Bourne Firefighters IAFF Local 1717

10/13/2026

👻 🎃 Spooky Season Is Upon Us 🎃 👻

Come Get In The Halloween Spirit WIth Us!

Your Local 1717 Fire Frighters Have A Spooktacular Hoodie & T-Shirt For Sale On Our Website.

We Look Forward To Seeing You All At The Bourne "Trunk Or Treat" At The Bourne Community Building On Oct. 29th 5-6 pm, 239 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, MA

Remember To Stay Safe This Halloween While Out Trick Or Treating...

And BEWARE The Headless Hoseman!

https://bourne-fire-local-1717-shop.fourthwall.com

09/15/2026

🩷🚒SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER. 🚒🩷

Bourne Firefighters Local 1717 is proud to offer Breast Cancer Awareness shirts and hoodies, with proceeds going toward breast cancer research.

Breast cancer affects far too many of our mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, making awareness, early detection, and continued research incredibly important.

🩷Early detection can make a difference. Screening, including mammograms, can help detect breast cancer at an earlier stage, when treatment is often most successful.
https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/screening/

🩷Know your risk. Talk with your healthcare provider about your personal risk factors, concerns, and ways to reduce your risk.
https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/risk-factor/

🩷Know the warning signs. Be familiar with changes in your breasts and speak with your healthcare provider if you notice something unusual.
https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/signs-symptoms/warning-signs/

Support research. Research helps advance early detection, improve treatments, better understand risk factors, and give hope to those facing a breast cancer diagnosis.

By purchasing a shirt or hoodie, you’re not just wearing pink—you’re helping support the fight against breast cancer and standing with those who have been affected by this disease.

Please consider showing your support for breast cancer awareness and for the people in our community who are fighting, surviving, and remembering loved ones.

BOURNE FIRE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS SHIRTS & HOODIES:
https://bourne-fire-local-1717-shop.fourthwall.com/

🩷🚒Bourne Firefighters Local 1717 — Proud to Support Our Community. 🚒🩷

09/11/2026

🇺🇸 25 Years Later — We Will Never Forget

Twenty-five years ago today, our nation was forever changed.

We remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, including the 343 FDNY firefighters who answered the call and never returned home.

A generation has now passed, but their courage, sacrifice, and service have not been forgotten.

Today, the members of Bourne Firefighters IAFF Local 1717 honor all those who were lost, those who responded, and those who continue to carry the effects of that day.

25 years later, we still remember. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/06/2026

🚨 A Message to the Town of Bourne from IAFF Local 1717 🚨

We believe the residents of Bourne deserve to know what is
happening with staffing at the Bourne Fire Department.
Since July 1st, 2026, our members have already been required to work 86 mandatory holds.

So, what exactly is a mandatory hold?
A mandatory hold occurs when there are not enough firefighters/paramedics available to staff the department for the next shift. Rather than leave a position unfilled, a member who has already completed their scheduled shift is forced to remain at work and cover the additional shift.
These are not voluntary overtime shifts. A member does not choose to stay. They are required to remain at work because there are not enough personnel available to safely staff the department.

The numbers tell the story.
📊 Since July 1st, 2026:
• 86 mandatory holds
• 3,401 hours of voluntary overtime

📊 Fiscal Year 2026 (July '25- July '26):
• 396 mandatory holds
• 14,968 hours of voluntary overtime

And there is another important piece of information the public should know.
The member who had the highest number of mandatory holds last fiscal year, with 15, has since transferred to another department.

This is not about whether our members are willing to work. They have repeatedly demonstrated that they are.
The issue is that the department needs more firefighters and paramedics.

Voluntary overtime can help fill vacancies, but it is not a sustainable staffing model. Mandatory holds are even more concerning because they place an additional burden on firefighters who have already completed their scheduled shifts.
As this continues, the numbers will continue to add up.
86 mandatory holds in just over two months is not a normal staffing issue. It is a warning sign.

Without additional staffing, we should expect this problem to continue—and potentially get worse.
Our members will continue showing up for the residents of Bourne. We will continue answering calls, responding to emergencies, and doing everything we can to provide the service this community expects and deserves.
But we cannot continue asking the same firefighters to fill the holes indefinitely.

Bourne needs a properly staffed Fire Department.

We are sharing these numbers because the people who live, work, and raise their families in this town deserve to understand the conditions under which their firefighters are operating.
This is about staffing. This is about sustainability. And ultimately, this is about the safety of the firefighters and the residents of Bourne.

— Jared Shaughnessy
President
IAFF Local 1717

Any comments/questions/concerns for the union can be submitted to [email protected]

09/04/2026

This post about Fredonia shows what can happen when fire departments lack adequate staffing. If crews are tied up on an EMS call, a structure fire can leave too few firefighters to respond safely.

Proper staffing means having enough firefighters to handle multiple emergencies at once.

Faster response. Safer operations. Better protection.

Today it’s Fredonia. Tomorrow, it could be us.

Our communities deserve a department staffed for the emergencies that happen.

09/01/2026

Congratulations, FF/P Tura! 🚒

Local 1717 would like to congratulate Jake Tura, and all of the other hires! as he begins a new chapter with Centerville-Osterville-Marston Mills Fire District .

