Candidate Statement: Raymond Barry, Board of Health

My name is Raymond Barry and I am running for the open 2 year seat on the Board of Health.

I have lived in Tewksbury for the past 20 years with my wife, Keri.  We are the proud parents of three children, Alex and Zachary whom attend the John F. Ryan School and Tiffany, a junior at Shawsheen Tech.  I am a graduate of Northeastern University where I received both Bachelor and Master’s Degrees in Civil Engineering.  For 25 years, I worked at GEI Consultants, a local geotechnical and environmental engineering consulting firm.  I currently work at Malden Catholic High School as Director of Information Technology and teach an “Introduction to Technology” course to freshmen.

I first became interested in emergency preparedness in 1989 while working with a drilling crew on a remote Indian Reservation in New Mexico.   I was very concerned that if a work-site accident occurred, it would take a very long time for medical help to arrive.  Immediately after returning, I enrolled in the Emergency Medical Technician Program at Northeastern University.  After completing that course and becoming certified as an EMT, I become an American Heart Association CPR Instructor and later BLS Regional Faculty for the American Heart Association where I monitor training sites to ensure high quality standards are maintained.  As a Health Educator at Winchester Hospital since 1990, I have helped improve the emergency preparedness of the local community by teaching CPR and First Aid Courses to over 4,000 people.  

In 2004, I joined the Upper Merrimack Valley Medical Reserve Corps where I received additional emergency preparedness training from FEMA and the Red Cross.  In 2011, I was selected to serve on this MRC Unit’s Advisory Council and represent Tewksbury.  This MRC Unit works closely with the local Health Departments.  Our volunteer members have provided Tewksbury with staffing support during flu clinics, emergencies and other public health events. 

Tewksbury will be facing some big public health issues including the clean-up of the Sutton Brook Disposal Area and Medical Marijuana Dispensaries.  I believe that Tewksbury would be best served in dealing with these and other public and environmental health issues by having a Board of Health whose members have complimentary backgrounds.  My background in civil engineering, health education, information technology, emergency preparedness and emergency management would complement the expertise and backgrounds of the other members of the Board of Health.

If elected to the Board of Health, I would also work with the Health Department to assist them with emergency management planning and help provide emergency preparedness training to the residents of Tewksbury.

I thank you in advance for your consideration of my candidacy for the Board of Health on April 6^th.

Raymond Barry
6 Cayuga Road
Tewksbury, MA 01876