Malden City Hall

215 Pleasant Street

Malden, MA 02148

City of Malden

Meeting Minutes - Final

Public Safety Committee

Chairperson Stephen Winslow

Vice Chair Deborah DeMaria

Councillor Ryan O'Malley

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

5:30 PM

Remote Meeting

217-21

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Roll Call

2 - Vice Chair Deborah DeMaria and Ryan O'Malley

Present:

Also Present: Councillors Camell and Linehan

Kate Fallon-City Solicitor

Chief Sullivan-Fire Department

Councillor Winslow called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. Jon Miara and UMA recorded

the meeting.

Minutes to be Approved

Minutes of February 2, 2021 to be approved.

A motion was made by Vice Chair Deborah DeMaria,

seconded by Councillor Ryan O'Malley, that the minutes of

February 2, 2021 be approved. The motion carried by the

following vote:

2 - Vice Chair DeMaria and Councillor O'Malley

Yea:

Minutes of May 12, 2020 to be approved.

A motion was made by Vice Chair Deborah DeMaria,

seconded by Councillor Ryan O'Malley, that the minutes of

May 12, 2020 be approved. The motion carried by the

following vote:

2 - Vice Chair DeMaria and Councillor O'Malley

Yea:

Business

196-21

Ordered: That the City of Malden renew its Mutual Aid Agreement For Joint Fire,

Rescue and/or Ambulance Service when the current agreement expires on October

31, 2021. The renewal agreement will be for the same 20 year terms.

Sponsors: Stephen Winslow

Councillor Winslow said he spoke with Chief William Sullivan about Mutual Aid and he

explained the great fire of 1872 was the first time fire departments in the region used

mutual aid, the Chief of Boston used mutual aid by telegram to regional fire places to

send in equipment and manpower by a train unfortunately Walter Trombley of Malden

died in that fire, and the new truck has his name on it, mutual aid has been part of what

Malden has provided for 150 years now. Councillor Winslow hands it over to Chief

Sullivan to explain Mutual Aid. Chief Sullivan said back in late Feb/March he received an

email correspondence from the director of Metro Fire which went out to Chiefs of all 36

cities, towns, and Massport that make up Metro Fire District 13 surrounding Boston

indicating the agreement was up for renewal as is the case every 20 years. He forwarded

it to the City Clerk's attention and spoke to the Mayor which has his signature as well as

the Chief's and ultimately brought it to be referred to the Public Safety Committee.

Councillor DeMaria thanks the Chief for coming before the Committee asked overall is it

to be agreeing to another twenty years, the terms of the agreement, and does mutual aid

mean if there is a fire out of state would we go to it or just in Massachusetts. Chief

Sullivan explained the agreement of the City of Malden Fire Department is District 13

which we are a member of. As far as what it provides first and foremost is mutual aid

and we are on Boston's running card and have sent aid multiple times. It is mutual aid

where we are sending our companies out of Malden to the surrounding communities on a

weekly basis to Boston most frequently when the need arises or when an incident is

escalating to provide assistance in that form. The Metro Fire Agreement also involves

communication assistance, once an incident esalates to a point when mutual aid is being

utilized it can overwhelm the dispatch capabilities, the phone doesnt stop ringing at the

station. Boston Fire Alarm is the HUB of the mutual aid in this area and they assume

the dispatch role. It takes the burden off the dispatcher as well. Metro Fire also has

purchase agreements known as the Metro Bid which gives a cost savings to be realized

through that joint purchasing power, they also formed regional hazardous response teams

and one of our members is a member of the regional team. Metro provides evacuation

buses during a major incidents and rehabilitation services for personnel working the

incidents and also a stress debriefing team. As far as response beyond Metro the State

has a plan, we have sent companies out to Worcester where there was a long duration of

a task and we sent members out to cover their stations. The goal is to share resources.

Councillor DeMaria asks if they get called out to other areas? Chief says most frequently

it happens with the 36 communities, it doesn't occur frequently but they have been called

out.

