To request the Fire Department or a Fire Officer for an urgent non-emergency situation dial 673-1414. For non-emergency and business, dial 673-1383 and a Fire Department official will return your call.

The Department continued its efforts to insure the safety of the citizens of Mont Vernon. The Fire Department puts on prevention and safety programs for children in Readiness to Third grade. These programs discuss what to do in case of fire, home safety and escape plans, to call for help and how to help others. Your home and its belongings can be replaced, you and your family cannot be. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a family emergency plan and check to insure that all your smoke detectors are working. Smoke detectors are a proven device that saves lives and property. When a fire occurs, call the fire department and get out, many home owners get injured or die when they go back in their homes or try and put the fire out themselves.

During 2006, the Mont Vernon Fire Department responded to 110 calls for assistance. The following is a breakdown of those incidents:

The Department responded to one arson fire, a 1-acre brush fire, in which the suspects were found and restitution for the cost of extinguishments was made to the town. One carbon monoxide response required medical treatment for the occupant; probably was a result of an improper use of portable electric generator. Service call responses are checking trouble alarms and flooded cellars. Mutual aid responses to the scene of the incident included 6 structure fires, 1 chimney fire, and a brush fire, Illegal fires are un-permitted outside fires whenever there is no snow cover a written permit is required.

The Department also performed 8 residential sprinkler inspections; 2 oil burner inspections; 26 site plan reviews and meetings with developers; and tested 1 proposed water supply site, 2 school code inspections, 1 day care inspection, issued 275 outside burning permits.

The Mont Vernon Fire Department Auxiliary and Fire Department has been coordinating the selling of Christmas Trees. The money raised from these events has allowed the Fire Department to purchase equipment. The Association has spent over $50,000 in support of the Towns' Fire Department and its members. This has included the purchase of equipment such as: radios, nozzles, pagers, and rescue equipment, as well as upgrades to the fire station, supplemental insurance program, and matching federal grants that the town and Department had received.

In 2005, the Department received a Federal Grant to replace our Protective Fire Gear and self-contained breathing apparatus. This was a $98,000 grant, with 5% matching funds being provided for by the Mont Vernon Fire Department Association. This equipment was delivered and put into service in February 2006. The Department has been very fortunate in receiving grants from state and federal resources. To date, we have received grants totaling: $302,000. Some of these grants are: $186,000 for purchase of a new tanker, $98,000 for breathing apparatus and protective clothing, and $18,000 for a thermal imaging camera. The Department continues to apply for grants to increase our ability to serve the town. We have been greatly assisted in the grant process by Tony Immorlica.

The Fire Department will be requesting your continued support and funding of the Town's Fire Truck Capital Reserve Fund. This fund was established for the replacement of fire apparatus. The next planned apparatus to be replaced is the 1980 Pierce International in 2010 to 2012. The capital reserve program has been in place for over 20 years, and its funding has allowed the town to replace aged fire apparatus without large impacts to our tax rate or having to take out long term bonds. This program insures that the Town's fire apparatus is up to date and meet newer standards.

New Fire Station

As Proposed By:

North Branch Construction, Inc.

The Building Committee spent 2006 reviewing the 2005 information and began the process to present to town meeting a building construction plan that would have an exact cost and builder. The Committee began this process by reviewing the space needs of the Fire Department and the importance of its location. The Committee then advertised prospective design builders in state, local, and in a national trade publication. We received 15 responses and began the qualification process. We narrowed the list to 8 based upon qualifications and experience. We interviewed these companies, narrowing the list to 6, and following re-interview, the list was down to 4. The committee requested cost proposals and a construction plan. The committee then scheduled re-interviews of these companies. Only three [3] of these companies responded with completed and qualified proposals. Following these interviews, the Committee selected the North Branch Construction Company Inc. of Henniker, NH to move forward with. This is an excellent company with a good track record. North Branch also presented the town with the lowest cost of those interviewed.

There was discussion about station location, we ruled out moving it somewhere else. The station is centrally located, moving it would increase response time to many areas of town. The cost of having to purchase land, while we have demolition costs, would be offset by the site costs involved in opening up a piece of land.

The existing station is in very poor structural condition, the rear north wall is now bowing severely and the roof is pushing out. New cracks are now forming and splitting the support walls and existing cracks are getting larger.

In 2002, an engineering study of the building was done and concluded that the building should not be used or occupied for any uses by 2004. This report can be viewed on the Department's web site, which is accessible through a link on the town web page.

Floor Plan of New Fire Station

As Proposed By:

North Branch Construction, Inc.

This project will take 8 months to complete if you pass the bond at our March Town Meeting. As taxpayers, we have been working on a project that we can support and is in the best interest of the town. The present bond rate is 4.05% which will have a $0.54 / thousand impact on taxes in 2008. This works out to be $108. On a $200,000 home. The impact will be continually lowered by the utilization of collected impact fees collected from new construction.

If you have any questions about this project or the process that we have gone through, you can contact Chief Kevin Pomeroy or E-mail us at mvfdstation@tds.net. The committee members (who are members of the Fire Department and citizens at large): Kevin Pomeroy, Sean Mamone, Lucien Soucy, Hedley Parsons, Bill Davidson, Dick Koester, Jack Esposito (Selectmen's rep.), Bruce Tower, Jim Whipple, and Jay S. Wilson.

State law requires a written permit for any outside burning when there is no snow cover. Burning without a permit is a violation in which you can be held responsible for the cost of extinguishing the fire. To obtain a permit, leave a message, in advance at 673-1383, or contact Chief Kevin E. Pomeroy at 673-9130. Always burn safely; have water on hand and use precautions to protect the wood line. Every year the Department responds to non-permit [illegal] fires. Illegal fires cause damage every year to our State's natural resources. During dry periods or windy days, permits are not generally issued because of the chances of fire getting out of control. Seasonal permits for campfires can be obtained, but they do require an inspection of the burn site by the Fire Department.

Any citizen of the town, who is 18 years of age or older is eligible to join the Fire Department. Department members train twice a month on Monday evenings. Personnel also attend state certified fire fighter training and specialized trainings.

If you wish to become a member of the Department, please contact Chief Kevin E. Pomeroy for an application. In serving the community, you are protecting your family, your friends and your neighbors.

Respectfully Submitted,

Board of Fire Wards:

Chief Kevin E. Pomeroy

Deputy Chief Jay S. Wilson     Deputy Chief Sean Mamone

Tony Amadon, David Bellamy, Robert Chamberlain, Rick Crocker, Bill Davidson, James DeWitt, Dave Hall, Charlie Ingham, Mike Jolin, Elliot Chip Lyon, Karen Lindquist, Sean Mamone, Jeff Naber, Brian Parliman, Greg Pomeroy, Kevin E. Pomeroy, Kirk Pomeroy, Lucien Soucy, Lou Springer, Todd Wilkins, Jay S. Wilson, John Wilson, and Randy Wilson

Angela Bellamy, Sara Davidson, Janna DeWitt, Zoe Fimbel, Julie Howard, Dawn Lyon, Sarah Miles, Kelley Parliman, Christina Pomeroy, Jessica Pomeroy, Linda Pomeroy, and Sharon Soucy