New Newton fire chief takes proactive steps on safety

May 29-- May 29--Back in 1975, Gino Lucchetti supported his young family working at City Hall as a printer. However, he dreamed of becoming a firefighter, and in 1986 he was hired by the Newton department, rising in the ranks until being named chief by Mayor Ruthanne Fuller after Chief Bruce Proia retired in April.

Lucchetti was due to be sworn in on June 3.

Joining the department was "something I had always wanted to do," the 61-year-old said, although he said that, "My wife was nervous about it."

While he's been a member of the department for more than 30 years, Lucchetti was actually the first person in his family to become a firefighter.

Early in his career the Newton native said he responded to many highway crashes.

"I've seen some pretty devastating accidents," he recalled while sitting in his office at the Newton Centre station.

Luckily, Lucchetti had excellent mentors who "taught me the job," he said. They also offered the essential support he and other rookies needed to cope with and process difficult calls.

"You need to release [your feelings]; you need to express yourself," he said.

Placing the physical safety and mental health of the 184 Newton firefighters who work under him as top priority, Lucchetti has already been taking steps to advance the department during his tenure at the helm.

One of his top goals is to make sure Newton's fire department maintains its Class 1 rating by continuing investment in infrastructure, technology, water works, apparatus and equipment.

As part of staying up-to-date with cutting-edge safety standards , Lucchetti aims to have specialized washer/extractors and dryers in all six stations that help remove contaminants from clothing.

He said in the future when the city rebuilds Station 1 on Church Street and Station 2 on Commonwealth Avenue, safer living areas must be integral parts of the designs. Because cancer is the number-one cause of firefighter deaths, said Lucchetti, living areas within the station must be separate from carcinogen-high areas.

"We have to look at it [hazards] in a different light," he said, adding he appreciates the city's financial support to continue safety upgrades.

In addition to firefighters' safety, Lucchetti said he's also planning for possible changes to the design and population of Newton.

"Our city is expanding," he said, citing several large proposed developments that could be built in the near future.

As developers present their proposals, the fire department will be part of the discussion from the beginning by examining how the complexes could impact roads, response times and traffic.

He said since there has been a steady increase in EMS calls, "I want to make sure we can maintain our EMS system ... with our [possible] population growth.

"I'm preparing for it now. I want to be proactive instead of reactive."

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