By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD – The development team responsible for “The Basin,” as the new development at 200 Quannapowitt Parkway is known, has made a generous donation that will help the Wakefield Fire Department deal with electric vehicle fires.
On behalf of the Wakefield Fire Department, the Town Council accepted the donation with thanks at its December meeting.
Callahan Construction Managers, in conjunction with Equity Residential and Cabot Cabot & Forbes made the equipment donation to improve the Wakefield Fire Department’s ability handle incidents involving electric vehicle fires.
Electric vehicle battery fires pose unique challenges for firefighters. In 2023, firefighters from Wakefield and the surrounding area threw thousands of gallons of water at a fire caused when an electric vehicle’s lithium-ion battery array went into a “thermal runaway” on Route 128 near the Lynnfield line. Only after approximately 2.5 hours and 20,000 plus gallons of water applied to the area of the vehicle battery, was the fire finally brought under control and fully extinguished.
After speaking with Wakefield Fire officials, the companies responsible for the new development at the head of the Lake wanted to help address the department’s concerns about being prepared for future emergencies surrounding electric vehicles.
“This donation will allow the Wakefield Fire Department to be better equipped for handling incidents related to electric vehicles,” the donors wrote in a letter to the Town Council.
Callahan, EQR, and CCF donated the following specialized equipment:
• 3 Bridgehill Electric Car Fire Blankets
• 2 Emergency Electric Vehicle Plugs
• 1 TFT Piercing Nozzle System Charging stations, an amenity of the project, will be located in the parking structure and in surface lots at the new development. Therefore, in addition to the above equipment, the parking structure located at 200 Quannapowitt will also have an electric car fire blanket stored on each level for Wakefield Fire’s use in the unlikely event of an emergency.
The value of the donated equipment is estimated at between $8,000 and $10,000.
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The town has created a system that complies with regulations set by the Treasury Department for handling certain ARPA monies unspent by the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline.
Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio told the Town Council at its December meeting that most of the $8 million in federal COVID relief funds that the town received has either been spent or is under contract.
He added, however, there are certain funds, such as $200,000 to be distributed for rental assistance over time by Wakefield’s new Housing Trust, where it wouldn’t make sense to spend or commit the entire amount by the end of this calendar year.
Maio noted that the Treasury Department has issued regulations to allow memorandums of understanding that municipalities can enter into with town departments or outside agencies that will allow funds to be used over the next two years. He said that he and Town Counsel Thomas Mullen had put together memorandums of understanding that will afford both the Wakefield Housing Trust and the Wakefield Economic Development Council the ability to distribute funds over the next two years. Both groups will be required to file monthly reports and quarterly updates with the Town Council.
The Town Council approved the memorandums as presented.
In other business at its December meeting, the Town Council:
- Reappointed Joseph Bertrand and John McDonald to the Permanent Building Committee and appointed new member Christina Gabriel.
- Voted to enter into an inter-municipal agreement for regional housing services. The cost to the town is $15,000. The board opted to try it for one year.
- Renewed common victualler licenses for about 60 local restaurants.
- Renewed 33 entertainment licenses for various local establishments.
- Renewed 19 restaurant liquor licenses.
- Renewed inn-holder liquor licenses for the Sheraton Four Points Hotel and the Lakeside Inn.
- Renewed club liquor licenses for the Crystal Community Club, The Knights of Columbus and the West Side Social Club.
- Renewed liquor licenses for six local package stores.
- Renewed lodging house licenses for the Lakeside Inn and the Sheraton Four Points.
- Renewed automated device licenses for five establishments.
- Renewed six Class I (new) automobile dealer licenses and 24 Class II (used) car dealer licenses.
- Granted a new Common Victualler license and Entertainment License for Ellies Pizza Wakefield located at 21 Princess St.
- Accepted $200 in donations to the Wakefield Council on Aging.
- Accepted a donation of $1,270.50 from the Friends of Wakefield Tennis for the purchase of nets for the Dobbins Tennis Courts.
- Voted to dissolve the Town Council’s 40A Subcommittee.