Professional Fire Fighters of Lowell MA Local 853

03/31/2026

Some of our members were joined by other surrounding fire departments to celebrate Teresa as she celebrated her 99th birthday! Her one wish was to be surrounded by a bunch of hunky firemen and they sure did deliver!

Happy birthday Teresa, we wish you many more!

Chelmsford Firefighters IAFF Local 1839
Lawrence Firefighters Union - Local 146
Westford Fire Department
Dracut Firefighters, IAFF Local 2586

A 99-year-old woman from Lowell had quite the request for her 99th birthday.

03/30/2026

At approximately 315am, Engine 3 and Ladder 3 responded to Dracut for mutual aid for their second alarm structure fire. Great work by all crews involved.

Dracut Firefighters, IAFF Local 2586

03/28/2026

Strong work, Group 1!

03/25/2026

Local 853 has a bittersweet announcement — it’s both the end of an era and the start of a new chapter for the Lowell Fire Department.

After a combined total of nearly 37 dedicated years of service, Captain Arthur Calavritinos (1 August 2004 — 7 March 2026) and Lieutenant Chanth So (11 September 2011 — 14 March 2026) have officially retired from the Lowell Fire Department. Their unwavering commitment to our community has left a lasting mark on our Organization and City. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Artie and Chanth for their service and wish them the very best as they embark on this next chapter of their lives.

Along with these retirements, we would like to congratulate Captain Benjamin Wilson (Effective: 8 March 2026), Lieutenant Daniel Bain (Effective: 8 March 2026), and Lieutenant Ian Demers (Effective: 15 March 2026) on their promotions.

The consistent dedication, courage, and exceptional skills of these gentlemen throughout their careers have earned them these well-deserved promotions. We are confident they will continue to uphold the highest standards of our Department as they assume these new leadership roles.

03/23/2026

Please join us in wishing Captain Calavritinos a long, happy and healthy retirement! We thank you for your service and dedication to the city of Lowell! Congratulations!

Congratulations Lowell Fire Captain Arthur “Artie” Calavritinos on your retirement!

Artie dedicated his life to others, our community, and was committed to make Lowell a safer place.

Thank you for 21+ years of dedicated service to Lowell! We hope you and Cheryl have a long, healthy, retirement!

03/18/2026

Help us get that one final push before midnight voting ends! We are just a little behind!!! Like the photo of Ladder 3!!

03/16/2026

Ladder 3 is in the finals! Please help us win by liking the pic of Ladder 3.

03/11/2026

Local 853 would like to congratulate the following Members celebrating March anniversaries with the Lowell Fire Department:

DC Robert Crabtree (26 years)
LT. Christopher Armstrong (26 years)
LT. Andre Lafontaine (24 years)
LT. Michael Boldrighini (24 years)
FF Joseph Ruiz (24 years)
FF Alex Lopez (16 years)
FF Michael Janeiro (16 years)
FF Kevin Foote (16 years)
FF Steven Lyle ( 16 years)
LT. Douglas Wade (16 years)
FF Gary Quadros (16 years)
FF Ryan Underwood (16 years)
FF Luis Maldonado (16 years)
LT. Patrick McCabe(16 years)
FF Billy Roman (16 years)
FF Migdoel Gonzales (14 years)
LT. Matthew Campbell (14 years)
FF Jeremy Coupal (14 years)
FF Khemaro Nuon (10 years)

Congratulations, and thank you for your unwavering service and commitment to the City of Lowell, MA - Government

03/09/2026

Strong work, Group 1

LOWELL — Firefighters battled a two‑alarm blaze on Sunday night that heavily damaged a multifamily home in the Centralville neighborhood and displaced 11 residents.

03/07/2026

Back to the drawing board for the firefighters! Great time as always! Thank you to all who came out and supported, we will see you all next year!

03/07/2026

This is happening today 🏀🚒🔥❤️ May the best team win! Stay tuned! Go K.I.D.S.🎉

02/15/2026

Recently, crews from Ladder 2 and Engine 2 took advantage of the good weather to drill on ladder pipe operations.

Generally, ladder pipes are designed to flow high volumes of water on large fires during defensive operations. While most ladders in Lowell feature pre-piped designs for rapid deployment, Ladder 2 is unique.

This particular apparatus doesn't have a pre-piped system. That means the process of getting the master stream up and running takes a little more time, skill, and physical effort. It requires seamless teamwork and communication to get the water to the tip.

Knowing your truck and equipment is half the battle. So, drills like this ensure that when the call comes in, every member knows their role inside and out.

Great job, Branch Street!