April 2, 2018

Georgetown Police Department Welcomes New School Resource Officer

Jordan Mayblum ⋅ Client News, Police News ⋅ Georgetown, Georgetown Police, georgetown schools, school resource officer ⋅ 0 Comments

Georgetown Police Department
Donald C. Cudmore, Chief of Police
47 Central Street
Georgetown, MA 01833

For Immediate Release

Monday, April 2, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Georgetown Police Department Welcomes New School Resource Officer

GEORGETOWN — Chief Donald C. Cudmore is pleased to announce that the Georgetown Finance and Advisory Committee, with the support of the Board of Selectmen, voted to fund a full-time School Resource Officer to work at the Georgetown Middle-High School.

“Given the national climate of school safety and gun violence I want to thank our elected and appointed officials for coming together to support our schools and police department,” Chief Cudmore said. “As evidenced by this support, our community has dedicated the resoucesr necessary to ensure that our students and educational personnel learn and work in the safest possible environment. I’m proud to be part of this community and to work with residents who are so dedicated to ensuring public safety.”

The department will assign its newest full-time staff member, Officer Laura Britton, to the School Resource Officer Post. Officer Britton has already completed police academy training and is a certified full-time officer. As a result, the Town of Georgetown was able to save nearly $50,000 in training costs.

“Officer Britton is a perfect fit for this community and I am very excited to have her as a full-time officer,” Chief Cudmore added. “She will do a wonderful job for Georgetown.”

Officer Britton will be starting promptly at 7 a.m. on Monday and will work alongside current SRO Henry Olshefsky to learn from him and his experience working within the school district.

###

March 14, 2018

Georgetown Firefighter Graduates from State Call/Volunteer Training Academy

Jessica Sacco ⋅ Client News, Fire News ⋅ fire department, firefighter, Georgetown, graduation, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy ⋅ 0 Comments

Georgetown Fire Department
Fred A. Mitchell Jr., Fire Chief
47 Central Street
Georgetown, MA 01833

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Georgetown Firefighter Graduates from State Call/Volunteer Training Academy

Georgetown Firefighter Gregory Salerno, left, with Chief Fred Mitchell following his graduation from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. (Courtesy Photo Georgetown Fire Department)

GEORGETOWN — Chief Fred A. Mitchell Jr. is pleased to announce that Gregory Salerno graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy earlier this month.

Firefighter Salerno completed the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training program Class 68. The ceremony, which was held on March 1 at Pentucket Regional Middle School, recognized the 40 graduates who successfully finished the rigorous program.

A resident of Georgetown, Firefighter Salerno is a certified EMT and has worked with the Georgetown Fire Department since Sept. 1, 2016.

“Firefighter Salerno has been a valued member of the Georgetown Fire Department and I’m proud that he has completed this intensive training,” Chief Mitchell said. “I know he will continue to serve our community well.”

At the academy, firefighters learned the basic skills they need to respond to fires, including how to contain and control them, public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, confined space rescue techniques and rappelling.

To graduate, firefighters were required to complete 240 hours of training, all on nights and weekends, while demonstrating proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack in situations ranging from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multi-room structural fires.

###

March 8, 2018

Statement from Georgetown Police Chief Donald Cudmore Regarding Rumored Threat at Penn Brook Elementary School

Benjamin Paulin ⋅ Client News, Police News ⋅ Chief Donald Cudmore, Georgetown, Georgetown Police Department, Investigation, Penn Brook Elementary School, school safety, threat ⋅ 0 Comments

Georgetown Police Department
Donald C. Cudmore, Chief of Police
47 Central Street
Georgetown, MA 01833

For Immediate Release

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Statement from Georgetown Police Chief Donald Cudmore Regarding Rumored Threat at Penn Brook Elementary School

GEORGETOWN — A statement from Georgetown Police Chief Donald Cudmore regarding a rumored threat against Penn Brook Elementary School:

“Late yesterday afternoon, it was reported to the Georgetown Police Department that a rumor was circulating among the Penn Brook Elementary School community that a specific student had made a threat to commit an act of violence at the school.”

“The Georgetown Police Department takes school safety very seriously and immediately conducted a thorough investigation. The results of that investigation indicated that this was nothing more than a rumor and that no student had made a credible threat against the Penn Brook School, the students or any other school in Georgetown. Similar rumors have circulated throughout the nation since the horrific mass shooting in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14, 2018 including rumors at various schools throughout the area.”

“Please be rest assured that there is no threat to our schools, students or faculty, and the schools are safe. Out of an abundance of caution, I have continued to direct police officers to work security details outside each school building throughout the Georgetown School District. Given the national climate and safety concerns, I feel that this is a prudent use of our resources. The safety and well-being of our children will always come first.”

###

February 23, 2018

Georgetown Fire Department Receives Grants to Support Fire Education Programs

Jordan Mayblum ⋅ Client News, Fire News ⋅ Georgetown, georgetown fire department, safe, Senior SAFE ⋅ 0 Comments

Georgetown Fire Department
Fred A. Mitchell Jr., Fire Chief
47 Central Street
Georgetown, MA 01833

For Immediate Release

Friday, Feb. 23, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Georgetown Fire Department Receives Grants to Support Fire Education Programs

GEORGETOWN — Chief Fred A. Mitchell Jr. is pleased to announce that the Georgetown Fire Department has earned two grants that will help support the department’s ongoing Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) programs.

The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services awarded the Georgetown Fire Department grants of $3,708 for its S.A.F.E. Program and an additional $2,415 for its Senior S.A.F.E. Program.

The S.A.F.E. Program is a state initiative designed to provide resources to local fire departments to conduct fire and life safety education programs for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. The program aims to enable students to recognize fire hazards and teach key safety behaviors that should be used anytime a child comes into contact with a fire. Since the S.A.F.E. program’s inception in 1995, the average annual number of child deaths caused by a fire has fallen by 72 percent in Massachusetts.

Senior S.A.F.E. is a similar program that was created to support fire safety education specifically for older adults, who are most at risk of dying in a fire in Massachusetts. The program builds on the success of the original S.A.F.E. program and helps forge a connection between fire departments and a variety of senior support agencies working in their communities.

Georgetown S.A.F.E. Coordinator, Firefighter Donna Robbins, wrote the grant on behalf of the department and will manage the program.

The grants will help fund the purchase of smoke detectors for the community, as well as support the ongoing public education efforts Georgetown firefighters conduct with residents. The program will also support the installation of lock boxes outside seniors’ homes, enabling the fire department to enter into a home during an emergency without having to force their way in.

Seniors interested in a lock box should contact the Georgetown Council on Aging for more information.

“These programs are an essential part of the work that we do, and helps residents know what steps they can take to protect themselves from fire danger,” Chief Mitchell said. “I’m excited to be able to connect directly with our most at-risk residents and I’m grateful for the continued support of the Department of Fire Services.”

###