On November 13, 2019, Lt. Jason Menard responded to a fire at 7 Stockholm Street as the leader of Ladder 5. Faced with reports of a baby trapped on the third floor, Menard and his crew went to work despite extreme fire conditions, heavy winds, and freezing cold.
As fire conditions worsened, the crew of Ladder 5 became trapped on the third floor. Putting his crew before himself, Menard led his crew to safety, one crew member out a window, saving his life. Jason Menard never freed himself from the third floor and succumbed to the injuries he sustained in this heroic fire fight.
Jason had a passion for his job and was dedicated to the oath he took to protect the Worcester community without question. His heroic actions are proof of that dedication and his selfless commitment to not only his community but his fellow firefighters.
Jason Menard leaves behind a wife and three children. A proud father and dedicated husband, Jason loved nothing more than his family, together laughing, joking and enjoying their company. His loss is devastating to his family and his brother and sister firefighters.
A memorial honoring fallen Worcester Firefighter Christopher Roy will be constructed at the Webster Square Fire Station. Firefighter Roy died battling a fire on December 9, 2018 and was assigned to Ladder 4, Group 3.
Construction of the memorial is made possible through generous donations from the Kraft Family Foundation and the Leary Firefighters Foundation.
Firefighter Roy, age 36, was assigned to Ladder 4, Group 3 at the Webster Square Fire Station. He had served on the Worcester Fire Department for 2 ½ years.
On December 3, 1999, a five-alarm fire at the Worcester Cold Storage & Warehouse Co. building claimed the lives of six brave firefighters who responded to the call. These six heros, The Worcester 6, sacrificed their lives to try and rescue two individuals who were believed to be trapped inside the inferno. May the Worcester 6 always be remembered; "Fallen Heroes Never Forgotten."
The Worcester Historical Fire Society Inc. (WHFS) was formed solely with the intention to create a fire museum and education center. The effort was started with the possibility that the vacant space on the East side of Union Station might be available to us. No plans to have a museum at a different location have been considered. Our intention for the space is for a main portion in the front of the space to contain a museum of the History of Fire and Fire Protection in the City of Worcester. A few large static displays including a horse-drawn steam engine, horse-drawn ladder and a hand-drawn suction tub would remain on permanent display. A variety of artifacts, memorabilia and displays would be more dynamic. It would include a number of fun, interactive stations for school children to play while learning valuable safety lessons. This displays would be presented around a common theme that would be changed regularly to keep the content fresh.
The 1,000 square feet that make up the rear portion of the space will be converted into a conference room with state of the art audio and visual equipment. The existing brick wall is the perfect sound barrier to create privacy for meetings and student learning activities. A separate means of egress connects this space to the common space. So it can be used with or without access to the Museum Display Space. The conference room could be incorporated into many other functions held at Union Station. Meetings or conferences can use the space for break off sessions, performers can use it as a back stage area and weddings can use it for the bridal suite or wedding party reception area. This room would also be available for community organizations for meetings such as the Boys or Girls Scouts, neighborhood associations, support organizations, civic groups and other non-profits.
Additionally, the Public Education and Community Risk Reduction Division of the Fire Department will move into a separate administrative office space that has been formed with the recent installation of the Grand Hall connecting corridor. This would allow the museum to have Monday - Friday occupancy. It improves the opportunity for visits during the times that a volunteer may not be able to provide coverage. The occupancy provides security for the space during the day and provides Fire Department personnel on scene for emergencies at Union Station during the busiest hours. Personnel will be equipped with first aid equipment, oxygen, defibrillator and Narcan, as well as radio contact to Fire and Police Dispatch and incoming emergency crews.
To commemorate the Worcester 6 who died 20 years ago in the Worcester Cold Storage Fire, the Worcester Red Sox announced that the team will retire the number 6. Additionally, the team will sell commemorative "Worcester 6" jerseys and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Worcester Fire Department Memorials Care Fund.
In addition to these actions, the Worcester Red Sox announced that they will also reserve eight tickets per game at Polar Park for friends and families of fallen firefighters from Central Massachusetts, and there will be a permanent display at the park for those heroes who paid the ultimate sacrafice.
