Thetford
Volunteer Fire Department
2869
Vermont Rt 113
Thetford, Vermont 05074
785-2412
The
Thetford Volunteer Fire Department Inc. was founded in 1960
by a group of business owners and other citizens concerned about
the lack of Town emergency service. This group had the foresight
and wisdom to create a privately incorporated fire department.
A Board of Trustees manages the department finances, and appoints
a Fire Chief. The Fire Chief is responsible for providing apparatus,
equipment, staffing, and training. While the Town of Thetford
has designated TVFD as its sole provider of emergency fire service,
the corporation can function independently. TVFD is a solid
member of the Upper Valley's fire community and strives to provide
the community with a professional service.
Over the department's
45-year history, emergency services have become complex, and
can be highly technical. Many of our firefighters are also registered
EMT's and most have earned Vermont's Fire Service Training Level
One Certification. Together with the FAST squad, we can respond
to a variety of incidents including rescue, fire, medical emergencies,
hazardous materials and fire alarms.
Motor vehicle accidents
are our most frequent incident and present a challenging set
of hazards. Modern vehicles have substantial safety systems
designed to protect the occupant in a crash. These safety systems
often impede rapid access by rescue workers and can actually
cause firefighter injuries if not handled appropriately. We
have been able to upgrade our rescue equipment with Federal
grants and train constantly to be aware of new technologies.
We respond to numerous fire alarm activations, particularly
at the schools. These sophisticated systems protect our public
property with a variety of features that also require us to
maintain current training.
We have written several
successful grant applications, and have been able to update
all of our breathing apparatus with updated models. By combining
some of our fund-raised money with a grant, we replaced the
Rescue vehicle with an efficient, custom built unit. Some of
our new equipment includes Thermal Imaging Cameras, multi gas
meters, replacement hydraulic rescue tools (Jaws), all of our
Self Contained Breathing Apparatus and a storage and filling
system to maintain our SCBA bottles.
We have an active Junior
program to introduce High School aged members to the fire service.
While several new members have joined our ranks, we need more
firefighters. Our support staff helps to organize our fund raisers
and provides food and drink at lengthy incidents. If you are
interested in any of our activities, please call (802)785-2412.
The
Town of Thetford also uses the services of the Upper Valley
Ambulance.
