Call fire fighters donate new vests to AFD

Date: 12/30/2008

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



AGAWAM On Nov. 24, a new federal regulation concerning the safety of fire fighters was mandated, requiring fire department personnel to wear approved reflective apparel when working on or near federally funded highways.

This apparel includes special reflective vests that can cost up to $50 each. In Agawam, as in many towns and cities across the Commonwealth, the fire department did not have enough funding in its budget to provide all the vests necessary.

That's why the call fire fighters in Agawam stepped in.

The call branch of the fire department received 10 of the new reflective, five-point breakaway vests from the Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Firefighters Association, courtesy of Brigham Industries of Paxton, Mass.

"The [fire] department only purchased enough vests for the 'front line' apparatus used by the career force," Sr. Lt. Mike Nicora, call fire fighter for Agawam, said. "There were not enough vests for the engine used by the call force (E3), one spare engine (E4) and Squad 5. The donation of the 10 vests was enough to put vests on these three vehicles. Now every vehicle that leaves either station will have vests."

The Agawam Fire Department has 15 call fire fighters, according to Nicora.

"The department had purchased 24 of the vests," Fire Chief Steven Martin explained. "With the kind donation from Lt. Nicora and our purchase, we are all set with the vests."

The purpose of the new federal regulation requiring the vests is to increase the safety of personnel working an emergency scene such as a motor vehicle accident by making them more visible to motorists, according to a press release from the Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Firefighters Association.