IAFF Local 902

Windham resident reflects on a long firefighting career

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent

In these undated photos provided by his family, Windham resident Jim Folan is shown at the height of his career with the Malden Fire Department. Folan, 86, now lives at the Windham Terrace Assisted Living Community but still enjoys sharing stories of his 34-year firefighting career with the younger generation of firefighters. (COURTESY)

WINDHAM - LOOKING BACK ON his 34-year career with the Malden (Mass.) Fire Department, snippets of his life's crucial moments come flooding back for Windham resident Jim Folan.

Folan, 86, who lives at the Windham Terrace Assisted Living community, had the opportunity to share some of his stories Wednesday morning when staff at the Windham Fire Department joined him and his neighbors for a hearty breakfast.

Separated by generations but bonded by the innate desire to serve, the younger firefighters could no doubt relate to the real-life drama unfolding in Folan's tales.

There were stories with happy endings, such as the young woman he pulled from a burning building and the baby he helped bring into the world. And there were others that ended on a more tragic note - the distraught wife whose husband was stricken in front of the family Christmas tree and the two little boys who didn't make it out when their home burned.

Folan said he's always preferred to focus on the positive.

"It sounds corny, sure, but deep down I'd always wanted to do it," he said of his career choice. "Though it took me a while to find my way."

A native of Saugus, Mass., Folan, one of seven children, joined the Navy shortly after he finished his education.

After leaving the service, he worked in a box factory for a time before his strong yearning to make a difference in the lives of others led him to pursue a career in firefighting in his late 20s.

In the early 1950s, Folan recalled a very different fire department than the ones most are familiar with today.

"So much has changed since my days in the department," said Folan. "The uniforms, fire engines and even protocol are much different."

Working the 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. shift, the young Folan was quickly educated in the ways of the world.

"There was a lot of good, a lot of bad," he remembers. "Some of the stuff I've seen I can picture it like it were yesterday. I close my eyes and I see."

There were the many trips to Cape Cod and the cruise vacations he and his late wide, Rita, spent with his firefighter brothers and their families over the years.

There was the time during the famous blizzard of 1978 when Folan was out rescuing residents trapped when heavy waves flooded sections of Revere, Mass., when he navigated through the watery streets in white-out conditions.

And there were times that Folan and some fellow firefighters lent a hand to neighbors in need of somewhat less immediate assistance - pulling family cats out of trees and removing a fallen tree that had blocked a co-worker's driveway.

As the years went on, Folan embraced his career with all its highs and lows.

But after 34 years on the force, the father of three ultimately decided it was time to slow down.

"We'd go to a fire and it got to the point where I could no longer climb over a fence or crawl under a wall to get to that fire," he said with a laugh. "That's when it was time to hang it up."

After retiring at the age of 62, Folan spent many years caring for his wife, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, at their Massachusetts home before coming to live at Windham Terrace.

Gathering in the community's cheerful dining room Wednesday morning, Folan and his friends were eager to catch up on the latest news with the local men and women in uniform.

"These firemen work so hard, especially this past winter in the cold and wind," Program Director Melanie Purcell said. "Just taking an hour out of our day to serve them breakfast still is not enough, but we are excited to honor them any way we can."

The local seniors maintain a close relationship with the Windham firefighters and Fire Chief Thomas McPherson said Folan has been by the station on several occasions, where he's delighted firefighters with his stories.

"All this and he's still smiling," Assistant Fire Chief Edward Morgan said of the veteran firefighter.

"I do miss the job," Folan told them. "Really, it doesn't matter whether you work for a big fire department or a small one. A fire is a fire and you've got to go in and get that devil!"

Mulch Fire Safety

527 CMR 17.00 Lumber & Forest Product Regulation

(Includes Mulch)

Spring is the traditional time for sprucing up landscaping around our buildings and this spring will be the first one with a new mulch fire safety regulation in effect. The regulation was developed in response to several significant fires in the Commonwealth involving mulch-wood products. State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan and fire chiefs across the state want to alert landscaping companies, nurseries, building owners and managers about the proper placement and storage of mulch in order to prevent fires.

Revised Regulation Has New Mulch Safety Provision

The revised regulation, 527 CMR 17 , took effect last September and prohibits the new application of mulch within 18” around combustible exteriors of buildings, such as wood or vinyl but not brick or concrete.

Photo courtesy of photos-public-domain.com

Residential buildings with six units or less are exempted from this regulation, but all homeowners may also wish to adopt these safety practices. The regulation applies to all other buildings including commercial properties.

Mulch FireFactor- a one-page, 2-sided educational hand-out on mulch fire safety and the regulation.

Storage and Manufacturing of Mulch

The revised regulation also has safety requirements for those who store or manufacture mulch. It limits the size of mulch piles and requires a distance of 30-feet between piles and 25-feet from the lot line. Large piles of mulch can easily spontaneously combust with all the heat they generate, so it’s important to be vigilant and employ good housekeeping. The distance between piles prevents a fire in one from easily spreading to another or to a building.

Permits Required to Store 300+ Cubic Yards of Mulch

Permits are required from the fire department wherever more than 300 cubic yards of mulch is produced or stored.

Tips for Landscapers, Property Managers and Building Owners

Here are some tips for property managers and building owners on how to prevent mulch fires:

Keep wood mulch 18” away from combustible exteriors of buildings such as wood or vinyl siding. Don’t put it right up against the building.
Use materials such as pea stone or crushed rock for the first 18” as a barrier around the foundation of the building.
Provide proper receptacles for smoking materials.

Cooking Safety

According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, in 2011, there were 10,038 residential fires involving cooking. These incidents resulted in three civilian deaths, 67 civilian injuries, 24 firefighter injuries and an estimated $6.3 million in property damage.

Charcoal and Propane Grille Ordinance for the City of Malden

Any barbecue grilles are to be placed outside buildings in an area clear of heavy grass and brush when in use. They must be atleast 5 feet (5') away from any structure and away from any overhead hazards such as tree branches, awnings, clotheslines, etc.

Charcoal is to be ignited only by charcoal lighter fluid or electricity.. Barbecue grilles are not permitted on porches, rooftops or balconies when in use. Storage or use of liquid propane gas containers above the first floor of a building used for habitation is prohibited.

Any barbecue grille is not to be left unattended at any time while in use.

Upon completion of use of a charcoal grille, charcoal or charcoal briquettes are to be thoroughly extinguished.A permit must be obtained from the Malden Fire Department for the use and storage of propane.The use of a barbecue grille may be prohibited by the Chief of the Malden Fire Department, in his discretion, for failure to comply with any provision of this section, for any conduct which constitutes a violation of the laws of the City of Malden, or in the event the use thereof will cause a dangerous or hazardous condition. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be punishable by fines and penalties as set forth in Section 1.13.

For more grilling safety tips, click here

True tales of heroism

Windham resident reflects on a long firefighting career

Mulch Fire Safety

Tips for Landscapers, Property Managers and Building Owners