Original Station

Horse Drawn Steamer

Old Ambulence

Middlebury Fire Department History

Organized fire protection in Middlebury is nearly two centuries old.

  On November 4, 1808 the Borough of Middlebury organized for the purpose of fire protection. This organization was to die out for lack of interest. The pumper was sold to pay off outstanding debts. Eight years later on November 5, 1816 the fire unit was revived then allowed to die again.

On January 6, 1829  the first engine company in Middlebury was organized. This company was to be known as the Middlebury Fire Society. The company had the following officers; one captain, four lieutenants, two hosemen, and forty or more privates. The commanding officer had access and right to use the engine and appuratus as deemed nessecary. The commanding officer (in time of fire) had complete control of the engine and company. The engine company had four divisions, each under the command of a lieutenant. Section four was in charge of the hooks, ladders, and axes.

 Also at this time every home owner was required to have at hand a bucket hook, a ladder capable of reaching the eaves of the house and barn, and also a 10 quart leather pail.

 Failure to attend a meeting was a fifty cent fine. Delay in responding to a fire was a seventy-five cent fine. Not returning to the station after a fire was a fifty cent fine, and refusing to obey orders of the Captain was a one dollar fine.

 Roll calls were taken within fifteen minutes after the start of a meeting and immediately after the return of the engine from a fire.

 At the annual meeting on January 6,1845 a motion was made and passed on a vote of twelve to seven that in consequence of the nature of the new military laws passed by the legislature of the State of Vermont and other reasons the fire company be disbanded at this time.

 On February 26. 1846 the Village of Middle bury ordered the purchase of a fire engine. This was a Buttons engine, a class 2 pumper with 9 inch cylinders. This pumper also known as a cradle pump was purchased from Button and Blake of Waterford, Saratoga County, New York.

 On April 15, 1846 under the rules and regulations of fire bylaws passed at a meeting of the corporation of the Village of Middlebury the following people agreed to organize a fire company to be known as the Middlebury Fire Co. # 1.

 At the May 20, 1846 meeting of the company which was convened by order of the trustees of the Village of Middlebury the following people were elected to their respected positions.

Levi Peck - Captian
Martin S. Dorance - 1st Lt.
Jason Davenport - 2nd Lt.
Justus Cobb - 3rd Lt.
Horace Crane - 4th Lt.
Heman Langworthy - 1st Hoseman
Amasa Harrington - 2nd Hoseman
John H. Simon - Sec.

 Sometime between 1848 and 1850 the Middlebury Fire Co. #1 changed its name to the Washington Engine Co. #1

   Any person joining the Washington Engine Co. paid a $1.00 admission fee.

  In 1859 payroll for the Washington Engine  Co. was $103

  In 1856 the fire station at Park Square was built.The first meeting in the new station was held on December 20, 1856.  It was torn down in 1934 to make way for the present post office.
 
 The fire company was presented a silver trumpet by the Rutland Railroad for preserving railroad property. The cost of the trumpet was figured to be around $60.

  In 1880 the Village of Middlebury again purchased a pumper. This time the village purchased a horse drawn steam pumper. It was a Fairmont engine manufactured by the Jeffers Co. of Pawtucket, R.I. The steamer arrived in Middlebury in June 1880.

 August 25,1885 the Washington Engine Co. #1 voted to petitioned the Village trustees to change its name to the Fairmont Engine Co. #3 also on this same date the department voted that all uniforms be kept at the station.

 August 1,1885 the village tustees voted the sum of $250 for the purchase of uniforms for the firemen.

 August 3,1886 the department at the request of Henry Sheldon voted to donate the uniform of Samuel Brooke (recently deceased) to the Sheldon Museum. 

 May 3,1887 the fire company voted to buy new badges out of the company funds.

 Due to several misunderstandings about the start of meetings it was decided that a bell would be rung as a warning 15 minutes prior to the start of a meeting.

 June 19,1888 the members voted to drop from the roll any person missing two meetings.

January 7,1890 the yearly salary of $3.00 was paid to each person. An offficer or hosemen were given an extra $4.00 each.

 March 4, 1890 the firemen held a dance at the town hall. All proceeds were voted into a relief fund to benefit a firemen or his family should he be hurt while fighting a fire. The fire chief was elected to office by the village people in 1891.

