Many townspeople reported that the decibel level seemed higher and weapons reports more frequent than usual at Devens last weekend, but a spokesperson said the only unusual aspect of the training activities was that firing lasted well past dark on Saturday night.
Linda Jeleniewski, public affairs officer for Fort Devens, said this week that 200 reservists from two units of the 1/25th Marines were practicing last weekend at firing ranges on the South Post of Fort Devens in preparation for deployment (in May 2007, the Devens Reserve Forces Training Area on the South Post was renamed Fort Devens). The Marines were firing light anti-tank weapons that register at 120 decibels, she said, a standard noise level for training exercises there. What was unusual, she said, was that the firing practice, which was scheduled to stop at 4 p.m. Saturday, continued until 10 p.m. because of an interruption to put out a brush fire on the ranges.
The Harvard Police and Harvard Fire departments are notified in advance of firing exercises, so residents can call them for information. Also, said Jeleniewski, “as the weather gets better there will be more units out there.”
