By Sally Applegate / correspondent
Georgetown Record
Posted Sep 23, 2010
During the Georgetown Days celebration on Sept. 25, the Georgetown Police and Fire Departments are welcoming the public to an open house at the public safety building following dedication and memorial services at 10 a.m.
The Police Department will be dedicating the new Police Monument, which has been placed next to the Firefighters’ Monument in the new Public Safety Memorial Garden.
Police Chief James Mulligan and his wife, Margo, donated the money for the monument.
“The whole idea is to honor all the people who have served, past and present, on the police department,” said Chief Mulligan. “I wanted the monument in place as soon as possible, rather than going through a lengthy fundraising process for it. I asked my wife about it, and she agreed. We also donated eternal lights, one that will shine on the police monument and another to shine on the firefighters’ monument.”
Working with Lt. Donald Cudmore, Chief Mulligan designed a monument that would be unique to the Georgetown Police Department, based on the department’s police badge. The monument, by Swanson Granite of Rowley, has fine detail work on a replica of the badge.
“It shows Town Hall, for the town we serve, the American flag, for the country we serve, the state flag, for the state we serve, and it has Old Nancy, [the town’s Revolutionary War cannon, taken from a British ship],” Mulligan said.
Georgetown’s award-winning Police Honor Guard will take part in the ceremony in front of the fire station, which will include the dedication of the new police monument, a wreath-laying and bell-tolling in memory of the more than 3,000 lives lost in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, a rededication of the firefighters’ memorial, and an address by Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Phil Trapani.
Police department tours
The police open house following the ceremony will allow the public to tour the inside of the station and the outside, where motorcycles, bicycles and cruisers, including the department’s sporty new 2009 Dodge Challenger, will be on display.
Chief Mulligan praised the work of Lt. Cudmore, firefighter Brett Moyer and Highway Supervisor Peter Durkee in arranging for the installation of the new police memorial.
“These guys went above and beyond the call of duty,” said Mulligan.
Fire Chief Al Beardsley’s wife, Barbara, planted the flowers for the Memorial Garden.
The words on the Police monument are: “This memorial is dedicated to all the men and women of the Georgetown Police Department, both past and present, who proudly serve the citizens of the Town of Georgetown. May all law enforcement officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice be forever in our prayers. This memorial was donated on June 10, 2010 by Police Chief James E. Mulligan.”
Fire memorial rededication
Fire Chief Al Beardsley will rededicate the Firefighters’ monument and give a remembrance speech on the Sept. 11 terror attacks. He also wants people to remember the everyday acts of firefighters.
“When people think of sacrifice, they think of people laying down their lives,” said Beardsley. “They don’t think of all the hours these very dedicated men and women give up, missing family outings, dinners and holiday celebrations.”
The words on the Firefighters’ monument are: “For the Protection of Life and Property – This monument is dedicated to the firefighters of Georgetown through the generosity of the Alton L. Cook family and friends on this 25th day of May in the year of our Lord 1975.”
Hazard houses on display
The Fire Department Open House will include visits to the new larger S.A.F.E. Fire Safety House, which is housed at the Amesbury Fire Department between visits to neighboring towns. The 35-foot trailer has a kitchen, living room and bedroom equipped with activities the firefighters will demonstrate and discuss.
A control room creates smoke in one or all of the rooms in the house, so participants can learn to stay low and go, stop, drop and roll, and get out, stay out. A phone prop teaches how to dial 9-1-1 and what to say when making the emergency call.
The Hazard House is an interactive display showing the hazards associated with each room in a home. The firefighter operating the house uses controls to make smoke in the house or show a “sparking” electrical outlet. He or she will discuss the hazards we sometimes overlook in our homes.
The department’s vehicles and equipment will be available to explore, guided by the Fire Explorers. Firefighters will be instructors for all activities and available to answer all questions.
Sparky the Firedog will be zipping around in his remote-controlled car during the event, and children will receive fire helmets, including pink helmets in honor of breast cancer awareness, and black helmets. Children and parents will receive safety bags. The parents will get informational pamphlets, magnets and rubber jar openers, and the children will receive pencils, stickers, tattoos, paper dolls and bracelets.
“All these items were acquired through grant money, at no cost to the taxpayers,” said Chief Beardsley.
Local leadership
Both the police and fire open houses run through 3 p.m. EMT/firefighter Donna Robbins is coordinating the Fire Department’s open house. Robbins has been a preschool assistant at Perley School for 13 years and a firefighter/EMT in Georgetown for four years. She delivers talks on fire education when younger children visit the fire station on field trips.
“Donna has done an awesome job with the younger kids,” said Beardsley. “We’re in a job where everything is big and burly and rough and tough. Donna’s delivery is very effective.”
Robbins said she hopes to see a lot of people at the Open House.
“We hope for a big turnout so folks can see firsthand how dedicated and hardworking their Fire Department is every day,” said Robbins.
 
This article originally appeared in the Georgetown Record
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