau is separated into two areas, Public Education and Inspection/Enforcement. Captain Lynn Thompson leads our Public Education with the help of S.A.F.E. (Student Awareness & Fire Education) grants. This past year, Community Resources honored Captain Thompson and Firefighter Thomas McGowan for their work in fire prevention with autistic children. Captain Gerald Macsata leads our Inspection/Enforcement division. He is also very involved in public education particularly with our Senior Citizens. Much of his year was spent making residents aware of two new regulations. First, carbon monoxide detectors are now required in every home in Massachusetts. Basically, at least one carbon monoxide detector is required on each level of your home. Secondly, any resident with a fire alarm system that summons the fire department is required to register with the Fire Department. Details about this by-law and a registration permit can be obtained on the Fire Department web site at www.Longmeadow.org Residents may also access information regarding these changes or any other fire safety practices by calling Captain Macsata at 565-4108. Fire Prevention Activity for 2006 Smoke Detectors 219 Fire Drills 80 Oil Burners 17 Tank Removals 28 Tank Installations 15 Propane Storage 5 Fire Investigations 9 Fire Safety Inspections 35 School Inspections 18 New Construction 15 Public Education 62 Misc. Inspections 16 Total Prevention Activity 519 Training Firefighters train continuously throughout the year in both firefighting tactics and Emergency Medical subjects. This year Firefighters logged 7,268 hours of training. Topics include ice/cold water rescue, structural firefighting, hazardous materials, cardiopulmonary rescustation and advanced medical procedures. This year the entire department was able to take advantage of the Springfield Fire Department's training center and burn buildings. This allowed us to practice some operational skills in conditions similar to those encountered during an emergency. During the year, our newest Firefighter Jeffery Witek has been attending paramedic training and should be complete in the spring of 2007. I would like to formally recognize the men and women of the Longmeadow Fire Department for their professionalism, dedication, and commitment to this community. They work hard to provide the best emergency services possible, and go beyond the call of duty on a regular basis. I extend my thanks to Father Provenzano, our Department Chaplain, for his contributions to the department and the community. I also would like to thank the other town departments, boards and committees who are a part of making this department successful in completing its mission. Respectfully Submitted, Eric H. Madison Fire Chief Department Roster Chief: Eric H. Madison Captains: Andrew Fraser, Safety Officer Karl Zinnack, Maintenance Officer Lynn Thompson, Public Education Officer Gerald Macsata, Fire Prevention Officer William J. DeFord II, Grant Manager Firefighters: Richard Gebo Robert Taylor Steven Mercieri Christopher J. Scott Thomas McGowan John E. Rigney Michael J. Maheux Edward Linehan Todd P. Davis Dean Godfrey John P. Dearborn Brian Trotta Timothy O'Connell Jeffery Ledoux Casey Bergeron Jeffery Witek Call Lieutenant: Robert E. Loughman Call Firefighters: Kurt Zinnack Marilee T. Elliott David Avezzie Chaplain: Father Lawrence C. Provenzano Admin Assistant: Raymond C. Miller