Swampscott Fire Department

As of July 1, 2007, Deputy Chief Michael Champion became the new Fire Prevention Officer. Not only will the Deputy Chief be in charge of approving permits, overseeing new construction, among the many responsibilities that come with the office of Fire Prevention; he will also be the coordinator for the town's firefighter training curriculum; have oversight of all department operations and personnel.

This is the first time in several years that Swampscott Fire Department has a Deputy Chief, but Champion is no new-comer to the fire service. Not only has Deputy Chief Champion served as a firefighter and captain for the better part of a lifetime (over thirty years), he also grew up with firefighting in his bloodline: Champion's father worked in Swampscott as a Fire Captain, while his uncle served as Chief.

In his new role as Fire Prevention and TOPs( Training, Operations, and Personnel) Officer, Deputy Chief Champion is sure to stay busy.

While the responsibilities of a Fire Prevention Officer alone are numerous and somewhat less exciting than the hands-on work of firefighting, the Deputy Chief will have intimate knowledge of the town's needs, as well as strengths and weaknesses in relation to fire safety.

One of these responsibilities is that the Fire Prevention Officer must ensure that prior to being sold, existing structures (whether they be residential or commercial) are retro-fitted to meet current standards such as having sufficient smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors.

Furthermore, all new construction is closely monitored so that higher and new standards are enforced (including sprinkler systems, etc). With the end goal in mind, Deputy Chief Champion must also be aware of what hazards are present while a project is still under construction.

Being aware of such hazards allows the Deputy Chief to help prevent any avoidable accidents for those working at the site, as well as firefighters and emergency response professionals.

Blasting is yet another area in which the Office of Fire Prevention is essential to the safety of both works, residents, and emergency response personnel. Prior to the integration of a Deputy Chief (and the lay-off of a firefighter), former Fire Prevention Officer Captain Breen was on hand the day of the incident in which a blast at the Swampscott/Salem Quarry went awry.

On August 21, 2007 rock dislodged in a blast by Aggregate Industries. One rock hit a chimney on Sunset Avenue, another flew through the windshield of a passenger car traveling on Essex Street in Swampscott.  Although rather shaken, neither the driver nor passenger were injured by the flying debris. 

Since that incident, Swampscott Fire Department and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal's Office have revised the procedures and requirements of any blasting site.

Although his schedule is very hectic, you can reach Deputy Chief by calling his direct line. If he is unavailable at the time of your call, he constantly checks his voicemail and will get back to you within a reasonable time frame.

To reach Deputy Chief Champion directly please call: 781-598-2056.

Currently, no permits or other forms are available to be downloaded so please contact the Deputy Chief for any necessary paperwork.