Town of Rockland Newsletter: November 2022

From: Town of Rockland
November 16, 2022

MEET ROCKLAND'S NEWEST FIREFIGHTERS
How much has the makeup and nature of firefighting changed since Rockland Chief Scott Duffey joined the Department as a “call firefighter” in 1998? To begin with Rockland boasts two female firefighters among the full-time professional firefighters/paramedics that staff the well-used, but obsolete fire station on Union Street.

As one of 10 “call firefighters,” in 1998, Scott Duffey was, essentially, a paid volunteer who, while not housed at the station, was on call to respond as needed. Under Chief Duffey, today’s RFD has 31 full-time firefighters and one executive assistant. The five newest firefighters all came on board this year. 

Rockland’s personnel must be trained paramedics too, making their average age 27/28. Paramedics differ from Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in that their training is longer and more robust, and their practice is more advanced. Paramedics provide advanced life support using equipment such as defibrillators, can administer medications, and can perform lifesaving procedures like a tracheotomy. In general, as Chief Duffey points out, today’s firefighter must keep up with the pace of changing practice and technology. Although one might think that all changed with the events of 9/11, it is much more the result of the Worcester Cold Storage Fire of December 1999 in which six firefighters were lost – the first deaths in the WFD in 36 years. 

Did you know that RFD’s oldest apparatus (that’s firetruck to laypeople!) was put into service in 1999 and had to be fitted with a special chassis (frame and wheels) just to fit in the Union Street Station? With older stations like Union Street, almost all new equipment must be either specially made or retrofitted – including everything from vehicle height to the size and shape of sideview mirrors – to fit through the doors. 

A Fire Station Building Project Public Outreach Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 30th at 6:30 PM at the Rockland High School Lecture Hall.  We will keep you posted on this, and other matters related to the RFD station move in future newsletters.

Pictured on top: Rockland Firefighters Brianna Girouard, and Petros Hologitas joined the Department on October 10th. Below: Firefighters Jack Blaudschun, and Madison Anderson joined the Department on July 11th, and Caio Costa joined on March 15th.

RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM ARJWW GENERATED QUESTIONS WE HAVE ANSWERED HERE

Q: Is our water safe to drink?

A: On October 2, 2020, MassDEP published its maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 20 nanograms per litre (ng/L) or 20 parts per trillion (ppt) for the sum of 6 specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS6). The Abington & Rockland Joint Water Works (ARJWW) immediately started testing for PFAS6 in accordance with MassDEP requirements. Since testing started, the water leaving the Hingham Street Water Treatment Plant in Rockland has on occasion tested above the 20 ppt level. As the water system is a blended system, many customers’ water has consistently been below the 20 ppt level. MassDEP’s MCL is set to be protective against adverse health effects for all people consuming the water, including sensitive subgroups.

As noted on MassDEP’s Fact Sheet: "It is important to note that consuming water with PFAS6 above the drinking water standard does not mean that adverse effects will occur. The degree of risk depends on the level of the chemicals and the duration of exposure. The drinking water standard assumes that individuals drink only contaminated water, which typically overestimates exposure, and that they are also exposed to PFAS6 from sources beyond drinking water, such as food.”

If you are concerned about your exposure while steps are being taken to assess and lower the PFAS concentration in the drinking water, the ARJWW’s has a water filling station located at their office at 366 Centre Avenue, Rockland, available Monday through Friday from 8am-3pm which offers water below the 20 ppt MC. If you have specific health concerns, you may wish to consult with your doctor.

Q: So, what is being done and when can we expect this issue to be resolved?

A: A lot. Each year since PFAS has been an issue there has been some form of an article on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant, as well as discussions at each Annual Town Meeting, with the Finance Committee prior to Town Meeting, the Board of Health, and the Board of Selectmen. 

Annual Town Meeting 2019 approved $50,000.00 for upgrades to the Abington Rockland Joint Waterworks.  

Annual Town Meeting 2021 approved $50,000.00 for upgrades to the Abington Rockland Joint Waterworks.  

Annual Town Meeting 2022 approved $13,000,000.00 to design and make treatment plan upgrades to remove PFAS from the water, as did the Town of Abington.  

Additionally, $130,000 was appropriated for upgrades to the wells and new PFAS Carbon filters. And we approved the use of $500,000.00 in American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) money to kickstart the engineering for the upgrades.

In total $13,730,000.00 +/- has been appropriated towards fixing the PFAS issue by Rockland and an additional $13,730,000.00 +/- has been appropriated towards fixing the PFAS issue by Abington for a total of $27,460,000 for permanent solutions to remove PFAS to meet MassDEP new regulations.

