Fire Dept. Requesting 10-12 New Call Personnel When Market Street Opens

As noted during the town's recent budget process and also in on Lynnfield Patch, the police department is expecting to add two new officers to the force next spring when the Market Street at Lynnfield project is getting ready to open. The department also expects to have its first full-time detective in place before then.

So, that invites the question - what kind of staffing or equipment needs does the fire department expect to deal with when the new development is open for business? This week, Lynnfield Patch checked in with Fire Chief Tom Bogart to learn more.

According to Bogart, the fire department's first request is for a dedicated fire inspector to be on the job as the development begins to take shape.

"The obvious concern is the amount of work that will have to be done in terms of inspections and permit approvals for the various 'build outs' of all the individual tenants, including residential, retail and restaurants," said Bogart, adding that when complete, the project will have 180 residential units, a community center and dozens of businesses - potentially as many as 67, he estimated. "There will be a significant amount of inspectional work needed to be done," he added.

Bogart also reported that he is asking for 10 to 12 new call firefighter/EMT personnel (none of whom would be full-timers) based on an expected upswing in service calls after Market Street opens. The Lynnfield fire chief said he has consulted with his counterpart in Dedham, where the comparable Legacy Place development has reportedly spurred about 100 more medical and fire-related service calls in that town per year.

For what it's worth, Legacy Place already has several of the same high-profile tenants that have already announced as opening up in 2013 in Market Street at Lynnfield - specifically, Legal C Bar, King's, The Yard House, and Whole Foods. At this week's selectmen's meeting, it was noted that when Market Street at Lynnfield is up and running, the businesses will be able to stay open until 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and then until 11:30 p.m. during the week.

Outside of the additional call personnel, Bogart said that the department does not anticipate the need for major upgrades on the equipment front.

"We won't need any additional fire trucks or different types of trucks.  We have an adequate ladder truck, which is fairly new (2006).  We also have a new ambulance and two back-up, unmanned engines and ambulances," added Bogart.