Wilmington
fire
department
history
The following article appeared in a special supplement to the Brattleboro Town Crier in October of 1994.
In 1858 the village trustees of Wilmington were instructed to purchase the town's first hand engine with suction and leading hose for a price not to exceed $700. The engine was located on South Main Street and was reported as "giving excellent service on numerous occasions;" and on March 23, 1858, the first engine company was organized.
The hand engine was Wilmington's only piece of fire apparatus until 1931 when the first motorized fire apparatus was purchased after a large fire in the downtown area destroyed the old Parmelee and Howe building and neighboring buildings.
With the arrival of the new motorized fire apparatus, the Fire Department moved to a new station located on Beaver Street. However, it is recorded that the Town of Wilmington didn't vote money to the Fire Department until 1935.
For many years the Wilmington Fire Department provided fire protection for a number of neighboring communities including East and West Dover, Searsburg and Somerset. The Department still contracts with the Town of Searsburg for fire protection and takes care of portions of Somerset.
In 1968 the town built the existing fire station behind the building on Beaver Street that they were using at the time, for a station. Lack of space was the biggest reason for the new station. The floor of the old station had to be dug out to fit in a new pumper that had arrived in 1966, and there was little room for storage and to work in the existing building.
Originally, the new building housed both the Fire Department and the Police Department, complete with two jail cells; but within a few years the Police Department moved to new quarters.
In 1970 Chief John Willard established the Junior Fire Program within the Wilmington Fire Department. Over the years this program has provided the department with many young, dedicated individuals. At this time over one-half of our present membership has come to us through this program.
In 1989 the voters of Wilmington voted to have the Fire Chief's position become a full-time position. Since that time the department has been able to establish an extensive fire prevention program in the Town of Wilmington, including a fire prevention/safety program in the local school system.
The department presently houses fthe following equipment: 1971 Maxim Pumper that was refurbished in 1988, 1000 gal. water/1250 G.P.M. pump; 1976 Maxim Pumper, 750 gals. of water/1250 G.P.M. pump; 1986 Ford/Ranger Pumper, 1000 gals. water/1250 G.P.M pump; 1993 Ford/Excellence, Heavy Rescue. This Rescue carries the only Jaws of Life located in the Deerfield Valley. Currently, the department has 23 members certified in the use of the Jaws.
Wilmington has a full-time population of approximately 2,000 people, but with their seasonal part-timers, they service many times more than that number on a consistent basis.
Chief Brian Johnson said "We are always looking for new members, so if you are interested come down and talk to us."
The Wilmington Fire Department is presently looking for any information on the history of the department, so if you have any, please contact Chief Brian Johnson at 464-8022.
This page was last updated January 23, 2008 by John Lazelle.