Norwood Fire Chief Seeks Legislation to Create New Call Firefighter Force-July 29, 1981

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Fire Chief Thomas J. Barry Jr. has officially asked state Rep. Gregory Sullivan, D-Norwood, to file special legislation allowing the Norwood Fire Department to create a call force of twelve to fifteen firefighters, marking the town’s first call force since 1957. Fire Chief Thomas J. Barry Jr. expects some legislative action on the measure within a few months, though he noted, knowing the Legislature, it’s hard to say when.

Fire Chief Thomas J. Barry Jr. requested the legislative measure because call force firefighters would not be subject to civil service examinations or ratings in the same manner as permanent, full-time firefighters. Arguing that the establishment of a dedicated call force would effectively solve ongoing challenges in enlisting off-duty firefighters to cover emergency shifts and major incidents, Fire Chief Thomas J. Barry Jr. previously won broad approval for the proposal at a town meeting in June. Although the exact number of call firefighters hired will ultimately depend on available municipal funding, Thomas J. Barry Jr. stated he hopes to maintain a steady force of twelve to fifteen personnel.

The new call force positions will be open to any qualified applicant, male or female, and candidates will be carefully chosen on the basis of personal interviews, physical ability assessments, and schedule availability. Call force personnel would be thoroughly trained to assist during emergency duties, Thomas J. Barry Jr. explained, and would complete a rigorous basic training course administered by the department. A traditional call force was originally discontinued twenty-four years ago due to a dwindling availability of men and a broader regional trend toward fully professionalized, full-time municipal fire departments. With this new legislative push, town safety officials hoped to bolster emergency response capabilities across Norwood.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger