Salem Ma Firefighters Local 172

10/12/2026

On June 25, 1914, a fire started in the Korn Leather Factory in Salem, Massachusetts, and over the next several hours it burned through 253 acres and about 1,376 buildings, leaving roughly 3,500 families without homes. 🔥

It started in the early afternoon in a part of the city packed with wooden triple-deckers and factories, and a strong wind pushed it straight through the neighborhoods toward the harbor. Firefighters from across the region came by rail, and still the fire jumped streets and swallowed block after block. By nightfall it had taken the Naumkeag cotton mills, which was where thousands of Salem people worked. 🧵

The human cost was less visible than the buildings. Roughly 20,000 of the city's residents were homeless that night, camped on Salem Common and the Salem Willows, and the loss of the mills meant many of them lost their jobs as well as their homes. A lot of families never rebuilt in the neighborhoods they left. 🌆

The city is known for 1692, and that is the story the tourists come for. Salem's biggest disaster is the one from 1914, and a visitor could walk the streets of the burned district and not realize it. Most of what stands in the area was built in the years after.

The fire's footprint is still in the street grid and in the three story houses that went up in a hurry. 🏘️

Did your family have roots in Salem's burned district, and did anyone talk about the fire of 1914?

10/01/2026

Please note that the Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade will take place Thursday October 1 starting at 6:30 p.m. The Parade will leave Shetland Park and proceed down Congress Street to Derby Street, take a right on Central Street, then Front Street, to Washington Street, then proceed down the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall and end at the Common.

All vehicles in the Parade will exit Washington Square South and those walking in the parade can proceed into the Common.

The parade will have metal safety barriers lining the traditional parade route from Shetland Park to Salem Common. Due to the time it takes to put out all the barricades, Salem Police will be closing roads starting at 4:00pm. Roads won't open until after the parade has finished. Parking along the route may be impacted. Vehicles parked in South Harbor Garage will not be able to leave until after the parade.


Thank you for your cooperation.
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El desfile del Celebración Embrujada tomara plazo jueves el 1 de octubre a las 6:30pm. El desfile sale de Shetland Park y sigue por las calles Congress, Derby, Central, Front, y Washington. El desfile sigue por el camino pedestre en Essex Street y termina en el parque Común.

Los vehículos en el desfile saldrán por Washington Square South y caminantes pueden seguir al parque.

Para mejorar seguridad pública, la ruta tendrá barreras metales. Debido al tiempo necesario para instalar las barreras, la policía va a cerrar las calles a las 4pm y no serán abiertos hasta que el desfile termina. Estacionamiento a través de la ruta será impactado. Vehiculos estacionados en el garaje South Harbor no pueden salir hasta el fin del desfile.

Gracias por su cooperación.

09/23/2026

🚒 TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM DRILLS 🪢

For the past two days, that are members of the departments’s Technical Rescue Team have been participating in our yearly site specific training at the Salem Harbor Power Station. In addition to the standard Fire Department operations, Salem Fire maintains its own Technical Rescue Team equipped to respond to Rope and Confined Space emergencies within the City. Along with other Team training, members spend two days training for emergencies specifically on the Power Plant site. Members reviewed topics such as strategies for selecting and building systems, rappelling and ascending, dynamic anchor systems, and skate block systems. We’re grateful for our partnership with the Salem Harbor Power Station for allowing us to train on site, and Chuck Flanagan and his instructors for overseeing the drill and getting new members up to par.

09/15/2026

09/14/2026

Due to the strong collaboration between the Chief, the City and the apparatus committee of Local 172 Members, the department has placed an order for a new Ladder Co 2. Feedback from all levels of membership and administration led us to ultimately choose a Rear Mount Ladder. We look forward to this new piece of equipment, due in a few years.

🚒 AFR is excited to announce that we have recently received an order to build a Pierce Enforcer 100' Aerial. 🎉

This 100' Legacy Aerial is Pierce's go-to for truck companies with 12' outriggers, 18" rear ground pe*******on, and true hydraulics. 💪

AFR thanks Chief Dionne and the apparatus committee for their continued trust. 🙌

Manufacturing Salem Fire Department & Emergency Management

09/12/2026

Another great turn out for the 7th Annual Salem Firefighters Retiree Spaghetti Dinner 2026.

09/06/2026

DELAYED ENTRY (~0630):
ACW: 71 Butler St. fire on Div. 2.
3 burn patients to NSMC. 1 pt. transported for smoke inhalation.
Mass State Police Fire Investigation, Salem Police CID and SFD FID to the scene.

09/01/2026

Last night, members of Local 172 gathered with retirees, friends and family to wish the best in retirement to the department’s Senior Firefighter, Paul DeFranco after 36 and a half years of service to the City of Salem. Paul was hired April 5th, 1990 and assigned to Ladder 4 (since decommissioned) where he served for many years before moving to Headquarters for a short period of time and then finishing his career on Engine 2. Paul retires tonight after reaching his 65th birthday this month, the oldest age a member can work in civil service.

Paul was the definition of the “Senior Man” title. Whether it was a contractual issue, a question about the job, or just a problem that needed to be solved, he was the man that had a solution or knew where to find one. Paul had a significant impact on all members, whether it be a new firefighter trying to learn the job and the culture, or a new officer trying to figure out how to navigate the responsibilities of the front seat. He’s the guy you wanted on your truck, at your station, on your group, and backing you up. He rode the back step until the very last day, and worked like he always did at his last fire, a 2nd Alarm on Putnam Street a few weeks ago.

We all wish Paul the absolute best in retirement, and many years of good health and good times spent with friends, family, and his dog. The door is always open and we hope to see Paul stop by every once in a while for many years to come.

08/26/2026

Strong work by Local 172 member Captain Andy Francis with his efforts to get the defibrillator program up and running in collaboration with the Chief of Department and the City Health Department. Captain Francis’ efforts are essential to the department’s abilities to function effectively on EMS runs on a day to day basis and with special projects essential to the community like this one.

Local 172 members are always committed to providing the highest level of dedication, professionalism and quality service to the residents and visitors of the City of Salem, and this project is a key effort in expanding our capabilities to do so.

SALEM — A new citywide program launched by the Salem Fire Department and the city’s Health Department will install 60 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at 60 businesses across Salem at