Joint Press Release Groveland Fire Department Works with Essex County Sheriff’s Department to Complete Station Upgrades

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GROVELAND – Chief Robert B. Lay and Essex County Sheriff Frank G. Cousins announce that several members of the Sheriff’s Department’s Community Service Program completed interior and exterior upgrades to the Groveland Fire Department’s two stations last week.

From June 13-17, Joseph Guthro, Everett Leonard, Tremayne Perry, Robert Reposa, Christopher Ruffen, Alen Vega, Josue Veras from the Lawrence pre-release facility worked with Groveland Fire to complete a variety of improvements at the department’s headquarters and South Station.

“Our fire stations are heavily used and were in need of some love,” Chief Lay said. “This service team has been an asset to our department and community by helping to restore the interior and exterior of the buildings.”

This is the second year that the Groveland Fire Department has worked with the Sheriff’s Department’s Community Service Program. The initiative gives government and municipal agencies the opportunity to utilize skilled and reliable workers to provide services like painting, construction, landscaping and more that otherwise would cost the agencies thousands of dollars. At the same time, inmates have the chance to give back to society in preparation for their release.

“Our Community Service Program provides residents of our pre-release facility the opportunity to get experience working in a community for a great cause,” Sheriff Cousins said. “We’re pleased to have partnered with the Groveland Fire Department to assist with beautifying their stations.”

The team painted exterior doors at both stations, which were rusty and had not been redone in many years. The interior walls of the truck bays and the trim of the garage doors were also freshly painted at both stations after being exposed to water and other elements. At South Station, the exterior walls were painted with a fresh coat of red paint and the team spruced up the lawn and greenery outside.

“Working with the Sheriff’s Department for these projects is a huge cost saving endeavor for the town,” Groveland Finance Director Denise Dembkoski said. “We’re extremely grateful for this partnership and thank all seven of the crew members for their hard work.”

Friends of the Fire Department, Kathy Greaney, Jenna Briscoe, Jenn Hicks and Suzanne Credit provided home cooked breakfasts and lunches to the crew each day as a thank you. Firefighters spent the week getting to know the service team and look forward to working with the Sheriff’s Department in the future.

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Gallery: Groveland Fire Department Works with Essex County Sheriff’s Department to Complete Station Upgrades