 A special meeting was called on January 21, 1892. At this time the Membership of the Fairmont Engine Co. #3 Voted to disband.

  With the new municipal water system in service in 1892 the Fairmont engine became outdated. Water pressure on the new system was boosted to 125 psi in time of a fire.

  The Fairmont Engine Co #3 was  replaced by the Battell Hose Co. #3 and the Volunteers of 88 Hose Co. The Battell Co was quartered at the Park Square Station and Volunteers of 88 were quartered at the South park station.  The South Park station was apparently in what is now Cannon Park.

  In 1892 the fire companies were limited to 15 men each and were payed fifteen cents an hour in time of fire.

 A special Village meeting was called in 1903 for village people to vote on an article authorizing the trustees to purchase a hook and ladder truck with apparatus.

  The village on April 30,1920 voted to purchase a new truck. The puchasing price was not to exceed $800 of which Middlebury College donated $100. Purchased was a 1920 Ford which was able to carry 1500 feet of hose.

   1920 brought yet another change to the fire sevice in the village. All fire compines were reorganized into one department to be known as the Middlebury Fire Dept. The department was made into two divisions as follows:

   In the early 1930's the fire station was built on Seymour Street. In 1975 two bays were added onto the building, which now makes the present station.

  In the year 1946 the Middlebury Fire Dept. along with several other departments in the county joined together to form the Addison County Firefighters Ass.

  The senior officers are now appointed to their respective positions by the Town Manager.

  1952 saw the town buy another fire engine. This engine was on an International chassis and was built by the Farrar Co.in Hoptington, Mass.

 In June of 1960  the town of Middlebury purchased a second hand aerial ladder truck from West Haven, Conn. It was 1939 65'ft Pirch

  1965 Donald Keeler Sr. was appointed fire chief.

  In 1969 Middlebury bought another engine from Farrar. This time the chassis was a Ford. This engine had a 1000 gal. pump and a 3:1 high pressure booster. It carried 750 gal of water.

  1973, an American Lafrance  was purchased. It had a 1500 gal two stage pump and carried 500 gal. of water

  1983 After the death of Chief Keeler , Ralph Hayes Sr. was selected as chief of the department.

  In 1986 two additional vehicles were bought. First was a tank truck. This also was a Ford chassis that was from G. Stone Motors.The tank was a 2800 gal tank from Rogers Fuels. Retrofitting was done by Giroux Bros. of Hinesburg. Second was a LDH reel truck on a 1 ton Dodge. The reel was of 2000 ft. capacity and operated hydralicly. This was built by Farrar also.

  1988 Due to a change in the town's retirement policy Chief Hayes was forced to retire at the age of 65. Roger young was named chief of the department by Town Manager Betty Wheeler..

  Bunker pants and boots became the norm in 1990.

 The members of the department in 1992 designed a mascot as a tribute to the life members of the department. The mascot was a tiger and given the name Andre.

  In 1993 the town along with substancial help from Middlebury College aquired a 1993 Pierce Arrow 100 ft aerial ladder from the Pierce Co. in Wis.

  1993  was to be a year of changes. The dress uniformed was change so that now the members were wearing the bell hat. light blue shirts and black trousers with a gold strip along the seam. Most importantly this saw the first female member of the history of the department.this person was Alysia Bushey.

April 1996 Chief Roger Young resigns as chief in a dispute with the town manager. Deputy Chief Rollin Many is acting Chief. May 1996 the department takes delivery of new 1250 gpm pumper made by the 3D company
July 1996 Richard Hayes is appointed interm Chief. Discussion is under way on a merger of the Middlebury Fire and East Middlebury Fire deparments.

January 1, 1997 the two departments become one unit with the Middlebury station being station 1 and the East Middlebury station being station 2. Richard Cole has been appointed the permanent Chief

  January 2000  another new pumper arrived from 3D now part of American Lafrance. IT is a 1250 pump, 1200 gal water

  At the present time the department is limited to 35 members. For equipment it has a 1969 Farrar pumper, a 1973 American LaFrance pumper,a 1986 Reel truck, a 1986 2800 gallon tanker, a 1990 equipment truck, a 1993 Pierce Arrow  105 ft aerial ladder, 1996 3D 1250 gpm pumper, 1999 3D pumper,Brush truck