Shuttered Mass. fire station could reopen by winter

By Rita Savard
The Lowell Sun

CHELMSFORD, Mass. — Closed since 2009, the South Fire Station could be back in business this winter, according to Town Manager Paul Cohen.

During the height of the economic crisis, the town saw personnel layoffs, as well as the closure of an elementary school and one of its five fire stations. But Cohen told selectmen Monday night that brighter days lie ahead.

"We're no longer seeing reductions in local aid, and the state's situation is beginning to stabilize," Cohen said. "It looks like the worst of the economic slowdown is behind us now, so we'll start to see some of our public-safety services restored to the levels they should be at."

With the help of grant money, four firefighters have been hired to replace positions lost in 2009 due to attrition, Cohen said, providing the manpower the department needs to staff the South station.

Before the station opens, the matter will have to come before Town Meeting in the fall for approval.

In the meantime, Fire Chief Michael Curran is still actively pursuing grants, Cohen added.

An independent study performed several years ago, looking at Chelmsford's population and land area, determined that all five stations were needed to meet the required emergency response time of five minutes or less.

But midyear budget cuts in fiscal 2009 left the town little choice but to close the South station and the Westlands Elementary School.

The year that followed was the busiest in the history of the Chelmsford Fire Department, according to the fiscal 2010 Town Report, with 5,595 emergency calls, up 392 calls over the previous year. Medical emergencies accounted for more than half the calls, 2,868, and fire calls totaled 143.

Despite the rocky economy and some steep cuts, the town received a positive bond-rating report this year, with a good outlook for the years ahead, Cohen said.

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