While responding to fire calls, Watertown Mayor Emily McFarland said she recognized the need for V.E.S.T. or Volunteer Emergency Support Team to respond to crises and provide victims with needed services, she said in a press release.
“It became clear to me that because our firefighters are actively fighting a fire and providing emergency medical care, and our police officers are securing the scene, evacuating or interviewing people that no one on the scene was available to serve the families in the moment, so I found this space where I could serve them in their time of need,” McFarland said in the release. “A common question is, will I be able to go in and get my stuff or can they retrieve their medications and I’m always grateful that I can be there to answer their questions and help in one of life’s most challenging moments.”