Tewksbury Fire Department Adds $90K in Life-Saving Equipment

TEWKSBURY, MA - The Tewksbury Fire Department has received $90,000 worth of life-saving rescue equipment thanks to the efforts of Sen. Barbara L’Italien and State Reps. Jim Miceli (D-Wilmington) and Jim Lyons (R-Andover).

The lawmakers successfully added the money to this year’s state budget to reimburse the town and its Fire Department for expenses incurred responding to Tewksbury State Hospital, a regional health care facility that specializes in mental health services.

The money was used to purchase two Lucas 2.2 Chest Compression systems, which were recently deployed on the Fire Department’s two primary ambulances. Fire Chief Michael Hazel said the devices allow the department’s EMTs and first-responders to provide a higher level of care for patients experiencing a heart attack or other cardiac emergency.

“The Tewksbury Hospital grant funds provided to our Fire Department this year through Sen. L’Italien’s efforts, along with the stalwart support of Representatives Miceli and Lyons, will have a direct impact on our operations for years to come,” Chief Hazel said following a meeting with Sen. L’Italien.

“It was encouraging and gratifying to see the funds that I fought for with Rep. Miceli and Rep. Lyons put to such great use on equipment that will make the residents of Tewksbury and the surrounding area safer and actually save lives,” said Sen. L’Italien, who represents the communities of Tewksbury, Dracut, Andover and Lawrence.

The department also used the state funds to buy new, battery-operated hydraulic rescue tools used to extract victims from mangled automobiles. Older, manual extraction equipment needed to be replaced due to high-strength steel and alloys used in today’s vehicles, Chief Hazel said.

“Working with Sen. L’Italien and Rep. Lyons to help secure relief funding for the town of Tewksbury to improve its Fire Department response was my pleasure,” Rep. Miceli said. “Tewksbury unquestionably has a top-notch fire department, and I know they’ll utilize the new equipment to start saving lives immediately. I will always support the fire department in the Legislature any way I can, because I know they’ll utilize any resources for the greater safety of the town.”

Other notable supplies and equipment purchased with the state money include Nasal Naloxone, which is used to treat patients overdosing on heroin and other opioids, and laptop computers for each of the Fire Department’s engine companies and its command vehicle. Chief Hazel said the department’s ambulances and fire engines have been equipped with the new anti-overdosing medicine.

“This technology will allow for more information flow and gathering at incident scenes and will also allow fire officers the ability to add and update information to our pre-fire planning information system,” Chief Hazel said of the new laptop computers.

Chief Hazel said receiving annual state reimbursements from the state to offset the expense of responding to Tewksbury State Hospital will have a “direct and positive impact on our ability to provide quality and expanded service to the hospital and the community.”

“Minimizing the impact of ambulance reimbursement changes for public emergency service agencies, adequate local aid funding, and addressing the opioid epidemic plaguing our community and state are key issues for us,” Chief Hazel said.

The $90,000 state grant to Tewksbury was administered through the state Department of Fire Services.