Gloucester

Photos: Gloucester’s Will Bren and Mason Adams in the Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

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Gloucester Police Department
Chief John McCarthy
197 Main St.
Gloucester , MA 01930

For Immediate Release

Monday, March 18, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Photos: Gloucester’s Will Bren and Mason Adams in the Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

GLOUCESTER — Two very special Gloucester boys were featured in the 2019 Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Mason Adams, who was honored after his 6th birthday in 2017 for donating all of his birthday money to the charity Cops for Kids with Cancer and William Bren, who is battling cancer and whose family received a Cops for Kids with Cancer donation were together with their loved ones on Sunday. The two local boys were featured in the Cops for Kids with Cancer trolley as they rolled down the streets of Boston.

In January 2017 Chief McCarthy and Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken were honored to welcome Mason and his family to the Gloucester police station, where they presented a check on Mason’s behalf to Cops For Kids With Cancer. Mason, who considers police officers to be his personal heroes, decided that he would prefer to donate money to the police rather than receive presents for his birthday, so his parents raised $900 in his name to donate to Cops For Kids With Cancer. Mason was thanked by Gloucester Police and presented with a formal citation by Mayor Romeo Theken recognizing him for his selflessness.

Will and his family visited with Gloucester Police last August after a convey of police cruisers escorted him and his family to the police station. Will’s family was presented with a $5,000 donation from Cops For Kids With Cancer to help cover his medical expenses.

Will is said to be doing well, according to his family, and he was all smiles aboard the trolley on Sunday.

Gloucester Police have raised thousands of dollars for the charity which supports the efforts of family members to attain and travel to treatment for their children.

“Will and Mason are two very unique and very special Gloucester children, and while they may consider cops to be their heroes, in reality they are heroes to us and they inspire us every day,” Chief McCarthy said.

About Cops For Kids With Cancer:

In 2005, retired Boston Police Captain John Dow and his wife, Joan, wanted to find a way to support children with cancer who were being treated at Massachusetts General Hospital. Captain Dow, a cancer survivor, was sensitive to the needs of cancer patients and had a particular empathy for children undergoing difficult treatments.

Soon after, the nonprofit he founded, Cops For Kids With Cancer, began directing significant support to pediatric cancer patients at Massachusetts General Hospital. Cops For Kids With Cancer supports emergency assistance to families, events for patients and their families, and special “wishes” for teens, who are too old to be served by the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Captain Dow lost his battle with cancer in 2007, but his vision of supporting children and their families continues.

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Gloucester Police and Fire Departments Attend Municipal Drone Training

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, March 15, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Gloucester Police and Fire Departments Attend Municipal Drone Training

GLOUCESTER –Police Chief John McCarthy and Fire Chief Eric Smith are pleased to share that members of the Gloucester Police and Fire Departments attended a training on municipal drone use earlier this week.

Police Lt. Joe Fitzgerald and Fire Lt. Kevin Gargan attended a Salem State University workshop on Monday, March 11, on municipal applications of drones. The day-long workshop included lectures, discussion and field work with hands-on training.

The city of Gloucester is currently exploring the possibility of drone usage as a resource and shared asset to the Police and Fire Departments as well as the Department of Public Works.

“This training provided a great base knowledge of municipal drone use to Lt. Fitzgerald and Lt. Gargan,” Fire Chief Smith said. “As Gloucester examines the possible benefits of municipal drone use for several departments, it is great to have multiple city employees furthering their knowledge of how these devices function, the necessary steps for a municipality to pursue a drone program, and the possible benefits these devices may offer.”

The training was lead by Salem State University Geography Professor Stephen Young, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) professional Richard Ames and Peabody Police Sgt. Christos Zamakis, who is currently studying drone use for police departments as he pursues a master’s degree in geo-information science at Salem State University.

“This training was comprehensive, and we greatly appreciate Salem State’s work in offering this workshop to support municipalities as we navigate this complex, new territory,” Chief McCarthy said. “Drones may become an invaluable resource to the city of Gloucester in the future, and it was great to give members of the police and fire departments the chance to expand their knowledge and gain some experience with these devices.”

Participants in the training learned about the current uses of drones for municipalities, how public safety departments and public works professionals can use drones, the different drone models currently available, necessary software to fly drones within Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements, how to obtain a remote pilot’s license, how to acquire proper insurance, and how to set up a drone project and fly a drone.

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Gloucester Firefighters Rescue Deer that Fell Through Ice at Fernwood Lake

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Gloucester Fire Department
Eric Smith, Fire Chief
8 School St.
Gloucester, MA 01930

For Immediate Release

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Gloucester Firefighters Rescue Deer that Fell Through Ice at Fernwood Lake

GLOUCESTER — Chief Eric Smith reports that Gloucester firefighters rescued a deer that fell through the ice at Fernwood Lake this morning.

