'Very Generous' Beverly Fire Donation Replaces Lost Defibrilator

BEVERLY, MA — A Beverly resident's timely donation has helped the Beverly Fire Department replace a defibrillator that was lost late last month while Chief Peter O'Connor pledged a review of policies and procedures to make sure devices are secure in the future.

O'Connor said earlier this week he and the department were looking to retrieve a defibrillator on the loose after a woman was photographed walking away with the medical device that came free from a storage cabinet on Engine 1.

O'Connor posted on social media that on March 30 the defibrillator was lost at the intersection of Cabot and Edward streets. He said a photograph from the area showed a woman with the item in hand walking down Cabot Street toward the bridge.

On Thursday morning, he said "a very generous donation" from David Allen replaced the defibrillator.

"I would first like to thank Mr. Allen for his donation and Councilor Todd Rotondo for making the connection," O'Connor said. "I would also like to thank the people who shared and commented on our post. There were many impassioned posts trying to find the defibrillator, as well as many that asked how we got in this predicament."

O'Connor said the department reviewed the incident and determined the cause of the loss.

"We will be looking at all of our policies and procedures to make sure that this does not happen again," O'Connor said. "As the Fire Chief, I am solely responsible for what happens to my firefighters and their equipment. Know that the firefighters who protect the city of Beverly are dedicated professionals who work hard every day to protect the people who live, work, and visit our great city."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)