Explorer Post 85

Westborough, Massachusetts

Explorer Post 85 Emergency Service Squad is the youth auxiliary to the Westborough Fire Department. Since our inception in 1967, Post 85 has been responding to emergency calls ranging from water removal to major salvage operations beyond the time frame of the fire scene and from providing air, power and light at structure fires to rescue operations at high angles. Selected members are also certified divers and have assisted in the recovery of individuals involved in water accidents.

We are a member of the Knox Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America through the Learning for Life Program. Our chartering organization is the Westborough Firefighters Association, serving as Post 85’s sponsor. Our members are very active in many fire, emergency service and community outreach activities. We meet every Tuesday evening for general business and hold numerous events throughout the year. The primary purpose of Post 85 is to induce our youth members to train for public emergency needs as they relate to fire service, search and rescue methods, first aid, and flood and erosion control; while at the same time acting as a standby or backup unit for those community departments which are directly responsible for these services.

Post 85 responds to all box alarms transmitted in the Town of Westborough and special calls where specific equipment and manpower are required i.e.- Water emergencies, Air, Lighting, Salvage, Search & Rescue, etc. Post 85 responds to mutual aid calls from area towns. We have traveled up to 25 miles to emergency scenes for mutual aid. Our mutual aid assistance has served many central Massachusetts cities and towns, including Hopkinton, Northborough, Marlborough, Grafton, Shrewsbury, Milford, Hudson and Northbridge and Worcester. The specialized, well-maintained equipment along with the quick responding trained personnel have made Post 85 a very valuable fire/emergency service resource to much of Worcester County.

When activated by the Westborough Fire Department, Post 85 responds to emergency scenes with our own apparatus. Post 85 has acquired numerous pieces of equipment highlighted by 2002 and 1986 Econoline ambulance body special response vehicles equipped with first aid supplies and generators.  Our 1972 Chevrolet StepVan is equipped with first aid supplies, extrication and rescue equipment, salvage covers, lights, cord reels, turnout gear, two-way radios, nozzles, adapters, and mass-casualty equipment. Our 1979 four-wheel drive Jeep is equipped with various first aid supplies.

Post 85 has 38,000 watts of generating power, close to a mile of electrical cordage and 22,000 watts of lighting.  Our 9 bottle air cascade system has a capacity of approximately 40-45 4.5 air bottles. We also have two boats. One inflatable with a 25 horsepower outboard motor and the other a fiberglass dory built by members of the Post.