Massachusetts Rehab Unit Marks 40 Years of Fireground Support

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing

• • Rehab Five, a volunteer rehabilitation unit in Peabody, Massachusetts, is celebrating 40 years of supporting firefighters with hydration, cooling, food and decontamination services at incidents.
• • The organization was founded in 1986 by Roger Baker to help combat fatigue and environmental hazards at fire scenes before formal rehab was common.
• • Rehab Five now operates a fleet of nine vehicles and responds to about 175–280 calls annually across southern Essex County.
• • Volunteers provide seasonal services including cooling and hydration in summer and warming and vital sign checks in winter, plus decontamination to reduce occupational cancer risk.
• • Rehab Five is entirely donation-supported and does not bill for services, covering insurance, equipment and operational costs through community contributions.

PEABODY, MA — Rehab Five, a volunteer rehabilitation unit that provides essential support services to firefighters at emergency scenes, is celebrating its 40th anniversary, officials and volunteers said.

Founded in 1986 by Roger Baker in southern Essex County, Rehab Five began with a converted ambulance offering hydration and nutrition to crews before fire ground rehabilitation was widely recognized as a formal practice. The unit’s services expanded over the years to include cooling, warming, vital sign monitoring and, more recently, decontamination support aimed at mitigating long-term occupational health risks.

Today, a fleet of nine Rehab Five vehicles staffed by about 15 volunteers self-dispatches to an average of roughly 175 calls annually, with some years seeing as many as 280 responses. The unit supports local fire departments during extended operations, brush fires and other challenging incidents where firefighter fatigue and environmental exposures are concerns.

Rehab Five volunteers deliver services tailored to incident conditions and seasons, including cooling and hydration with ice, water and sports drinks in hot weather and warming stations with hot beverages in colder months. The organization also employs specialized wipes and other tools to help remove harmful combustion byproducts from firefighters after extended exposures.

Operating entirely on donations without billing for services, Rehab Five covers insurance and equipment costs through community support. Officials said sustaining the unit’s work depends on continued contributions to maintain readiness and presence at emergency scenes.