By Lvov Mhyana | Observer Contributor
Pete Gamache, 33, a former MWCC student, has been a firefighter for 13 years at the Gardner Fire Dept. He wants to raise awareness of early addiction in Gardner and how to avoid common accidents among college-age adults who are new to living by themselves or driving their own cars.
“Accidents happen every day, in the home, in vehicles, and at work,” said Gamache. “Most of the time it’s caused by just a second of losing focus, such as driving, when we are walking down the stairs, or chopping a potato for dinner. It only takes a few seconds of a lapse of judgment to change the rest of your life. Stay in control as much as possible and you will avoid many accidents.”
Young adults living alone may not know the common mistakes people make in their homes and how to avoid them. On that topic, Gamache said, “New homeowners should just be aware of the clutter that happens when you first move somewhere… Just keep those walkways and stairs clear. Also, learn about the systems in your home and how they work, such as, maintenance schedules. A lot of young homeowners have a lack of knowledge on their heating/cooling systems, fire places and basic electrical knowledge.”
When discussing Gardner’s drug problem, Gamache said, “I’ve found that if you have a good group of friends then you’ll all be able to avoid drugs. Post high school is tougher though. Friends move away and life starts. I think keeping busy by going after a good job or staying in school is a great way to avoid having the time to get involved in drugs. Unfortunately, it does happen all the time. There are many programs out there to help. Police want you to get the help you need.”
According to mass.gov, as of August 2017, the deaths from overdose in Gardner has doubled since 2013. There were 260 overdoses in the age range of 15–24 leading to death in Massachusetts from January 2017 – June 2017.
Pete Gamache grew up in Gardner and went to Mount Wachusett Community College. He knew he wanted to be a firefighter during 9/11, when he watched a video in high school of the firefighters entering the burning buildings. He said, “Knowing they had just lost many of their brothers, they walked into the dust when everyone else was running out of Manhattan. I wanted to be part of that team.”
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