Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department
65 Tucker Hill Road Middlebury, CT 06762 (203) 577-4036
Fire Chief James Grohs
Our History
Our History
After a devastating fire on Fenn Road, in August 1940, a group of men and the First Selectmen of Middlebury, Howard Bronson, decided that the town should have its own fire department. On June 5, 1941 at a special meeting of the Board of Selectmen the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department was formed. The board granted the department $4,000 to buy its first fire engine. The engine, an 1941 American Lafrance, was delivered in September and stationed at Tydol Four Corners gas station, 572 Middlebury Rd. By 1948 the department had grown to include 3 engines stationed around town. Recognizing the need for a proper station the town purchased land at Regan Rd and Middlebury Rd now Memorial Park on the Greenway. The station included 4 apparatus bays, a meeting room, a kitchen and a small office. The building was built by volunteers; the fire department moved in by the summer of 1949. An important feature of this station was an army surplus siren. Fire fighters, upon hearing the siren, would respond to the station where a chalk board advised them of the emergency. A similar system exists still today though fire fighters rely more radio communication and a digital screens for critical emergency information.
In 1952 the department purchased a new Maxim pumper using funds from the sale of Fireworks, legal at the time. These funds also supported the acquisition of turn out gear, air packs and two way radios. Eventually the department purchased portable radio frequency alerting devices, Plectrons, to alert fire fighters of an emergency. Russell Clark, the department’s dispatcher for its first 25 years, would broad cast from his home on North Street.
In 1953 the department added Ambulance service with the donation, from local Lions Club, of a Mercury station wagon. This was replaced with a Chevrolet station wagon in 1959 and a used Cadillac ambulance in 1963. Responding to a growing need for rescues at motor vehicle accidents the department purchased a used CL&P line truck to convert into Rescue 1. Rescue 1 was equipped with a variety of rescue equipment including new technology known as the “Jaws of Life”. Department members became experts at motor vehicle extrication and were often called to neighboring towns to deploy the Jaws at serious accidents.
By the early 70’s the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department was quickly out growing it’s station. Plans were made for a two new Public Safety Buildings including the current fire station on Tucker Hill Road and the Police Headquarters & West End Fire Station on Southford Road. The buildings were dedicated in 1975. During this period the department continued to expand capabilities with the purchase of new heavy rescue truck. The new Rescue 1 featured an integrated Jaws of Life (Hurst) rescue system. The Ambulance service graduated to it’s first modular ambulance, FD-12, similar in construction to today’s two modular ambulances FD-11 and FD-12. The department also lead in medical certification for first responders by sponsoring some of the first EMTs and EMRs in the state.
From the ‘80’s to today the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department continues to grow its capabilities in order to provide the best possible emergency response for the town, it’s residents and guests. The department trained and developed rescue specialties in trench, confined space, cold water rescue, elevator rescue, hazardous materials incidents, NIMS (National Incident Management Systems), and Fire Fighter 1 & 2 certification. With the support of the town the department has invested in new equipment needed to respond to today’s fires that burn faster, hotter and are generally more dangerous than fires from 1941. Recent equipment upgrades include new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, large diameter supply hose, more powerful and easier to use extrication equipment by Holmatro, and an inflatable boat used on Lake Quassapaug. In 2016 the department joined the Region 5 Dive Team adding divers and shore support to this critical regional resource.
First Fire Headquarters at Regan & Middlebury Road
MVFD first fire engine
1941 American LaFrance
MVFD Members and old Engine 3
at 25th MVFD Anniversary
MVFD Ladies Auxiliary at
the 25th MVFD Anniversary
The small group of volunteers that first formed the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department in 1941 could never have imagined todays MVFD. Today we don’t know where the future of this department and firefighting/EMS technology will take us. Two things are certain though: first the technology, capabilities and requirements of the fire department are ever increasing and, second, the members of the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department will do their very best to meet them.
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For a more detailed history of the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department see the 75thAnniversieray Book.
MVFD Apparatus at
the 25th MVFD Anniversary