Councillor O'Malley said he thinks this is a great program and that we are renewing it for

another twenty year term. He asked if there is any cost to this? Chief Sullivan said he

believes the cost to be a member annually is $2,200 to the City which has not gone up

over the last twenty year agreement. A vote was taken in fiscal year 2023, beginning July

21, 2022 the cost will go up to $5,000/year. Councillor O'Malley said this is a bargain for

what is provided. He asked if there are forest fires in California and we sent firefighters

does this fall under this Mutual Aid Agreement. If Malden firefighters are going to another

community if they were to get hurt they would be covered because they are working on

behalf of the City of Malden but if they went to California is this apply to that or is this out

of the scope of that. Chief Sullivan said his understanding is that if they were not

dispatched officially as Malden Firefighters they would not be covered.

Councillor Winslow asked about mutuality there has been questions of where some

departments have cut their fire department where they would not be able to provide

mutual aid to other communities and is this agreement working and you see communities

participating as we provide aid to other communities. Chief Sullivan said that is correct

there is no question about that.

Councillor Winslow has read the Metro Fire Contract and wanted to make sure we have

the correct language. The following motion is made: Motion to vote to recommend to the

City Council that the Council vote to authorize the Malden Fire Department through its

Fire Chief and Fire Commissioner, including any ambulance or other EMS component, to

render and extend mutual aid, emergency aid, perform details, and render any such

additional emergency assistance to another city, town , fire district or area under federal

jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or any adjoining state in

extinguishing fires thereon or rendering any other emergency aid or performing any detail,

as contemplated in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 48 Section

59A, and in rendering such aid or performing such duties, the members of the Malden

Fire Department shall have the same immunities and privileges as if performing the same

within the City of Malden; and further, vote to recommend that the City Council vote to

authorize the Mayor and Fire Chief as amended to read: to enter the Mutual Aid

Agreement with Metro Fire District Thirteen, consisting of 36 communities and MassPort,

consistent with the provisions of MGL c.48 s.59A was made by Councillor DeMaria and

seconded by Councillor O'Malley. Roll Call: DeMaria-yes O'Malley-yes Winslow-yes. All

were in favor.

Councillor DeMaria said as we move into this with the financial part of this would you need

to come back next year when the amount of the annual fee goes up to $5,000 and it will

be an amendment to that twenty year term. Chief Sullivan feels that is what the process

would be he would come back with that through the budget process.

Motion to recommend Paper #196-21 to be reported out favorably to the Full Council as

amended was made by Councillor O'Malley and seconded by Councillor DeMaria. Roll

Call Vote: O'Malley-yes DeMaria-yes Winslow-yes. All were in favor.

Motion to take the minutes off the table for May 12, 2020 and February 2, 2021 was

made by Councillor DeMaria and seconded by Councillor O'Malley. Roll Call:

DeMaria-yes O'Malley-yes Winslow-yes. All in favor.

Motion to approve the minutes of May 12, 2020 and February 2, 2021 was made by

Councillor DeMaria and seconded by Councillor O'Malley. Roll Call: DeMaria-yes

O'Malley-yes Winslow-yes. All were in favor.

Q&A: Nate Bae Kupel asked how often does Malden Fire Dept. deploy aid to other cities

and towns as opposed to how often they provide aid to other communities. Chief

Sullivan answered by looking at the last five years Malden has provided aid about

130-140 times/year and about Malden requiring aid he said about 65-70/year responding

into Malden.

Motion to adjourn was made by Councillor O'Malley and seconded by Councillor DeMaria.

All were in favor. Meeting was adjourned at 6:00 P.M.

A motion was made by Vice Chair DeMaria, seconded by Councillor O'Malley,

that the Order be recommended favorably as amended Motion to vote to

recommend to the City Council that the Council vote to authorize the Malden Fire

Department through its Fire Chief and Fire Commissioner, including any

ambulance or other EMS component, to render and extend mutual aid,

emergency aid, perform details, and render any such additional emergency

assistance to another city, town , fire district or area under federal jurisdiction in

the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or any adjoining state in extinguishing fires

thereon or rendering any other emergency aid or performing any detail, as

contemplated in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 48

Section 59A, and in rendering such aid or performing such duties, the members

of the Malden Fire Department shall have the same immunities and privileges as

if performing the same within the City of Malden; and further, vote to recommend

that the City Council vote to authorize the Mayor and Fire Chief as amended to

read: to enter the Mutual Aid Agreement with Metro Fire District Thirteen,

consisting of 36 communities and MassPort, consistent with the provisions of MGL

c.48 s.59A The motion carried by the following vote:

2 - Vice Chair DeMaria and Councillor O'Malley

Yea:

Other Business