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Hinsdale Recognizes Their Emergency Management Director, Tours Disaster Bus

Bolduc has been with the organization for 38 years and counting

HINSDALE, Mass — The Central Regional Planning Committee honored longtime Hinsdale Emergency Manager, Raymond Bolduc.

Bolduc has been with the organization for 38 years and counting.

Members of the community, MEMA members, and others who have worked with Bolduc attended to show their support.

Not only did they recognize Bolduc, but attendees also toured of the newly renovated rehab bus, that is available 24/7 to county fire, local police, state police, county dive teams, and the community.

"A lot of Ray's hard work, and he got all the money to restore this bus which goes out 24/7 whenever they need it. It was his tireless efforts, honestly, his tireless efforts of getting small grants here and small grants there and talking to other communities," said Pittsfield Fire Chief Thomas Sammons.

"It was just a good time with the bus now back together again that we honor Ray for all of his hard work."

MEMA surprised Bolduc with a Massachusetts Professional Emergency Manager certification.

Bolduc says they caught him "flatfooted."

"It's been a lot of work, it's been a lot of fun, we've accomplished a lot," Bolduc thanked everyone.

Larry Turner, former Hinsdale fire chief, started the rehab bus project decades ago and worked to fix the new one. It was completed just a couple of months ago.

Turner said the region needed a rehab vehicle in the early 2000's after an incident in July when he was a firefighter. With hot summer temperatures, firefighters needed a place to drink water and cool down. 

The rehab bus fit this purpose.

"We got one that was a real cheap price, and then we just started deciding what we wanted to do and what we wanted to do inside to get the guys inside to warm them up when it's cold and cool the down when it's hot," he said. "That's when we decided to go ahead and build this."

The bus has a freezer, a microwave, a bathroom, air conditioner and heater, a generator, and radios making it a command vehicle as well.

That bus was purchase and built out through the firemen's association. In 2023, that bus needed to be fixed and upgraded. Bolduc sought out the grants to be able to cover the cost. 

"Ray is the best procurement officer I have ever come across. He is phenomenal about getting grants and money to do this stuff. So he started looking into this and he started talking to surrounding towns. Now they're giving us their allotment of money to go towards this because we've been in their town with this and doing it," Turner said. "Bottom line the association did not pay a penny to do the work because Ray got us enough grant money to do everything."

Lorri Gifford, Massachusetts Emergency Management grants unit supervisor, applauded Bolduc and was happy to be able to work with him.

"That is what you do, whatever they need, you do that. We are so proud to have been able to provide you with the regular funding that you received as well as dig into our pockets scrape up as much as we could and provide some additional funding to help get your bus back on the road. We know how important this bus is for Hinsdale and for every community within driving distance," she said.

Pittsfield Remembers Lives Lost to Overdose, Underscores Harm Reduction

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Tuesday, September 01, 2026

Mayor Peter Marchetti reads a proclamation at City Hall encouraging residents to raise awareness and lift each other up. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of people gathered downtown on Monday to remember those lost to overdose and work toward a future of zero deaths from substance use disorder. 

The Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative and its partners held a proclamation reading and flag-raising at City Hall, followed by a standout in Park Square with signs promoting the use of naloxone, harm reduction, and reducing associated stigma. 

There were 23 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County in 2025, 11 in Pittsfield. This is down 44 percent from the 41 countywide fatalities in 2024. 

While it is a significant decrease, advocates want to see that number at zero. 

"On the one hand, we're very pleased to see this significant of a decrease. This is actually the lowest number that we've had since [Department of Public Health] started collecting these numbers in 2013, but the goal is still zero," said Andy Ottoson, public health planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. 

August is International Overdose Awareness Month, the world's largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those lost without stigma, and acknowledge the grief of families and friends left behind. September is National Recovery Month, a national observance to educate the public on the importance of substance use treatment and mental health services.

Samantha Kendall of Berkshire Harm Reduction explained that it is truly meeting people where they are, as they are, and when they are, "and I think we all do a really great job at that."

"We also want to remember that we're building a community for everybody, and systems and policies for everybody. That's really important in harm reduction work, so that's also the reason we're here today," she said.