Department Spotlight
Department: Abington Fire Department (AFD), Chief Jack Glynn
Social Accounts: Facebook: @AbingtonFDPIO Twitter:@AbingtonFDPIO
Instagram: @AbingtonFDPIO
Overview:
In the simplest terms, the Abington Fire Department provides 24/7, 365 days-a-year, Fire and Emergency Medical Services to the residents of Abington and area communities when called upon through mutual aid.
Its 28-person department is led by Chief Jack Glynn, Deputy Chief Jarrod Driscoll, and five Fire Captains. See the full roster.
The Abington Fire Department is so much more than a fire department. Every department member is cross trained as a paramedic, which gives our residents the highest level of emergency medical training arriving at their front door when they are in need.
Beyond responding to emergencies, the AFD does the following:
· Provide Fire Safety instruction to our children and Senior Citizens (Funded by FY25 SAFE and Senior SAFE grants totaling $8,000+ from the Commonwealth)
· Provide plan reviews and permit and inspectional services through our Fire Prevention department.
· Car seat installation and checks by department members who are Certified Car Seat Installers
· Continued training in emergency services to provide the best services for our residents.
Our Fire Department currently operates between two stations, its Headquarters station at 1040 Bedford Street and Station 2 located at 5 Rockland Street. In the fall of 2023, Abington residents voted to approve funding for a new Fire Station and DPW Project which is in the design phase.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Is a Paramedic the same thing as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)?
A. A Paramedic is the highest level of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) A Paramedic administers Advanced Life Support through various skills including EKG Interpretation and treatment, Intravenous therapy, dozens of lifesaving medications, and many other critical interventions.
Q. How can I become a member of the Abington Fire Dept.?
A. The Abington Department hires Paramedics from the Massachusetts Civil Service Firefighter exam process. To pursue a career as an Abington Firefighter, please visit the Massachusetts State webpage and follow the steps to get to Civil Service.
Q. How can residents obtain a burn permit?
Open burning season runs from January 15 - May 1. A valid permit must be obtained by the Abington Fire Department. Residents can apply for a permit online through Community Connect and review the burning permit policy on the same site.
Q. What are the major projects or goals in the coming year?
The continued daily goal of the AFD remains to provide the highest quality protection and expertise to its residents.
Specifically, assisting the new AFD/DPW Building project committee by providing the necessary information to help move this project forward is an important focus for the department.
Meet the Deputy Chief!
AFD Deputy Chief Jarrod Driscoll has been answering the bell in Abington since 2011.
Some of the key projects Deputy Chief Driscoll is currently involved in include:
· Working with the Department’s Training Coordinator to provide up-to-date training on lithium batteries and the dangers they present. These batteries have become a major part of everyday life for us, but there are unique dangers involved with this technology.
· Working with our Training Coordinator on a more up-to-date firefighter accountability system for all emergency responses. AFD members give their all at every incident. It’s imperative to track and monitor personnel on scene and is something that AFD strives to continually improve on.