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Worcester City Council To Vote On Outside Review Of Fire Department

Worcester Fire Chief Michael Lavoie outside the firehouse erected on the site of the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Company fire.
Douglas Hook
/
The Republican / Masslive.com/photos
Worcester Fire Chief Michael Lavoie outside the firehouse erected on the site of the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Company fire.

The City Council in Worcester, Massachusetts, will consider a proposal Tuesday night to hire a consultant to evaluate the fire department. The request comes in the wake of the death of a firefighter last fall.

The city manager wants an outside expert to look at how the department measures up to national firefighting standards.

The consultant would also recommend optimal numbers of staff, trucks and fire stations.

Worcester Fire Chief Michael Lavoie said the proposal has the support of the union and department leadership. That's after firefighter Jason Menard died in November while trying to put out a house fire. 

"We never want this to happen in the city of Worcester again," Lavoie said. "We've had nine fatalities in the last [roughly] 20 years, and it's got to stop. So internally, we're doing everything we can to decrease the chances of this happening again. And now externally, we're going to have someone take a look, also."

The city manager hopes to have a consultant hired by March.

Lavoie said he expects the report would take six to eight months to complete. 

Before joining New England Public Media, Alden was a producer for the CBS NEWS program 60 Minutes. In that role, he covered topics ranging from art, music and medicine to business, education and politics.
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