Guest Opinion: The perfect storm brewing at Fall River Fire Department
Sean Flannery
Posted Apr. 18, 2014
On March 26, the Boston Fire Department responded to a basement fire that quickly engulfed the four-story structure. The wind-driven fire grew so fast and intensely that the fully staffed BFD became overwhelmed and struck nine alarms, their largest response. Tragically, the fire claimed the lives of Lt. Edward J. Walsh, father of three, and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, a combat Marine.
Whenever firefighters die in the line of duty, I dread listening to the radio transmissions from the incident, but I do so out of responsibility to my fellow firefighters, their families, and to my family and myself. These transmissions often include last words to loved ones in terrifying conditions: They’re lost, running out of air with zero visibility or being overcome by fire with no defense, and always in their last moments of life. It is the most heart-wrenching audio one can ever listen to. But I listen. And I make fellow firefighters listen as well. Although haunting, we learn from it and it makes us better firefighters.
In 11 years, as a Fall River firefighter, I’ve responded to some horrific incidents and part of me has grown accustomed to many of the tragic calls we respond to. Repetition will do that. One thing I can never fully detach from however, are those transmissions and the horror these brave, fallen firefighters experienced in their final moments, the Boston transmissions being no exception. The sight of the crying family members at the funerals, especially the children, never really leaves me either.
One hundred fifty firefighters responded to that deadly fire in Boston — an ominous number as 153 firefighters is what Mayor Will Flanagan is proposing to staff our entire fire department in Fall River. (For perspective, we operated with 232 in 2007.) This may result in just 25 firefighters providing daily all-hazards emergency response in Fall River and doing the work that 40 firefighters currently perform.
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