Wilmington Firefighters Union Takes Vote of 'No Confidence' in Chief Bradbury

Letter submitted to town manager and Board of Selectman over longstanding issues, saus union president.

Bill Cavanaugh, president of Wilmington's Firefighters Local 1370, doesn't mince words when it comes to how he sees the work environment at the Wilmington Fire Department. Cavanaugh uses words like "hostile," "vendetta," harassment" and "unsafe" to describe the conditions existing due to what the union claims is the unprofessional conduct of Chief Edward Bradbury. On April 23, the Union took a vote of "no confidence" in Bradbury. The next day, Cavanaugh says he hand-delivered a letter with the results of that vote and the explanation for it, to the office of Town Manager Jeff Hull. It was addressed to both Hull and the Board of Selectmen. A complete copy of that letter can be found attached to this story as a PDF docuement. "We haven't …

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Melks2002

8:27 pm on Sunday, May 5, 2013

I agree! I hope Kevin never has to require the aid of the "sleeping" firefighters or "twittling" police.....I think you might tred carefully there Kevin, you are not winning any new votes for future elections... You are embarressing yourself.   more ›

74-Year-Old Man Seriously Injured In Accident Involving Tractor

Elderly resident injured in accident outside King Street home.

A 74-year-old man sustained serious injuries Thursday afternoon in a freak accident outside a King Street home. The victim, was working on an old farm tractor in the driveway at 36 King St., when he somehow became pinned under one of the vehicle's wheels, according to a Wilmington Police Department spokesperson. The 911 call reporting the accident came in at 2:03 p.m., although it was not immediately clear who made the call. Wilmington Police, Fire and Ambulance personnel responded to the scene. Given the extent of the man's injuries, a Med-Flight helicopter was immediate requested. Rescue crews extracted the man from under the tire and he was transported to the Med-Flight Landing area at Town Hall. From there, he was transported to …

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Town Spends More Than $500,000 On New Pumper Truck

Each week the town spends money approved in the annual budget for everyday expenses and, each week, Wilmington Patch will highlight a handful of these expenses.

Each week the town spends money approved in the annual budget for everyday expenses and, each week, Wilmington Patch will highlight a handful of these expenses for our readers' perusal. The following is a small sample of who the town paid, how much they paid them, and for what reason. Check back each week for more line items out of the town's budget. In total, the town cut 243 checks totaling $2,090,871.63. Here are a few of those payments.

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Mark Nelson

8:40 pm on Monday, April 8, 2013

Are you on medication? Simple question.   more ›

State Police Release New Details, Name Of Victim In Fatal Crash

Victim died at the scene after head-on collision on Route 125.

State Police have released new details and identified the driver killed in a head on crash Sunday night on Route 125. Roberto Leon, 47, of Andover, was killed when the 2013 Toyota Corolla he was driving collided head-on with a 2004 Chevrolet K1500 sport utility vehicle. The crash took place around 8:30 p.m. on a section of Route 125 near the North Reading line. According to State Police, a preliminary investigation shows the Corolla crossed the center line and narrowly missed hitting another vehicle before crashing into the SUV. Investigators are still trying to determine why Leon's vehicle crossed into the other lane. Wilmington and Andover Fire Departments responded to the scene and had to use the Jaws of Life to extract Leon from the …

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You Ask... Patch Answers

What Are The Rules For Burning Backyard Brush?

A new resident is curious about the rules for burning brush in Wilmington.

Question: I just moved to Wilmington a couple of months ago and now that the snow is melting off, I'm looking to take care of some brush in our backyard. What are the rules for burning brush here? How much is a permit? Answer: The good news is there is no fee for burning brush in Wilmington. However, you definitely need a permit from the Fire Department and could face a fine if you burn without one. Your timing is perfect, as the burning season runs from Jan. 15 through May 1. Burning can only be done from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. And hopefully you have some space in your backyard, because burning must be done at least 75 feet away from all buildings. For more information, click here to log onto the Wilmington Fire Department Web page.

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Cause Of Avalon Oaks Fire Is Officially 'Unknown'

Investigation into blaze that destroyed 24-unit apartment complex is completed.

The investigation into the 4-Alarm fire on Feb. 8 that destroyed a 24-unit building in the Avalon Oaks complex has been completed but the cause remains unknown. Deputy Fire Chief Rick McClellan said investigators have not determined a definitive cause for the fire, according to an article appearing on lowellsun.com. Initial published reports indicated that the blaze, which left dozens of people homeless, may have been caused by a gas grill on a porch. However, those reports appear to have been in error. State and local fire investigators were out at the scene last week and have now concluded their investigation. However, McClellan said a separate investigation by an insurance company may be continuing, according to the lowellsun.com …

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Training Allows WFD to Better Treat Patients, Especially Overdoses

Wilmington firefighters are now trained in Nasal Narcan, which can reverse overdose effects, and also in blood sugar and nebulizer methods to better treat residents in distress.

Wilmington firefighters know they have to be ready at any moment to handle whatever situation is thrown at them. Thanks to recent training, they’ll be ready for even more scenarios. In particular, new techniques will allow firefighters to be prepared for what has unfortunately become a fairly regular trend in the community and across the nation. As of November 1, Wilmington became the first Fire Department outside of the state’s pilot program given the authority to use Nasal Narcan if they are called to the scene of a drug overdose. Nasal Narcan blocks opioids and and restores normal breathing when sprayed into the nose of someone who has overdosed, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Within about one minute, a …

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Brush Fires Along I-93 Snarling Afternoon Traffic

Firefighters may have the flames under control shortly, but residual traffic backup is expected to remain during rush hour.

Brush fires along I-93 in Wilmington and surrounding towns have traffic snarled as of late Monday afternoon. Reports indicated that there are currently brush fires in Medford in the Middlesex Fells, in Stoneham along Route 93 and another in Woburn on Route 93 at the Commerce Way. Wilmington Deputy Fire Chief John Brown said there were multiple small brush fires in Wilmington at the Route 129 exit. Travelers can expect delays. According to one Wilmington Patch Facebook follower, "Traffic on I-93 South goes back at Least to Medford from Wilmington." Dave Procopio of the Massachusetts State Police Media Relations Unit told Patch police have closed the right lane on Route 93 North to allow Woburn and Reading firefighters access to perform …

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