Special Operations

Massachusetts Fire District 14

For the purpose of maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of emergency service delivery, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Fire Services divides the state into fire districts.

Municipal fire departments within each fire district work to maintain partnerships to include special operation teams, trained in specific disciplines, in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Massachusetts Fire District 14 is comprised of the following communities:
Ashland, Holliston, Natick, Framingham, Sherborn, Sudbury, Wayland, Lincoln, Concord,
Acton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Maynard, Stow, Hudson, Marlborough, Hopkinton, Milford, Hopedale,
Northborough, Southborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury

Massachusetts Fire District 14 Technical Rescue Team

District 14 is a regional technical rescue team comprised of 35 members from 11 communities in the metro west area. The team members are from

Ashland, Concord, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Milford, Natick, Northborough, and Shrewsbury

. All members of the technical rescue team are trained to the technician level for high angle rope rescue, low angle rope rescue, trench rescue, confined space rescue and structural collapse rescue as well as having certain members trained in tower rescue, wind turbine rescue, large animal rescue, protester extrication and other technical rescue disciplines. The team trains on a monthly basis throughout the year, in each discipline. The District 14 team is available for response 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be reached and dispatched by contacting District 14 control in the Town of Ashland at 508-881-0119. The technical rescue team is also available for confined space stand – by, for industry, during your entries in above grade or below grade permit required confined spaces.

Massachusetts Fire District 14 Dive Rescue Team

Ashland belongs to a regional Dive Rescue Team made up of 42 public safety personnel from:

Ashland Fire
Concord Fire
Hudson Fire
Lincoln Fire
Framingham Police
Northborough Fire
Natick Fire
Natick Police
Sherborn Fire
Sudbury Fire
Wayland Fire
Westborough Fire
Weston Fire

We also have a 200' from shore capability, 14 boats that support the team.

Night Dive operations.

Drone and sonar capabilities.

Underwater recovery.

Deep water dives to 120'.

Underwater evidence recovery with police chain of custody.

Massachusetts Fire District 14 Regional Fire Investigation Team

The Fire Investigation Team is comprised of 30 members from 14 communities within District 14. The team members include both municipal firefighters and police officers specially trained in fire investigation methodology, based on nationally-recognized professional standards, in order to accurately determine the origin and cause of fires. Team members respond to any community within
District 14 upon request to assist the local fire chief, who under Massachusetts law is responsible for investigating fires. The Fire Investigation Team also works in close partnership with the Massachusetts State Police’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Section assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Massachusetts Fire District 14 Communications Team

The Communications Team operates Car 14 to support communications to the 23 communities in District 14. The Team will cover special events or incidents and automatic response to support our Special Operations Teams.

A district community may request the car be dispatched when a certain alarm threshold is reached, dispatched along with an activation of a District Special Operations team (Dive Team, IMT, or Technical Rescue) and will be activated with Strike Teams & Task Force activations throughout the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts Fire District 14 Critical Incident Stress Management Team

A team of firefighters and EMS personnel including police officers, ED nurses, mental health professionals and clergy specially trained and certified to the standards of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). The CISM team provides peer support services including group and individual counseling, training, and education.

The Team consist of a maximum of thirty members and are selected from District departments.