Essex Junction
Fire Department
EST. 1893
In an emergency, call 911
WHO WE ARE
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
"Protecting lives and property since 1893."
One station. Thirty neighbors. Every hour of every day.
The Essex Junction Fire Department is a public, paid-on-call department operating with a roster of ~30 members out of a single station, protecting a primary response area of 4.6 square miles.
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We provide fire protection and Advanced EMS first response for the residents of Essex Junction, answering over 600 calls a year. Our members work full time as teachers, electricians, nurses, carpenters, and engineers, then answer the tones when their neighbors need help.
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The department currently operates two engines, one carrying extrication and rescue equipment, a 105-foot ladder-pumper, and an EMS first response truck.
1893
ESTABLISHED
133
YEARS OF SERVICE
3
FRONTLINE APPARATUS
600+
CALLS A YEAR
FROM A BUCKET BRIGADE TO AN ALL-HAZARDS DEPARTMENT
OUR HISTORY
More than a century of service to Essex Junction, told through the moments that shaped the department.
1893
THE DEPARTMENT IS BORN
On March 4, 1893, voters approved the Charter of the Village and Essex Junction was born. The fire department began the same day as a volunteer bucket brigade.
1895
FIRST CHEMICAL ENGINE
In December 1895 the department purchased its first chemical engine for $750. No fire calls were recorded that year; three were recorded in 1896.
1909
THE FIRST ALARM BOX
A rope connected to the striker on the Congregational Church let anyone sound the alarm without finding a key. The instructions: break the glass, and pull hard and fast.
1927
FIRST MOTORIZED APPARATUS
The department bought its first motorized rig, a Foamite-Childs pumper. In 1929 it aided Burlington twice, the first recorded mutual aid to the city.
1948
THE AMERICAN-LAFRANCE
A second pumper, an American-LaFrance, was delivered in July 1948 and served the Village until 1987.
1960
THE FIRST BUDGET
The first recorded operating budget, $6,429, was set in 1960.
1962
THE PARK STREET TANKER FIRE
On November 30th, a tank truck carrying 3,000 gallons of vinyl acetate overturned and burned near the Green Mountain Power station. The NFPA called it the first fire of its nature in the country. Seven people were injured, two seriously.
1984
THE AMTRAK DERAILMENT
On July 7th, the department responded to the Amtrak train derailment in Williston, earning national praise for the rescue effort. The operation was supported by 35 personnel working 559 hours.
2006
THE STATION IS DEDICATED
In June 2006 the station was dedicated to former Assistant Chief Ernie Martin, who gave 65 years of service to the Essex Junction Fire Department.
65
YEARS OF SERVICE, ASSISTANT CHIEF ERNIE MARTIN
In 2006 the station was dedicated to Ernie Martin, a former Assistant Chief whose 65 years of service embody what this department asks of its members: show up, train hard, and take care of your neighbors for as long as you are able.
PART OF THE COMMUNITY WE PROTECT
BEYOND THE FIREGROUND
Our work does not end when the trucks return to the station. We invest in the safety and future of Essex Junction in ways that go well past emergency calls.
FIRE PREVENTION
Education, inspections, and outreach that stop emergencies before they start, because the best call is the one that never comes in.
KEY ACCESS BOX PROGRAM
Secure key boxes that let us enter a building fast in an emergency without forcing doors, protecting both lives and property.
COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENTS
Seasonal family events, community fundraisers, and local traditions that bring us together beyond the fireground.