Activating Emergency Resources

This page will assist local fire departments in requesting emergency resources.

This page provides information on activating emergency CISM, Code Compliance & Enforcement, Hazmat, Special Operations, Fire Investigation, and Bomb Squad resources. When requesting these resources, be prepared to provide:

• The nature of the incident
• The city/town and street address where response is requested
• Contact name and cell number

A printable flyer with contact information is linked within each section.

Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit

Business hours (8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday): 978-567-3375

24-hour emergencies: 508-820-2000 (MEMA Dispatch)

Please notify the Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit if any of the following incidents occur in your community:

• Theft of fireworks or explosives
• Personal injury or property damage from fireworks or explosives
• Blasting where flyrock occurs
• Fires where a suppression system failed to operate, such as a kitchen hood system or a self-serve gas station system
• Leaking or damaged above-ground storage tank (over 10,000 gallons) or injuries associated with work on tanks.

The Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit licenses and regulates the industries involved with these materials and incidents. Code enforcement officers must review all incidents for compliance with appropriate statutes and codes.

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response

Six Hazardous Materials Response Teams are distributed across Massachusetts to support the fire service with the release or threat of release of hazardous materials 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To consult with or activate a Hazardous Materials Response Team, call 877-385-0822 and follow the appropriate prompts.

You will be asked for:

• Nature of the incident
• City/town and street address of the incident
• Incident commander’s name and number

Levels of Response

JHIRT – Joint Hazard Incident Response Team – Contained suspicious powders, assessment of clandestine laboratories, and/or activation of Clandestine Lab Enforcement Team

Tier 1 – Hazardous & Risk Assessment – Release or threat of release of hazardous materials or any suspicious or unknown substances in any form (gas, liquid, or solid)

Tier 2 – Short Term Operation – limited release

Tier 3 – Long Term Operation – large release

Tier 4 – Multi District Response – multi-operational period

Tier 5 – WMD/Mass Contamination – full system response

Special Operations

The Department of Fire Services Special Operations team can be activated to support the Massachusetts fire service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at 508-820-2000 for an immediate response by any of the following resources:

• Incident Support Units
• Rehab Units
• Drone Units
• Gators / UTVs
• Generators
• HVAC Trailer
• Lighting Tower
• Zumro Tent

You will be asked for:

• The vehicle(s) needed
• Nature of the incident
• City/town and street address where response is requested
• Contact name and number

Once a response has been activated, the requesting agency will be contacted with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) and for directions to the incident for the incoming vehicles.

State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit (Fire Investigators / Bomb Squad)

To request the State Police Fire Investigation Unit or Bomb Squad:

Business Hours: 978-567-3310

24 Hour Emergencies: Call your State Police Troop Duty Officer directly or call State Police Dispatch at 508-820-2121 and ask to be connected. Tell the Troop Duty Officer to have the on-call fire investigator or bomb technician contact you immediately.

To notify the Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit of confiscated fireworks, call 978-567-3310 during business hours.

Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains

If your fire department has an appointed chaplain, contact your chaplain directly. If your department does not have an appointed chaplain, or if your chaplain is not available, contact the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at 508-820-2000.

Once a response has been activated, the requesting agency will be contacted with an estimated time of arrival.

For further information or a scheduled event, call the Chief Fire Chaplain at 413-883-3051 or visit the MCFC website at www.massfirechaplains.com.

Regional contacts:

The Rev. Bruce Arbour, Chief Chaplain

• 413-883-3051 – cell
• 413-219-6412 – office
• [e-mail]

The Rev. Peter-Michael Preble, Assistant Chief Chaplain

• 508-864-8095 – cell/office
• [e-mail]

Southeast: The Rev. Gary Blume, Deputy Chief Chaplain

• 508-326-9173 – cell
• 781-335-1686 – office
• [e-mail] 

Northeast: The Rev. Matthew Wissell, Deputy Chief Chaplain

• 978-430-2749 – cell
• [e-mail]

Central: The Rev. Dr. Susan Suchocki Brown, Deputy Chief Chaplain

• 978-833-0916 – cell
• [e-mail]

Massachusetts Peer Support Network

The Massachusetts Peer Support Network’s mission is to provide peer assistance to all emergency service personnel within the Commonwealth before, during or after a critical incident, regardless of race, gender, or age. A critical incident is any event that has the potential to create significant human distress and can overwhelm one’s usual coping mechanisms. This will vary greatly from person to person and may change over time.

Charlie Popp, Coordinator

• 617-967-4141 (c) 24/7

Jim Leary, Coordinator

• 508-404-7301 (c)

David Clemons, DFS Operations Section Chief / CISM Liaison

• 978-567-3179 (office)

District 1 - Cape & Islands

• Chrystal LaPine, Coordinator
• 508-563-4200

District 2 - Plymouth County CISM

• Rich Smith, Coordinator
• 617-285-7345

Districts 3 & 4 - Bristol/Norfolk Team

• Keith H. Jackson, Coordinator
• 508-285-5380

Districts 5 & 15 - Metro-Boston CISM

• Matt Aquaro, Coordinator
• 857-246-8577

District 6 - Greater Lowell CISM Team

• Tom Greenhalgh, Co-Coordinator
• Mike Curran Co-Coordinator
• 833-444-CISM

District 7 - Central Mass CISM Team

• Jamie MacDonald
• 508-387-0937

District 8 - Montachusett CISM Team

• Pete Stone, Co-Coordinator
• Gregg Sculthorpe, Co-Coordinator
• 508-899-0055

Districts 9, 10, 11, 12 - Western MA CISM Team

• Lisa Herringshaw
• 413-586-6065

District 13 - Boston Fire-MetroFire

• Kevin Preston
• 617-343-2880

District 14 - District 14 CISM

• David Flannery, Coordinator
• 508-881-0119

Commonwealth 911/Dispatch Peer Support

• Anthony Landry Coordinator
• Callout 840-600-7337

On-Site Academy

• First Responder Residential Treatment
• 978-874-0177 Monitored 24/7

WINGS CISM

• Kathy Minehan, Coordinator
• Callout 978-874-0177

Worcester EMS

• Callout 774-261-0151

Date published:	May 15, 2024
Last updated:	May 15, 2024