Main Sections

To Protect A Town: Sharing Memories Of Addison Volunteer Fire Department

Tuesday January 13, 2009

By Cookie Steponaitis

    On May 11, 1961, a group of committed Addison leaders brought together townspeople to charter a group and meet a real need. The 47,000-48,000 square acres of Addison was spread out and when a fire broke out, the time and distance from other local fire departments made saving a building or property a risk.  Rather than relying on contracted services, the group committed to its own volunteer fire department and an Addison tradition and community group was born. A part of the original group was Howard “Buster” Grant.  Erwin  “Red”   Clark joined the group soon thereafter. Through their eyes and recollections, this article documents the spirit, camaraderie and skills of those who have and continue to protect Addison in the volunteer fire department.

    Henry David Thoreau remarked that a hero is “commonly the simplest and obscurest of men.” He saw heroes as every day people who saw needs and rose to meet them. Thoreau would identify strongly with the people who volunteer for fire departments; for they do so much for the towns they hold as special and call home. The members of the Addison Volunteer Fire Department fight fires, teach fire safety, cover auto accidents, perform traffic control, pump cellars, help in barn collapses, shovel roofs, perform water rescue, perform mountain rescue, fight grass fires, wait on sight for CVPS and Green Mountain and other needs that the community may have. Currently staffed by 35 members, AVFD is led by  Chief Chris Mullis, 1st Asst. Chief Todd Reed, 2nd Asst. Randy Stearns, and Captains Mark Torrey and Bruce Putnam,  Secretary Brad Clark, Treasurer Chris Reed, President Todd Reed.  Both Red and Buster remarked that the story of AVFD is as much about the evolution of the town as it is the evolution of the science of fire fighting. “It is about the evolution of delivering water to put out fire to using self-containing breathing apparatus,” commented Buster Grant when asked about changes over the years.  To illustrate the need for the 1961 decision, Buster shared a story of a fire on his own farm, when he and his father arrived home to find the house full of smoke. They found a BX cable in the ceiling of the living room that had started the fire. They called their cousin on Norton Town Road and carried water four hundred yards in buckets from the barnyard. The fire was out before the other local fire departments even had a chance to respond. Other memories included grass fires that were out of control waiting for others to reach Addison. It was apparent that the need was there and the time was to respond.

     In 1961, the group was based out of Burpee’s Garage and Delna Burpee’s voice would respond to anyone who dialed 444 on their phone with the question, “Is there a fire?” Both veteran firemen shared stories of the drive and leadership of Warren Van Ornum and Gerald Mullis in starting the group. Over the years the telephone dispatch moved to the office of town clerk Jane Grace in 1972 and the call would also be passed to several other phones of members in the department.

    Later the fire radio’s came into use with Jane continuing as dispatcher which she still does today.

     “At first,” remarked Red Clark, we had budget of $ 500.00 to $ 600.00. In addition to fighting fires, the group spent a lot of time raising money. Buster shared that over the years the group had raised funds with sugar on snow parties, auctions, parking cars at Addison County Field Days, dances, burning grass, cleaning out lagoon supply pipes and burning camps. In 1961, the area was largely farms and the type of fire mostly fought involved hay or grass. Today, the group responds to all calls, but logs the most in 10-50’s (highway accidents).

    With its first Pumper, which was a 1937 Ford, the group has worked for and on the 1951 International, 1983 Hahn and current 2001 Smeal in use. Maintance and restoration are skills and tasks completed by the department members. While Addison boasts a strong tradition of commitment and continuity in all facets of community service, AVFD is no exception. Both firemen identified the DuBois, Grant, Clark, Mullis and Reed families as some of those with two and three generations of service. In addition to training, drills, county fire department, competitions and inter department efforts, AVFD is actively supportive of the Town Line First Responders and the Vergennes Rescue Squad.

    When both men were asked to share why they remain involved through the years, the words, “fellowship, keeping the town together, filling a need, and even a quip of gets me out of the house,” were the answers. While Buster is the only member of the original 1961 group still serving, he identified Henry Briggs, William Roberts, Mark Cote, and Norman Easter as other original members.  While the types of calls have changed, the cost of equipment gone up, the training required continuing to increase, the town involvement and funding shifted; there are some constants that hold from 1961 to present.  AVFD is a group that protects and serves the needs of its community. It is made up of people who serve with pride and meet with community leaders and groups at breakfasts, planning meetings and training sessions. The science of fire fighting has changed greatly, but the commitment to people and town has not. Just talk to Buster Grant and Red Clark and you will hear the stories that resound with the names of farms, people and fire fighters past and present, all committed, all willing to serve.

Printer Friendly

Top

Advertisements

Search our Archives