On Saturday, March 8th, 2025, at 12:06 PM, the North Shore Regional Dispatch Center alerted the Manchester Fire Department about a mutual aid request for Ladder 1 to respond to a 2nd Alarm Fire on Washington Street in Gloucester. Ladder 1 responded immediately with a crew of three, led by Captain Cavender. The Town of Manchester remained protected by the remainder of the on-duty crew, along with callback full-time and call firefighters. Chief McNeilly also proceeded to the scene, where the situation escalated to a 3rd Alarm. Gloucester Fire, in collaboration with the mutual aid companies, worked diligently to manage the fire amidst challenging windy conditions. Recently, Manchester has experienced a notable increase in mutual aid requests, highlighting the heightened activity in the region. These responses are crucial as they allow our crews to work effectively with neighboring departments, ensuring seamless operations. This partnership proved beneficial to our town just this past January during our own 2nd Alarm fire. We take pride in collaborating with the other fire departments across Essex County.
