THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021 Page 3 Senate Candidate Lydia Edwards seeks to end Local Police Collaboration with Federal Joint Terrorism Task Force By James Mitchell I n a wide-sweeping public safety question and answer dialogue with the ACLU while running for re-election for Boston City Councillor in 2019, current Senate candidate Lydia Edwards has stated her position against local police cooperation and involvement with the Federal Joint Terrorism Task Force. Edwards is a candidate for state senate in the Revere, Winthrop, Cambridge, and Boston district. The Joint Terrorism Task Force is primarily responsible for investigating potential terrorist related threats and activities like 9/11. Members of the Task Force, our country’s front line of defense against both domestic and international terrorism, also seek coordination with local police departments to prevent violence and death. When asked if she “supports eff orts to end BPD collaboration with the Joint Terrorism Task Force, as the City of San Francisco has done,” Edwards answered, “Yes.” Revere Police Chief David Callahan disagrees with Edwards Fire officials offer sage advice during holiday season By Christopher Roberson F ire offi cials are once again reminding residents to be mindful of fire safety during the holidays, particularly with Christmas trees. “Place your tree carefully so it doesn’t block any exits you might need in an emergency,” said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “Although there are not a lot of Christmas tree fi res, they are very serious when they do happen. The best way to prevent a Christmas tree fi re is to water it well every day.” It is almost impossible to stop a tree fi re as it only takes eight seconds for the fl ames to reach the ceiling. Less than 20 seconds later, a flashover would occur, igniting everything else in the room. According to John Machnicki, a fi re safety professional at Travelers Insurance, the heat from a burning Christmas tree can be the equivalent of “40,000 100watt light bulbs.” “Christmas trees are powerful fuel sources, especially when dry,” he said. “The tree becomes a fuel that burns very rapidly and gives off a lot of heat energy.” In addition, Ostroskey said that when buying a tree, needles should not fall off when pulling your hand along the branches. If that happens, the tree is too dry. Placement is also a key factor. Ostroskey said the tree should not block doors or windows that would be used to escape a fi re. “Santa may be able to escape up the chimney, but you’ll need two clear pathways out of each room,” said Ostroskey. The tree should also be three feet away from heating vents, fi replaces or other heat sources. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 25 percent of Christmas tree fi res are caused by putting a tree too close to a heat source. A Christmas tree will “act like a blowtorch in your living room” once it catches fi re. According to Cavallo & Signoriello Insurance, real Christmas trees are three times more likely to catch fi re than an artifi cial tree. Therefore, real trees should be kept no longer than four weeks. When decorating the tree, it is recommended to use newer LED lights. The lights should be off when no one is home and before going to bed at night. When decorating outside, consumers should use lights that are specifi cally for outdoor use. Fire offi cials also suggest using a ground-fault circuit interrupter, which can be installed by an electrician or purchased for portable use. In addition, consumers should be aware that a 15-ampere circuit can support 1,800 watts and a 24-ampere circuit can support 2,400 watts. “No one thinks they will experience a fire, but sadly so many do over the holidays,” said Ostroskey. “Be sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are in good working order and review your home escape plan with family and guests.” on suspending cooperation between local police and the federal task force, stating that, “the Boston Marathon bombing and 9/11 attacks happened in our backyard mainly because of poor communication and coordination between federal and state law enforcement. Those were dark, awful days. Local, state, and federal law enforcement need to work collectively to prevent terrorist attacks and save lives. We cannot slide back to those days of disorganization and poor communication. That would be very dangerous to our communities.” In the past, Edwards has also sought and received the endorsements of “Our Revolution” and the “Democratic Socialists of America,” organizations that advocate for the defunding and restructuring of local police departments. The questionnaire was written by the ACLU of Massachusetts, Boston Users’ Union, Cosecha, Council on American-Islamic Relations-Massachusetts (CAIR), Digital Fourth, Families for Justice as Healing, and Student Immigrant Movement (SIM). Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net 100 years of cigar experience OPEN & READY TO SERVE YOU! Happy Holidays! 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