Woman brings show of support to area fire stations

SWAMPSCOTT – A Danvers resident continued her walking tour of North Shore fire stations Friday.Donna Picone, who is a Salem native, strolled into the Swampscott Fire Department just before noon on Friday.Acting Fire Chief Kevin Thomson said the thanks and gratitude conveyed by Picone means a lot to the firefighters.”It was very nice of her to show an interest in our department,” Thomson said. “The guys here are really appreciative of it. She’s a very nice lady.”Picone, 53, said the 1999 Worcester warehouse fire in which six firefighters lost their lives was what motivated her to show her support for firefighters by walking to area stations. Picone said she has great respect for firefighters.”My uncle John Monahan is a retired fire captain in Salem,” she said. “He’s 90 years old now and his son is a captain at Engine 5 in Salem now. Firefighters have been through a lot with budget cuts and things. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to visit and say thanks. I really enjoy doing it.”After leaving Swampscott, Picone walked to Nahant Fire Department where she was welcomed by Lt. Dean Palombo, who was the officer in charge.”I had no idea this was going on until this morning,” he said. “I thought it was fantastic that someone is that interested in what we do – take time out of her busy day in this day and age to show appreciation for what we do. It’s very nice for someone to put forth that effort and give us an atta-boy.”Picone, who was accompanied by her friend Patti Lynch on this trek, said she has visited more than 400 fire stations since 2000.”I walk to stations in May and September,” she said. “Every time I pick a city or town I make a point of visiting every station in that city or town. In November 2008, I visited all seven firehouses in Lynn with my sister (Gail Corsetti).”Picone said when she first started her firehouse visits she drove to the stations but in September she started walking instead – weather permitting. Picone said she doesn’t consider herself an athlete but she tries to stay in shape by walking a couple of miles daily in her neighborhood.”I was thrilled when I got up (Friday) and saw the temperature would be in the 60s,” she said. “I was worried it would be 100 degrees.”