History repeats itself at the negotiating table. Contract talks between town officials and the Norwood Firefighters Association officially ground to a halt in May 1978, reviving a familiar public-safety deadlock. Take a look back at the quiet high-stakes standoff that sent both sides back to a state mediator.
Norwood Fire Chief Leo Coughlin Requests Eight New Firefighters and Two Deputies-August 10, 1977
Fire Chief Leo Coughlin asked Norwood selectmen for eight new firefighters and two deputies to reduce high overtime and substitution expenses.
Midday Fire at 12 Vernon Street Sends 21 Firefighters to Norwood Hospital-August 8, 1974
A fast-moving basement fire at 12 Vernon Street caused $16,000 in damage and sent 21 firefighters to Norwood Hospital for smoke inhalation and heat-related injuries.
Fire Department Salary Parity Defeated-June 11, 1971
A 70-minute quorum delay sets the stage for a tumultuous night of budget slashing at the 1971 Norwood Town Meeting, leaving town leadership reeling and firefighters without wage parity
General-Alarm Fire Destroys Junior High School in Norwood-January 23, 1971
NORWOOD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WAS DESTROYED BY A GENERAL ALARM FIRE LAST NIGHT (Bob Dean photo) A general-alarm fire swept through Norwood Junior High School last night, threatening to destroy … Continue reading General-Alarm Fire Destroys Junior High School in Norwood-January 23, 1971
Norwood Fire Department Takes Action to Combat Rising Surge of False Fire Alarms-August 18, 1970
Citing soaring taxpayer costs and grave risks to public safety, Deputy Fire Chief Leo Coughlin announced stepped-up police and fire efforts to combat a surge in false alarm boxes.
Car Rams House In Norwood-June 20, 1969
Firefighters extricate a Brockton driver trapped in structural wreckage as escaping gas fills a neighborhood residence.
Selectman John A. Abdallah Warns That Mutual‑Aid Pact With Boston Is Essential-May 27, 1968
In the tense spring of 1968, a regional debate over civil unrest threatened to sever Norwood’s historic firefighting lifelines. When the Board of Selectmen voted to pull out of a long-standing mutual-aid agreement with the Boston Fire Department, one lone voice stood up to warn of the dangerous consequences for the town's massive industrial plants.
10 Flee Smoky Apartment Fire-September 15, 1965
DEAN STREET BLAZE—Norwood firefighters Edward Williamson (left) and John Walsh mop up after blaze in Dean street apartment early Monday morning. A smoky fire in an apartment at 264 Dean … Continue reading 10 Flee Smoky Apartment Fire-September 15, 1965
Norwood Police & Fire Department Jimmy Fund Baseball Game-September 1, 1965
Norwood Police & Fire Department Jimmy Fund Baseball Game, September 1, 1965