Fire Department getting help from surrounding communities

  Some Revere residents may have spotted fire engines in the city from Chelsea and other neighboring communities recently. Those engines have helped provide coverage for the city while some of Revere’s equipment is undergoing maintenance, according to Fire Chief Christopher Bright.

  Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino has requested that Bright appear before the City Council to talk about the state of the fire department’s fleet. Prior to Monday night’s meeting, Bright sent an email to Serino explaining some of the current issues. “Over the past several months, we have experienced a rash of mechanical and safety system breakdowns concerning our fire operations,” Bright stated. “We put in emergency allocations to cover some of the work, and Engine 4 and Engine 5 have been repaired and are back in service.”

  Engine 3 in North Revere and Engine 1 from the Revere Parkway station are still out for repairs, according to the chief. Bright said he expects both of those engines to be back in service within the next several weeks.

  “We do not have the budget or capacity to do much mechanical work in house in the city,” stated Bright. “Compounding matters is the COVID pandemic creating a shortage of mechanics and parts.”

  Because of those issues, Bright stated, residents may continue to see engines in the city from Boston, Malden or other surrounding communities in the immediate future. “I have been borrowing apparatus so we are not placing them out of service, which was not the common practice before I became the fire chief,” stated Bright. “Lastly, we have two pumper trucks on order that should be delivered and ready to put into service this summer.”

  Serino said Bright’s email answered many of the questions he had, but he would still like to see the chief attend a future meeting of the City Council’s Public Safety Subcommittee.

  Ward 5 Councillor Al Fiore requested that Bright also update the City Council on the status of the Point of Pines Fire Station and on ambulance service in the city.