It was a great effort by all who attended. At the end of the call as we huddled together, chilled by our freezing sweat, we all agreed that our extrication equipment needed to be upgraded to the 21st Century, and  although great in its day, it was now under-powered and needed to be replaced.


At our next monthly meeting, the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department voted unanimously to spend up to $25,000 of our own money and pay for new Homatro rescue equipment.  We could no longer wait for the Selectmen, the Fire Commission, nor a Consultant to tell us whether we needed to replace a 28 year old rescue truck, which would have come with new equipment.  We needed the rescue equipment now, because it will save lives now.


On March 20th, 2007 while the Fire Department was training with representatives from Holmatro, the Chairman of the Fire Commission was drafting a 45 page document that smears the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department and our Chief in an effort to justify their existence to the Charter Revision Commission.


The Chairman of the Fire Commission made a variety of attacks against the Department. He documented his attacks with a volume of paper, obviously provided to him from the Town Hall.  He recklessly released this document to the Charter Revision Commission without ever consulting the Fire Department to see if any of his accusations were actually true, thus illustrating to us, that his interest lies with the First Selectman rather than the Truth, the Fire Department and the community we protect.


We have now come full circle, and the prophecy that was made characterizing this commission at its founding has now come true.  It has become the political sword wheeled by a bitter First Selectman in his last desperate attempt to destroy the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department.


The Honeymoon is over. Its time for this Fire Commission to be abolished before it does any more damage to the Fire Department and this community.  We are here to help you. They are here to hurt us.  Hurting us, hurts you.  Call the Town Hall today and demand that the Fire Commission be abolished.

Abolish The

Fire Commission Now!

On a bitter cold evening back in February approximately 20 members of the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department were operating at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on I-84 which left a family of three trapped inside their Dodge Ram. The truck was surrounded and lodged in several trees that had come down as a result of the accident and was tittering on a steep, frozen, bank making the scene not only dangerous for firefighters, but also extremely difficult to maneuver the heavy extrication tools.


Firefighters worked feverishly for over an hour and 15 minutes to free the victims using our present rescue equipment.  It was probably the most difficult extrication scene we have operated at in recent years.  It was also extremely well organized. One group of firefighters secured the vehicle so it would not slip down the bank on to the other firefighters. A small group of firefighters worked the extrication equipment at the vehicle.  Directly behind them just beyond the downed tree was a line of firefighters who pushed against the backs of the extrication crew so they would not slip down the bank.  A third line stood behind them,  changed saws-all blades and passed equipment up the bank towards the vehicle. A final crew stationed at the apparatus, positioned lights and retrieved equipment.


Watch The Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department As They Train With The New Homatro Equipment.

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