image description — Madison Puppolo of Hoosac Valley High School, Conor Burt of Wahconah Regional High School, and Aaron Cassavant of Pittsfield High School each received $2,000 for their college education in honor of the man who was an inspiration to many.

Iron Mike Polidoro Scholarship Given to Three Local High School Graduates

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:01PM / Sunday, July 18, 2021Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Three local high school graduates were awarded the “Iron Mike Polidoro Scholarship" created in honor of Pittsfield Fire Department's former Deputy Chief Michael Polidoro, who passed away on March 30 after a long battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.

On Tuesday, a small ceremony was held at the Pittsfield Fire Department headquarters where the recipients received the scholarships. Friends and family of Polidoro gathered for the occasion.

“He was an icon in the Pittsfield Fire Department and in Massachusetts," Fire Chief Thomas Sammons said. “It's great that the generosity of our community poured out and we are able to do this."

The award is given to Berkshire County high-school seniors wishing to pursue a career in the fire department, law enforcement, or emergency health service fields. It was created by his wife Donna and other family members to continue his legacy in younger generations.

Madison Puppolo of Hoosac Valley High School, Conor Burt of Wahconah Regional High School, and Aaron Cassavant of Pittsfield High School each received $2,000 for their college education in honor of the man who was an inspiration to many.

Puppolo will be studying criminal justice and playing softball at Herkimer College in New York, Burt will be studying criminal justice at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire, and Cassavant will be studying fire science at Berkshire Community College.

Polidoro served in the department for 28 years and continued to help out when possible. He'd been a member of the region's hazardous materials team and had spent time at the World Trade Center during recovery operations after the Sept. 11 attacks and volunteered in the aftermath of other disasters, including Hurricane Katrina.

He retired in 2017 after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative condition often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. In 2019, Engine 6 was dedicated to Polidoro and renamed “Poly's Pride."

After being diagnosed with ALS, he teamed up with Lee Police Chief Jeffery Roosa, who also has ALS and retired earlier this year, to raise funds and awareness of the disease through "Arrest and Extinguish ALS" events. An event in 2019 in Lenox raised $50,000.

Between various fundraisers, the department was able to raise around $20,000 for the scholarship fund. One of which was crossfit fundraiser held by Pittsfield firefighter Jamie Law, owner of Crossfit Pittsfield.

“We were able to develop a workout that had some numbers involved for his career," Law said. “And when we tried to raise as much money to go to a local legend, I think they rose to the occasion and was able to do that."

Next year, the Iron Mike Polidoro Scholarships will be given to two graduating seniors and two Pittsfield firefighters for career advancement.

Beginning in the fall, the Massachusetts Association of Hazardous Materials is also recognizing Polidoro by naming an award after him because of his achievements in the HAZMAT department.

Members of the Pittsfield Fire Department said that the depth of Polidoro's character was amazing between being knowledgeable, hard-working, and caring.

Tags: ALS, fire department,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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