Police and Fire section
The Brattleboro Fire Department was dispatched on a first alarm on December 13, 2024, at 10:37 a.m. to 12 Valley Road in the Mountain Home Trailer Park for a reported structure fire. Units from Station Two and Central Station responded. Engine Four arrived on the scene at 10:40 a.m. Lt. Ben Aither reported a shed fully involved with extension into the garage. Crews stretched hose lines and extinguished the fire. Command reported under control at 11:10 a.m.
The Brattleboro Fire Department is extending the ban on debris burning within Brattleboro for an additional week. Burn permits will not be issued in Town during this time.
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation first issued a statewide burn ban on Oct. 28, which was in effect through Nov. 11. Due to persistent drought, the ban was extended in Bennington, Rutland, Windham and Windsor Counties through Nov. 25.
Crews were dispatched to 671 Kelly Road in Brattleboro at 07:37 on Nov. 13, 2024, for a reported brush fire. On arrival, crews reported approximately 5 acres burning.
The fire has since been contained, and crews will be on the scene for an extended period of time to extinguish the blaze. Fire Department crews from Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, Newbrook, along with the Brattleboro Department of Public Works, are on the scene. Keene is providing coverage for the Brattleboro Central Station.
On Friday, November 8, Station Two was dispatched at 14:34 hours to the area of 357 Melchen Road for a reported power line down. Engine 1 arrived in the area to report a power line down in the woods with a brush fire. Crews reported 1-2 acres burning and requested to upgrade to a first alarm. The fire spread quickly due to high winds, and the incident was upgraded to three alarms.
The response involved all Brattleboro Fire units and staff, as well as personnel, brush trucks, all-terrain vehicles, and tankers from neighboring departments, including from Guilford, Dummerston, Putney, Westminster, Halifax, Newbrook, Townshend, Wilmington, Keene, Spofford, Walpole, Chesterfield, Westmoreland, North Walpole, Swanzey, and Greenfield. Chesterfield, Walpole, Westminster, and Cheshire EMS provided coverage for the Brattleboro stations.
Brattleboro, VT —Canal Street will be closed from South Main Street to Elm Street on Friday, November 8, 2024, due to ongoing emergency services operations and debris removal following the recent fire at 45 Canal Street. Demolition crews will be on-site throughout most of the day to safely clear the affected area.
Southbound traffic on Canal Street will be detoured via Flat & Elm Streets or South Main & Washington Streets. The northbound lane will be detoured down Elm St and onto Flat St, but drivers should anticipate periodic delays to accommodate trucks and equipment entering and exiting the site.
Reports of explosion and big fire on Canal Street. Internet out for many. Firefighters on scene.
The Town of Brattleboro is announcing the retirement of Fire Chief Leonard Howard III, whose dedication to the Brattleboro Fire Department and the community it serves extends back to the 1980s. Chief Howard’s retirement becomes effective on Dec. 31, 2024.
“I’m proud to be in the fire service. It’s been the best job in the world,” said Chief Howard. “I’ve enjoyed helping people, and seeing my staff progress and be successful. I think they’re in a good place, and they have a good future ahead of them.”
Chief Howard joined the Brattleboro Fire Department in 1987 as a member of its call staff, a role in which he served for a decade. When he joined, Howard was among about 30 volunteers who helped support career firefighters during major events. Starting in 1988, days after graduating high school, Howard took a job at the Brattleboro Public Works’ Utilities Division.
Crews were dispatched to 117-119 Main Street for fire alarm activation Monday, September 23 at 14:34 hours. Crews arrived on the scene at 14:37 to report nothing showing from the front of a four-story building. Captain Kurt Schmidt advised that there was a sprinkler flow in the building and that there was a smoke condition on the third floor, and requested the incident be upgraded to a first alarm. At 14:45, crews advised there was a fire in an apartment on the fourth floor. The sprinkler did hold the fire to that apartment.
Agenda
1. Call to Order and Review Minutes from June 26th 2024 and approve and go over Roberts Rules briefly. https://www.brattleborotv.org/brattleboro-rtm-steering-committee/roberts-rules-training-31422/
2. Discuss Complaints and Compliments from June 26th 2024 meeting any additional questions from last months review of Complaints and Compliments to determine final or continued decisions.
3. Go over any New Complaints and Compliments from BPD.
Central Station and Station Two were dispatched at 18:55 hours on a first alarm to 166 Carriage Hill for a reported structure fire, caller reported smoke coming from the vents in the roof. Engine One arrived on the scene at 18:59 hours, LT. Chris Fellows reported moderate smoke showing from a split-level ranch and requested that a second alarm be dispatched.
Crews confirmed all occupants were accounted for; neighbors advised that they believed no one was home. Engine 1 crew stretched a hose line made entry performed a primary search and then began a fire attack. The fire was in the kitchen and the crew made an aggressive attack on the main body of the fire. As other crews arrived, a secondary search was performed, as well as checking for fire extension in the rest of the home.
