Passing of a Legend

It is with regret that Southwestern NH District Fire Mutual Aid and The Fitzwilliam Fire Department, announce the passing of Retired Lt. of Fire Mutual Aid and Retired Chief of Fitzwilliam Fire Department, Edwin Mattson Jr.

Ed began his career at Fire Mutual Aid in 1966 retiring the first time in 1987, to then return part time to Mutual Aid in 1998, being promoted to Lt, a rank he held until his retirement in 2021. Totaling 44 years of dedicated service to Fire Mutual Aid and our dispatch communities.

Ed joined the Fitzwilliam Fire Department in 1958, served as Chief from 1967 to 1986 and from 2008 until his retirement in 2013. Ed remained active on the Fire Department as a senior member until his passing.

Ed also had over 50 Years of dedicated service as a Fire Warden in Cheshire County.

Ed was a friend to all and a mentor to many.

Services will be posted when available.

Training Opportunity

Simulation Training hosted by Tyler Boucher, Fitzwilliam Fire Department
Friday, December 19, 2025
1800-2000hrs
The Drillyard (156 Bowkerville Road, Fitzwilliam, NH)

 Topics presented:
What is simulation?
What types of simulation exist?
Implementing simulation on a limited budget.
Simulation training scars.
Logistics of simulation.
Do's and Don’ts for simulation.
How to bring high fidelity simulation to your home department.

Rescue INC/VEMSA will have their brand-new, high fidelity sim lab present for the event along with a sim instructor to display unit capabilities and provide a few short sim scenarios for willing participants. 

 Training is free and open to everyone. (There may be limited participation opportunities based on attendance and time.)

BOD meeting POSTPONED

At the request of President Ken March, tomorrow's scheduled Board of Directors Meeting is being postponed due to forecasted weather.

The new date will be December 17, 2025 at SWNHDFMA at 1900hrs.  The meeting will instead be held at SWNHDFMA, Headquarters, 32 Vernon St, Keene NH  in the 2nd floor meeting room.  

The meeting will not be sent out by Zoom.  Should anyone have any questions or concerns please contact Chief March.

Thank you 

Michael Winn
Interim Chief 

CO SAFETY SUMMIT, NOVEMBER 14, 2025

CO Summit

Register for this FREE event today! Link: https://forms.office.com/g/AWwEgRAU4c

Registration and lunch are provide to all attendees, thanks to our generous sponsors: National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM), National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), GenTent, and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). We welcome community partners to this training and networking event. Registration is open from August 14 – November 3, and space is limited. This page will continue to be updated as details are confirmed.

Topics to be discussed:

  • Guest speakers will share national and international CO updates, victim stories, and policy updates

  • Regional CO case studies

  • NH cases related to gas fitters

  • CO poisoning prevention while traveling

  • CO for EMS personnel

  • Updates from partners and more!

The Northeast CO Alliance

A close call with carbon monoxide on September 18, 2014, inspired Norman Miller, PhD from Norwich, VT, to start the Alliance for Prevention of Carbon Monoxide Incidents (CO Alliance) in 2015. Dr. Miller teamed up with Bruce Martin from the VT Division of Fire Safety, the Injury Prevention Center at Dartmouth, and the Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine to form the group. The CO Alliance includes members from public health, fire & life safety educators, State Fire Marshal’s Offices, and other state agencies and businesses. It also includes CO victims, their families, members of Congress, medical professionals, researchers, responders, and several state, national, and international partners.

The Carbon Monoxide Safety Summit was designed to provide a professional opportunity to convene multiple stakeholders to explore the latest carbon monoxide poisoning issues in the region. This year the 10th Annual CO Safety Summit will take place on Friday, 11/14/25 in Concord, NH.

Who Should Attend?

  • Fire / EMS

  • Healthcare Professionals

  • Environmental Health and Safety Professionals

  • Mechanical Trades

  • Building Officials

  • Fire Safety Educators

Nearby Hotels

Residence Inn Concord, 91 Hall St. Concord, NH  603-226-0012

Tru by Hilton Concord, 406 S. Main St., Concord 603-931-1878

Best Western Concord Inn & Suites, 97 Hall St., Concord NH 603-228-4300

Training for all First Responders-Fire, EMS, Dispatchers, PD

THRIVING, 

NOT JUST SURVIVING; 

THROUGHOUT AND 

BEYOND YOUR CAREER 

This training will challenge New Hampshire First Responders to evaluate their overall wellness, physical, and mental health, identifying changes that they can make as individuals and as a department. Participants will increase their knowledge of the development and prevention of burnout, compassion fatigue, and the potential negative effects related to repeated exposure to traumatic events. Even though exposure to traumatic events cannot be prevented, pre-incident training, post incident support, and accessible resources can help personnel prepare for and recover from these events. Participants will gain a basic understanding of mental health issues and discuss ways in which mental health and suicide prevention topics can be normalized, stigma can be reduced, and help seeking can be encouraged. The benefits of mental health and wellness programs, peer support teams, and critical incident stress management will be discussed. 

Date: February 12, 2025 0800 - 1600 hours 

Location: Souhegan Valley Ambulance Service 

435 Turnpike Road 

New Ipswich, NH 03071 

$ FREE for all New 

Hampshire Law 

Enforcement Personnel 

To Register Contact: 

Officer Justin Breton 

jbreton@manchesternh.gov 

INSTRUCTOR BIO: 

Susan Brown, LCMHC, MLADC30 years in the Behavioral Health Field MA, Antioch New England Graduate School Retired EMT-I 

Certified CISM Team Member 

Proud Daughter of a committed Fire Chief