10.16.2026 Fall River Fire Department Awards Ceremony

On October 16, 2026, the Fall River Fire Department held an awards ceremony to honor the department members who responded to the catastrophic Gabriel House fire that occurred on July 13, 2025. Brockton Fire Chief and President of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts Brian Nardelli served as master of ceremonies. The opening and closing prayers were offered by Father Michael Racine, and attendees observed a moment of silence for the 10 residents who lost their lives in the tragedy.

Key remarks were delivered by Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon, Mayor Paul E. Coogan, and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. Governor Healey commended the firefighters for rescuing 53 residents under extreme conditions—including 27 rescues conducted over ground ladders—and highlighted statewide safety actions taken in the fire's aftermath, including mandatory annual inspections and quarterly drills at assisted living facilities, statewide fire code updates targeting recalled sprinkler heads, free cancer screenings for firefighters, and PFAS safety legislation.

Chief Bacon presented departmental honors, including the Medal of Valor to Firefighter Nathaniel Anderson, who evacuated residents without protective gear and returned to the scene to assist after being treated at the hospital. Numerous firefighters and officers received the Medal of Courage, Lifesaving Medal of Honor, and Medal of Meritorious Service across multiple apparatus companies. In addition, 28 firefighters who answered general recalls, the fire investigation team led by Deputy Chief Neil Furtado, and fire prevention inspectors who discovered and remediated recalled sprinkler heads across six high-risk city facilities were formally recognized.

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