On Thursday, March 14 at 8:14 a.m. firefighters were called to Fernwood Lake for a report of a deer that had fallen through the ice. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a deer struggling in water, dozens of feet away from shore.

Multiple crews from the Gloucester Fire Department collaborated on the rescue, including West Gloucester’s Engine 2 Crew of Firefighter Darrel Dench and Lt. Doug MacArther, and the Gloucester Fire Department Headquarters Ladder 1 crew of Acting Lieutenant Randy Silva and Firefighters Bob Grover, Andrew Pierce, and Jak Letien.

No one was injured and the deer was able to return to its natural habitat Thursday.

In light of this incident, the Gloucester Fire Department wishes to remind residents that it is not safe to step or walk on the ice. In the event a person or animal falls through the ice residents should always call the Gloucester Fire Department for help.

If someone does fall through the ice, and you cannot reach them from the shore, throw something like a rope, jumper cables, or tree branch to try and pull that person out. If the situation is too dangerous, however, residents should never put themselves in danger and instead wait for help to arrive or go find help.

“Thankfully, our firefighters were able to utilize extensive training and equipment to rescue this deer, and no one was injured in the process,” Chief Smith said. “The ice is not safe to walk across or step on, especially as temperatures begin to fluctuate as we head into spring. Residents shouldn’t be on the ice, and should never attempt such a rescue themselves.

Ice Safety Tips

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife offers several ice safety tips, and also warns that there is never a guarantee that ice is safe to walk on and won’t crack or buckle.

If you fall through the ice:

  • Don’t panic.
  • Call for help.
  • Don’t remove winter clothing; air trapped in your clothing may provide warmth and help keep you afloat.
  • Turn the direction you came from–the ice you previously walked on will likely be the safest.
  • Place your hands and arms on an unbroken surface of the ice and kick your legs. Once your torso is on solid ice, roll toward thicker ice to distribute your weight.
  • Once you are out of the water and off the ice, find shelter and warm your body. Change out of wet clothing and find warm, dry clothing. Get to a car or house. If you’re in a remote location, start a campfire.

If someone else falls through the ice:

  • Call 911.
  • Shout to the victim to let them know help is on the way.
  • If you can reach them from the shore safely, extend an object such as a rope, tree branch, or ladder that they can grab hold of.
  • Toss one end of a rope or a similar object that will float to the victim.
  • If you cannot safely help, call 911 or go find help.
  • If a pet falls through the ice, call 911 for help or go find help. It is too dangerous to attempt to save a pet yourself. Always keep a pet leashed while walking on ice or near ice.

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City of Gloucester Encourages Residents to Sign Up for Smart911 Alerts

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City of Gloucester Encourages Residents to Sign Up for Smart911 Alerts

GLOUCESTER — Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, Police Chief John McCarthy, Fire Chief Eric Smith, and Assistant Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Joe Aiello are encouraging residents to sign up for mobile safety notifications and create a profile through the city’s emergency alert system.

Gloucester Emergency Alerts, powered by Smart911, is the official emergency notification system used by the city to communicate with residents and business owners during a range of emergencies.

Smart911 is a free service that allows residents to sign up online to create a profile that will provide vital information to 911 call takers during an emergency — allowing first responders to make faster and more informed responses. People who live and work in Gloucester can add relevant information to their profile, including the number of people and pets living in a household or working at a business, what those people and pets look like, relevant medical conditions and allergies, and emergency contacts.

The system also allows participants to receive emergency notifications in real time. Emergency alerts are used to notify residents of a variety of situations, including power outages, evacuations, lock down situations, water advisories and road closures.

“I encourage all Gloucester residents to sign up for Smart911 Alerts,” Mayor Theken said. “By utilizing this technology, residents are able to receive important notifications while providing essential information that is needed to best help during an emergency situation. Stay informed. Take advantage of this safety tool and sign up today.”

Gloucester Emergency Alerts also issues advisories to residents for amber alerts, missing person alerts, snow, flooding, traffic, weather warnings and beach alerts.

“This safety alert system could truly save lives, and it only takes a few minutes to sign up online,” Fire Chief Smith said. “Knowing how many people, and pets, live in a household in the event of a fire is a huge help to first responders. Being aware of medical conditions can help us provide the best possible care in an emergency. This system is a great asset to our city’s safety– let’s use it to its full potential.”

Residents can sign up to receive mobile alerts and create a safety profile for their household by clicking here.

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