Dalton Fire District Holding Special Town Meeting Dec. 3

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:54AM / Friday, November 29, 2024Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The Fire District will hold a special town meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the Stationary Factory to appropriate funds for the purchase of an ambulance.

The district is requesting the voters authorize borrowing up to $350,000 for the purchase of a new ambulance and any costs related to the purchase.

During a meeting at the beginning of November, interim Fire Chief Chris Cachat informed the Board of Water Commissioners that an ambulance had unexpectedly become available.

The board was previously informed that ambulance purveyors told ambulance committee members that the projected cost of an ambulance is about $450,000 to $500,000 with a build time of three years.

Since that meeting, however, one of these sellers returned to the district to inform it that another agency backed out of a vehicle order at the last minute, so an ambulance became available early, Cachat said.

The anticipated cost is about $345,000 to be rolled out as an Advanced Life Support unit, he said.

The projected cost would include transferring the radios and power load stretcher system from the district's old ambulance to the new one, Cachat said.

This apparatus would be an F450 series, which is a pickup-style, two-wheel drive, so it would have a larger motor and transmission, heavier-duty brakes, and just an all-around heavy-duty vehicle, he said.

Additionally, the price increase that the district would face if it waited three years would no longer a concern, and the trade-in values now are greater than what it will be three years from now, Cachat previously said.

The station has two ambulances — a 2016 International and a 2019 Ford 50. However, only the Ford 50 still operates as an Advanced Life Support vehicle. It has been demonstrated both vehicles need to be replaced due to their deteriorating condition.

Cachat said the ambulance committee will examine the apparatus to ensure that it meets the department's specifications and is "exactly what we're looking for."

The trade-in value of the department's 2019 Ford 50 is $30,000, and $3,500 for its 2016 International.

Tags: ambulance service, special town meeting,

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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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