ROCKLAND'S VETERANS ARE IN GOOD HANDS

Did you know that Veteran’s Day is one of only four Federal holidays that are not moved to the closest Monday on the calendar? The basis of the day, the ending of hostilities in World War I at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month is etched in our national subconscious. Often conflated with Memorial Day, when we honor those who died in service to their country, Veteran’s Day honors all those who served. This year, the Towns of Rockland, Whitman and Abington again held their annual Tri-town Veteran’s Day Parade on November 11th in Whitman. Next year, the parade rotates back to Rockland.

“Camaraderie is one of biggest things to a vet,” explained Stephen Joyce, Rockland’s Assistant Veteran’s Agent. He and Veteran’s Agent Tim White, who is also Veteran’s Agent in Hanson, serve the more than 800 veterans that live in Rockland.

Although the nation has seen a marked rise in the number of veterans since the events of September 11, 2001, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Agents White and Joyce still deal mostly with the older veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and their surviving spouses. 

Agent White stresses that familial benefits – surviving children and even parents, but particularly and far more so, spouses of veterans – are an important aspect of his department’s work and wants to get that word out. Too often, spouses are not aware that they might be entitled to any number of survivors’ benefits. The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), for example, offers benefits to qualified family members of vets whose disability or death were service-related. Tim and Steve, the agents, literally, for local vets, or their families, with everything from helping fill out forms, supplying information, and helping with appeals to the federal Veterans Administration. Tim and Steven are also the conduit by which the state reimburses Rockland seventy-five cents on the dollar for assistance veterans are entitled to under Chapter 115 of Massachusetts General Laws. Tim is also a State Certified Veterans’ Services Officer under Chapter 115. 

Agents White and Joyce are both veterans themselves, Tim having served as Command Master Chief in the U.S. Coast Guard, and Steve having served in both as a Lance Corporal in the U.S Marines, and a Specialist in the Army National Guard. They are there to talk to veterans, help them fill out the paperwork that is needed for services they’re entitled to and to connect them with those services such as Millis-based 22Mohawks, and Hellfish Haven in Boston, both of which help veterans who need help with navigating the struggles of everyday life when they return home from duty.  Rockland Vets are also proud supporters of the SPC Matthew Pollini Fund, established in honor of the Rockland native who died in service to his country in Iraq in 2009.

The Rockland Veteran’s Office actively reaches out to the Town’s vets via social media and organizations such as the Rockland Senior Center. Both Tim and Steve can also be reached via the Veteran’s Services page on the Town’s website. 

THE 2022 TRI-TOWN VETERAN’S PARADE, HELD IN WHITMAN, WILL RETURN TO ROCKLAND IN 2023

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FROM ROCKLAND CULTURAL COUNCIL

Thanks largely to the Rockland Cultural Council, we have had remarkable success bringing the community together for programs including Union Street activities, town celebration days, and school festivals. The Council wants you to know about more programs and opportunities through the Mass Cultural Council

Mass Cultural Council recognizes community gatherings are a priority for many and have been a driving force behind recovery during COVID-19. Through Festivals & Projects they fund these important public programming initiatives. Right now, Festivals & Projects one-year grants of $2,500 are available to nonprofits, festivals, municipalities, and businesses to support publicly available cultural activities taking place between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.  

Rockland Cultural Council encourages you to learn more about the Festivals & Projects funding opportunity and application process at massculturalcouncil.org: Application Process – Mass Cultural Council. The application deadline is December 15, 2022.  

To learn more about Rockland Cultural Council, follow them on social (Facebook: Rockland Cultural Council, Instagram: @rocklandculturalcouncil02370, and Twitter: @RocklandCouncil ), and on and Town of Rockland website. 

McCARTHY FARM OPEN SPACE IS OFFICIAL

McCarthy Farm conservation area off Beech Street became open to the public on October 21st.  The Town of Rockland is thankful to Rockland residents and taxpayers who supported this important open space acquisition.   

THANKS FOR HELPING OUT DURING THE SUMMER DROUGHT

For most of the year, the Abington Rockland Joint Water Works (as did most of the Commonwealth) has had restrictions in place on outdoor water use. The severe drought that gripped our area has seen considerable relief in the return of autumn rains, and our reservoirs are returning to normal levels. Thank you for your diligence and your patience!

SEE YOU AT THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY STROLL
NOVEMBER 26TH 4:00 PM TO 7:00 PM

The Holiday Stroll is one of the only holiday events in the area with a focus on providing entirely free activities and goodies to attendees, so no one feels left out even if they are not in a good financial situation. The event also provides opportunities for local nonprofit organizations to share in the festivities through their fundraising efforts as well and brings upwards of 5,000 people to check out the local small businesses in the center of Rockland.

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