PATROLMAN DANIEL ASHWELL.                                                        FIREFIGHTER/EMT BRENDAN HENEHAN

 

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The Select Board gave a warm welcome to a new police officer and a career firefighter during an Aug. 19 meeting.

Police Chief Nick Secatore said Lynnfield resident Daniel Ashwell has joined the Police Department as a new patrol officer.

“Officer Ashwell was selected off of the Civil Service list,” said Secatore. “He is a resident and was the highest candidate on the list.”

Secatore said Ashwell graduated from Lynnfield High School.

“After high school, Dan served in the military,” said Secatore. “He is a Marine Corps veteran. He served as a sheriff at the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. Most recently, he worked as a municipal police officer in a neighboring community. He decided to take the Civil Service exam, and came onto the list for Lynnfield.”

Secatore said Ashwell started working for the Police Department a few weeks ago.

“We are very excited to have Dan,” said Secatore. “We are very fortunate to have somebody with his qualifications to come and serve in the community in which he lives.”

Ashwell thanked the Select Board for supporting his appointment as a Lynnfield police patrolman.

“I really want to thank you for the opportunity for me to be part of the Lynnfield Police Department,” said Ashwell.

Select Board Chair Dick Dalton congratulated Ashwell on joining the Police Department.

“Welcome aboard,” said Dalton. “You have some great leadership in your department. Watch what they do and learn from them because they really are a good group of people. Good luck to you in your new career.”

Select Board member Alexis Leahy agreed.

“We are happy to have you as part of the community,” said Leahy.

Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis said former call firefighters/EMTs Brendan Henehan and Michael Mansfield have been hired as career firefighters. He recalled that the town’s fiscal year 2025 operating budget funded two career firefighter positions.

“Historically, every one of the Fire Department’s career members have been hired within our Call Fire Department,” said Davis. “It is a great farm team and a great way to bring them up. We relished the opportunity when two new career firefighter positions were funded this year. Both of them did come from our Call Fire Department.”

Davis said Henehan, who lives on Williams Road, started working as a career firefighter in early July.

“Brendan graduated from Lynnfield High School in 2021,” said Davis. “He has been on our Call Fire Department for about a year.  He is currently enrolled in paramedic school to be one of our newest paramedics. He is slated to graduate in February.”

Henehan said he grew up in town and attended Lynnfield schools. He thanked the Select Board for supporting the Fire Department’s request to add two new career firefighter positions into the operating budget this fiscal year.

“I am grateful that you were able to give us the two new positions,” said Henehan. “It was good timing for me to get on with the building project going on, so thank you. I appreciate everything you guys have done.”

Dalton said the Fire Department has “great leadership” with Davis and Capt. Kevin Mutti being among the department’s leaders.

“You can learn a lot from them, and I am sure you already have as you have served as a call firefighter,” said Dalton. “Good luck to you.”

Leahy concurred with Dalton’s viewpoint.

“Welcome aboard,” said Leahy.   

Mansfield was unable to attend the Select Board’s meeting because he was sick. The Saugus High School Class of 2014 graduate started working as a call firefighter in September 2023. Mansfield began working as a dispatcher for the Saugus Police and Fire Departments in October 2016. He worked as an EMT for Action Ambulance in Wilmington from January 2023-September 2023.

“I am an adaptable professional who has been consistently praised as hardworking by my co-workers and management,” Mansfield stated in a cover letter sent to Davis. “Over the course of my seven-year career, I’ve developed a skill set directly relevant to the firefighter/paramedic role you are hiring for, including communication skills; hands on skills with equipment; and the ability to execute under pressure. Overall, I have consistently demonstrated critical thinking, teamwork and communication abilities in every aspect of my dispatcher role at Saugus Police-Fire.”

The meeting’s attendees gave Ashwell and Henehan a round of applause.