LYNN — As temperatures soared past 90 degrees on Thursday, the Lynn Fire Department found an innovative way to keep the community cool.
The department sent two fire trucks to Keaney Park and set up three fire hoses to spray water across the park. One hose was elevated from the top of Ladder 4, while two others remained at ground level. In all, the three water streams created a “water curtain” and were able to blast community members with fresh, cool water on the first day of what is likely to be the start of a heat wave.
Mayor Jared Nicholson stopped by the park in the afternoon, thanking the department for bringing the idea to life.
“The fire department proposed we have a water curtain to cool the community down, and I’m glad to see this happen. Hopefully, once kids see the water more [they’ll] start gathering,” said Nicholson.
District Chief Joseph Zukas and Chief Stephen Archer stood observing the crowd of kids running and splashing in the water.
“In all of my 34 years of working in the fire department, I don’t know that we’ve done something like this to this scale,” said Zukas.
Keaney Park’s water curtain was a great way for the department to further connect with the community, according to Archer.
Firefighters handed out red fire helmets for the kids to wear and take home as souvenirs.
Community members also handed out popsicles and water for everyone.
Kids screamed, laughed, and danced in the water. Rom Nom of Lynn brought her son to splash in the puddles and cool down on her afternoon lunch break.
“My son was the first one here and the first to get wet. This is all he was talking about all morning, he couldn’t wait.” she said. “I’m a proud mom and it’s very nice to be out here on the day of a heatwave.”
Zukas said that other communities have been engaging in community activities like this one and the department decided that they should bring it to Lynn. He can’t remember the last time there was a community gathering quite like this one, but he’s happy to see it cool down the city of Lynn.
Magella Cantara can be reached at [email protected].
