FIRE SERVICE INFORMATION

Most fire departments in Vermont are volunteer fire departments, but career fire departments provide protection for a much larger share of the state's population.
Volunteers are concentrated in rural communities, while career firefighters are found disproportionately in large communities. All- or mostly-career departments account for half or more of departments down to communities of at least 25,000 population.

In any community, fire burns the same way in open or in enclosed spaces. Fire harms people and property in the same ways. And the resources and best practices required to safely address the fire problem – or any other major emergency – tend to be the same everywhere. What may differ is the defined responsibility of the local fire department and the quality and quantity of resources available to the department to perform those responsibilities.

The Vermont Fire Service is represented by four membership groups:

• The Vermont State Firefighters Association (VSFA)
• The Professional Firefighters of Vermont (PFFV) (IAFF)
• The Vermont Chiefs Association
• The Vermont Career Chiefs Association

NEW FIRE SCIENCE DEGREE OFFERED BY VERMONT TECHNICAL COLLEGE

The program will prepare students to pursue careers in firefighting, fire protection services and affiliated professions. The curriculum includes coursework in fire behavior, emergency medicine, hazardous materials chemistry, incident strategy and tactics, administration of emergency services, fire prevention, and occupational safety and health.

The program will also prepare students for certification in both firefighting (NFPA Firefighter I) and emergency medicine (EMT-B). As well as preparing students for the fire service, the program will provide strong leadership skills and instill graduates with a sense of community service.

Peter Maloska, the new Fire Science Program Coordinator at Vermont Technical College, is seeking assistance with several initiatives. He is reaching out to the firefighting community in an effort to create a partnership with the Vermont firefighting community and college.

If you are interested in the program please email Peter at pmaloska@vtc.edu, call 802-728-1710 or visit Vermont Tech on line.

THE VERMONT EMERGENCY RESPONSE CORPS PROGRAM

The Emergency Response Corps is an innovative AmeriCorps program designed to help emergency service departments address issues with staffing, volunteer recruitment and retention, public safety and prevention education endeavors. It is a pilot program that has been operational in Maine for the past three years with great success.

AmeriCorps Members work in fire departments and ambulance services to help them recruit and retain volunteers that will assist in emergency response. Members work to help expand community services provided by each department such as: develop and present public safety awareness and fire prevention education to schools and organizations in the communities in which they serve. ERC AmeriCorps Members also provide additional manpower by serving as firefighters and/or EMTs who respond to emergency calls in their coverage areas.

For questions regarding the Vermont program, application and process please visit their web site or contact either:

• Micheal Greenia, Assistant State Fire Marshal/Education Coordinator, Phone: 802-479-7587
• Billye Senecal, ERC Program Coordinator, Phone: 207-491-4915