The Brattleboro Police Department’s Animal Control Officer will be holding a Rabies Clinic on Saturday, March 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Brattleboro Police Station located at 62 Black Mountain Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
Registration is not required for this event. This event is open for Brattleboro residents and non-Brattleboro residents.
In addition to the rabies clinic, there will be a variety of services available, including: Rabies Clinic: The rabies clinic is for cats and dogs. The rabies vaccine costs $15 per animal and will be a cash-only service. The rabies vaccine will be the only vaccine available during this clinic.
Crews from both stations were dispatched at 16:51 to 75 Clark Street for a report of smoke on the third floor and attic area. While crews were responding, dispatch received a second call advising there was a subject on the 3rd floor. Assistant Chief Charles Keir, along with Engine 2, arrived on the scene. AC Keir reported a 2 1/2-story multi-family wood frame building with light smoke showing from the front. Engine 2’s crew made their way to the third floor to report they had located a victim and were on their way out with the victim.
Crews reported there was still an active fire in the apartment. Golden Cross/BFD ambulance personnel transported the patient with significant burns to the arms, hands, and airway to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. A second and third alarm was requested for additional personnel as well as taking into consideration the longer response time due to weather conditions.
Central Station and Station 2 were dispatched at 23:28 on a first alarm to 1178 Western Ave. for smoke on the second floor. Ladder 1 arrived on the scene at 23:32 and FF Chase Ibey reported heavy smoke showing from the second floor of a two-story wood framed structure and requested that a second alarm be dispatched. Ladder 1’s crew stretched a hose line to the second floor to encounter a heavy smoke condition and located the fire in the kitchen/living room area. Engine 2 arrived on the scene and assisted with water supply,fire suppression and ventilation. The fire was reported under control at 00:01.
The “Big Bill,” also known as the state’s funding bill, directed the VT Department of Health to conduct a study on coordinating local and regional emergency medical services. They have hired Emergency Management Matters out of New York to assist in the study that considers:
• Issues related to costs of service, cost effectiveness of various current service models, and cost-effective alternative service models;
• Existing funding models and identify long-term sustainable funding strategies;
• Challenges and opportunities related to local and regional emergency response coordination; and
• EMS district structure, authority, duties, and the number of districts.
Last week, the Brattleboro Selectboard voted to reveal the major issues with Rescue that board members have known about but have not shared with the public. At the time, Chair Ian Goodnow said “It will be a meeting prior to our decision with ample time for public participation,” and “We’ll have a new schedule with plenty of notice for everyone.”
The public meeting to tell the full story from Brattleboro’s point of view took place in the middle of Tuesday’s EMS Public Forum, in comments made by HR Director Sally Nix.
Early this evening a thunder storm came through Brattleboro, with heavy rains, lighting and wind. The storm affected the Western Ave corridor and Maple Street corridor. The damage consists of trees and power lines down, and minor road damage. The Green Mountain Power South Substation is currrently down. This affects power to residents on Canal Street, Fairview Street, Maple Street to Western Ave and West Brattleboro, this is affecting 2600 residents. Green Mountain Power has crews working on the issue along with replacing a broken utility pole on Maple Street.
The two recent special meetings, held in executive session, were, as many have speculated, to discuss the EMS situation. Both were held without Brat FD members present.
BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2023
SPECIAL MEETING – 5:15PM
If you missed the recent article , “Brattleboro faces blaze of firefighter departures amid town EMS takeover debate,” here is the link:
https://vtdigger.org/2023/07/24/brattleboro-faces-blaze-of-firefighter-departures-amid-town-ems-takeover-debate/
The takeaway quote, I believe, is: “ …since … June of last year, 16 staffers have departed. Of the latter firefighters who quit, five had worked multiple years before leaving, while 11 had been hired just days, weeks or months before their departures ….”
1.) Call to Order and Review Minutes from June 28th meeting and approve.
2.)Discuss Complaints and Compliments from June 28th 2023 meeting any additional questions from last months review of Complaints and Compliments to determine final or continued decisions.
3.) Go over any New Complaints and Compliments from BPD.
On July 10, 2023, the Brattleboro Fire Department was dispatched on a first alarm assignment at 14:40 to 198 Canal Street for a report of a building fire. The first arriving units (Engine Two, Ladder 1, Car 2, and Ambulance 1) arrived on the scene at 14:43. Car Two reported a 2-story wood frame building with smoke showing from the “bravo” side. Crews from Engine Two and Ladder One entered the building with two (2) hand lines to extinguish the fire. A second alarm assignment was initiated for additional units and manpower to the scene to assist at 14:45.
Fire attack crews were able to locate and extinguish a fire on the first floor, second floor, and attic space. As additional crews arrived, a search of the building for occupants was completed. The one occupant (and dog) were located outside the building with no injuries.
