Malden Fire Department Adds Vehicle For Hard-To-Reach Emergencies

The vehicle can also reach wooded areas to respond to fires during dry conditions along with smaller roadways.

By Benjamin Pierce, Patch Staff

Nov 4, 2026 11:44 AM EST

The UTV was purchased through a donation from the Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation. (Dakota Antelman/Patch)

MALDEN, MA — The city has added a new vehicle meant to help firefighters reach emergencies in hard-to-access areas.

Equipped with a pump, a 55-gallon water tank, and equipment to draw water from ponds, the Utility Terrain Vehicle, or UTV, was purchased through a donation from the Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation. The vehicle can transport equipment and supplies to locations where using a fire truck or ambulance would be impractical or impossible, according to the city.

The UTV will help firefighters reach patients along the bike path and in other areas where access is limited. City officials said the vehicle could be used to respond to crashes involving bicycles and battery-operated bikes and scooters.

The vehicle can also reach wooded areas to respond to fires during dry conditions. Officials identified Waitt's Mount, the Fellsway, Pine Banks, and the bike path as locations where firefighters could use the UTV without bringing a fire apparatus valued at nearly $1 million into the woods.

During winter storms, the vehicle can be fitted with a plow to help clear access ahead of an ambulance when roadways are limited. It can also help address access issues at fire stations during weather emergencies.

The donation also allowed the department to repurpose its former Public Safety Day trailer into what the city described as the BiSON trailer. The trailer will support Malden firefighters when they respond to mutual aid calls in other communities.

Savings from repurposing the existing trailer allowed the department to purchase a separate utility trailer for Public Safety Day, National Night Out with the Malden Police Department, and other events. That trailer can also transport training and testing equipment while keeping it protected from the weather.

Malden's bike path is part of the Northern Strand Community Trail, which runs along Canal Street, crosses Route 60 near the hockey rink and continues alongside Eastern Avenue toward Revere. The city is developing a master plan for the corridor that includes reviewing maintenance needs, lighting, and potential safety and access improvements.

The Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation has supported several other projects in Malden, including a $500,000 grant announced earlier this year for construction of the Bayrd Boathouse at Malden River Works Park. The planned facility will primarily serve the Malden High School crew team while also providing public restrooms for park visitors.

The foundation also funded two shade shelters installed over picnic tables at Trafton Park this year. In 2024, it contributed $40,000 toward a firefighter memorial improvement project at Forestdale Cemetery.

Established in Malden in 1927 by Frank A. Bayrd in memory of his mother, the foundation provides grants to organizations serving Malden and surrounding communities, along with student scholarships. Its funding supports hospitals, libraries, youth programs, social services, and cultural activities.