FF Tura becomes the second Bourne firefighter to join COMM in the past 12 months, and we couldn't be happier to see another member of our department continue to grow and advance his career.

We look forward to nothing but success in this next step of your journey. 👊🚒

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the C-O-MM Fire Department!

Firefighter/Paramedic Jay Frisbee joins us from the Falmouth Fire Department, where he has served for the past 18 years. Jay is a seasoned paramedic who brings extensive experience and a strong fire service background to our department.

Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Judge is an Osterville native and graduate of Bryant University. After college, Brian made the decision to pursue a career in the fire service and, since 2023, has served as a firefighter/paramedic with the Dennis Fire Department.

Firefighter/Paramedic Kamron Sassone is no stranger to C-O-MM Fire. Kam first spent time with us several years ago as a ride-along student. He later participated in the live-in firefighter program with the Raymond Fire Department in Maine before continuing his career as a firefighter/paramedic with Isle of Palms Fire Rescue in South Carolina. We are especially happy to welcome Kam back home to his Cape Cod roots.

Firefighter/Paramedic Jacob Tura comes to C-O-MM Fire from the Bourne Fire Department. Prior to Bourne, Jacob served with the Marion Fire Department and STAT EMS, bringing with him a well-rounded background in both fire and emergency medical services.

Last but certainly not least, Firefighter/EMT Samuel Smith is a Hyannis native and graduate of Sturgis Charter Public School. Sam is a proud United States Marine Corps veteran who served in Marine Recon. For the past two years, he has served with the Yarmouth Fire Department, where he was also an active member of the department’s Dive Rescue Team.

Each of these firefighters brings a unique background, valuable experience, and a strong commitment to public service. They have already hit the ground running, and we are excited to have them as part of the C-O-MM Fire family.

Please join us in welcoming Jay, Brian, Kamron, Jacob, and Sam to C-O-MM Fire!

Town of Barnstable
Massachusetts Department of Fire Services
Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts (PFFM)

08/26/2026

What is cross-staffing?

Each of the town’s three staffed fire stations currently have three members ready to respond to emergency calls. At each station, there is at minimum one fire engine and one ALS ambulance.

Cross-staffing is the practice of having the same crew staff both the fire engine and the ambulance, depending on the nature of the call that comes in. If a fire-related call comes in first, the crew responds on the fire engine, leaving that area without immediate ambulance coverage until another station can respond. The same is true for EMS calls if the ambulance is used first, that area is left without immediate fire coverage.

Cross-staffing is an outdated method of providing emergency services. With call volumes increasing each year, continued town growth from approved projects, and ongoing traffic challenges due to the bridges and upcoming bridge replacement, response times are becoming even more critical.

Every second counts-and every firefighter counts.

08/22/2026

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Onset Fire Rescue for loaning us a battery powered extrication tool, commonly known as the “Jaws of Life.”

With multiple frontline engines currently out of service, Bourne Fire is operating our 1994 reserve engine out of the Monument Beach Station. Having access to reliable extrication equipment is critical to maintaining our ability to respond and provide the highest level of service to our community.

We truly appreciate the continued partnership and support from our neighboring departments. This is what the fire service is all about taking care of each other and taking care of our communities.

08/20/2026

The Bourne Professional Firefighters would like to address the incident that occurred earlier this month and explain why it should remind us all of the importance of adequate staffing.

As highlighted in the Bourne Enterprise article, the incident raised serious concerns from residents about staffing and emergency response times. In Bourne, these challenges are magnified by our geography. Responding over the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges can create unpredictable delays and limit the resources available to respond to emergencies.

Currently, each station is staffed with three members to answer emergency calls. Station crews cross-staff both a fire engine and an ambulance, with crews responding in one or the other depending on the nature of the call. As noted in the article, there is potential for an additional firefighter in Buzzards Bay should the town secure SAFER grant funding.

With call volume increasing, we need staffing levels that ensure enough firefighters are available when the next emergency occurs.

This incident showed us once again what can happen when every second—and every firefighter—matters. We shouldn’t wait for another tragedy to address staffing.

Bourne Local 1717 would like to thank the residents who have voiced their concerns and support regarding this issue. We stand with the citizens of this great town and remain committed to advocating for the staffing levels our community deserves.

Read the full article:

Several people came before the Select Board at their meeting on Thursday, August 18, to share their concerns about emergency response times after witnessing the boat fire in Phinney’s Harbor

08/01/2026

Congratulation to Firefighter Sabrina Tarara on her completion of The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy!
An amazing accomplishment in her fire service career!

Let's hear it for the graduates of Career Recruit ! They graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy today after 10 weeks of foundational training. Now they're off to protect their communities with Bourne Fire/Rescue & Emergency Services, , Canton MA Fire Department, Hull Fire Department, Lakeville, MA Fire Department, Norfolk,MA Fire, Norton Fire - Rescue Department, FD, FD, FD, Wellfleet Fire Department, and Yarmouth Fire Department, MA. Couldn't make it to the ceremony? Visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/dfsosfm this afternoon for video!