MERRIMAC— The Merrimac Fire Department recently announced that Chief Larry Fisher has been appointed as chair of the Board of Fire Prevention Regulations (BFPR) for the state.
The BFPR is a statewide board of fire service leaders and subject matter experts who call attention to and disseminate the state’s fire and electrical codes. Fisher, who was appointed as chair on Feb 20, has been a member of the board since 2011 when he was appointed as an electrical contractor with a master electrician’s license – one of 16 statutorily defined seats on the board.
He currently serves on several committees and subcommittees, including as chair of the Electrical Advisory Code Committee and as an electrical investigator for the Department of Fire Services.
“For more than 75 years, the Board of Fire Prevention Regulations has played a key role in protecting Massachusetts residents from fire and explosions,” Fisher said. “I am honored by the governor’s decision, and I look forward to working with my fellow Board members to build upon this important work in the months and years to come.”
Fisher takes over as BFPR chair following the retirement of Anthony Caputo. Caputo retired on Feb. 14 after serving on the board for 24 years. He held the position of chair since 2016.
“I would like to thank Gov. (Maura) Healy, BFPR Membership, Massachusetts Fire Marshal (Jon) Davine, and Anthony Caputo for their support and confidence,” Fisher said. “I pledge to uphold their trust and continue our shared mission to safeguard the commonwealth and its residents.”
Fisher has been a member of the Merrimac Fire Department for over 40 years, rising through the ranks until his promotion to chief in 2018.
The Massachusetts Board of Fire Prevention Regulations was established in 1946 after the devastating fire at the Coconut Grove nightclub in Boston, which claimed 490 lives after patrons were trapped inside a crowded occupancy with no sprinklers and blocked or locked escape routes. The board’s mandate was to create a statewide fire code – now known as 527 CMR 1, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code – from a patchwork of regulations that had previously been in place. The board also promulgates 527 CMR 12, the Massachusetts Electrical Code.