Firefighters, Police, Others Honored for Saving Girl’s Life, 3 Firefighters Sworn In

Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Firefighters, Police, and civilian employees who helped save the life of 11-year-old Rachel Patterson, pose with the Patterson family. Several awards were presented at a ceremony on Oct. 18. A dozen people received awards for their part in saving the life of a girl in July who was not breathing. Also during the ceremony the three newest members of the Watertown Fire Department officially received their badges.

Watertown Fire Department to Hold 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on 20th Anniversary

The Watertown Fire Department will mark the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 on Saturday at the Main Fire Station. The Town of Watertown sent out the following information about the ceremony:

The Watertown Fire Department will be conducting a brief remembrance ceremony for the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 9:55 a.m. at Fire Station Headquarters, 99 Main St., Watertown, MA. Everyone is welcome to attend. Plan of Events

9:55 a.m. – Apparatus roll out of bays to appropriate location in front of station.

Watertown Nursing Facility Thanks First Responders, Looks to Show Them Things Have Changed Under New Management

Vero Health CareVero Watertown thanked members of the Watertown Police and Fire departments for a cookout, recently. Pictured, from left, Fire Lt. Glen McManus, State Rep. Steve Owens, Vero Health Care President/COO Uma Rajagopal, Police Officer Ryan Vaughan, and Vero Watertown Administrator Tim Churchill. The operators of a Watertown skilled nursing facility that has struggled recently wanted to show that the place is under new management, and invited over the first responders, who visit on a regular basis, to thank them. At the end of June, Vero Health & Rehab of Watertown held a cookout for the members of the Watertown Fire and Police departments, and also invited State Rep. Steve Owens to come by and tour the facility. The facility on Coolidge Hill Road came under scrutiny after reports of possible elder abuse and hundreds of 911 calls coming from there, including sometimes from patients.

Fire Damages Apartment in Large Complex South of the Charles River

A fire started in an apartment in an apartment complex on Watertown Street on Wednesday, but was doused before it spread within the unit or to other apartments. The Watertown Fire Department received the fire alarm at 1:31 p.m. on Wednesday. The fire began in the kitchen area of a unit in the Watertown Square Apartments, located at 20 Watertown Street. No one was home when the fire began, but it was discovered by an alert employee, said Watertown Fire Capt. Eric Allen, the WFD’s Fire Investigator. “There was a maintenance worker that was on the roof of the building that saw smoke coming out of one of the vents,” Allen said.

Watertown Firefighter Graduates from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy

Watertown Firefighter Christopher Filder graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on May 7. The following announcement was provide by the Watertown Fire Department and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy:

Firefighter Christopher Fidler graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy Training 10 week training program on May 7, announced Watertown Fire Chief Robert Quinn. 

“Firefighter Fidler will return to work (this) week to serve the citizens of Watertown,” Quinn said. “We are very excited to have him back.” The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy provided the following information about the training that Fidler and the other graduates received:

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Deputy State Fire Marshal Maribel Fournier announced the graduation of 34 firefighters from 15 fire departments completed the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program on May 7, 2021. Class #291 trained at the Stow campus and Class #BW10 trained at the Bridgewater campus.