The Williston Fire Department operates with one person staffing the Firehouse at all times. This person is supported by Call Staff. We have three Shift Officers on a 24/48 shift schedule. This means that each Firefighter/EMT rotates working a 24 hour shift then is off for 48 hours. They each work every 3rd day, ensuring that there is a Shift Officer in the station at all times. Our Sleep-In Program, which involves Call Firefighters spending the night in the Fire Station, substantially lessens our response time with more staff immediately on the scene.

A brief description of Fire and EMS activities follows:

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
We continue to provide high quality First Response medical care to all medical emergencies in Williston. EMS personnel are trained and certified to the minimum level of EMT Basic. In addition, we have 10 EMTs who have achieved the EMT Intermediate level. The types of calls we respond to include: seizures, strokes, heart attacks, motor vehicle accidents, home accidents, overdoses, and assaults.

EMT’s sign up for duty slots, and remain in Williston for the duration of their shift. When a call is received, on-duty EMTs respond directly to the call location and perform initial patient assessment, initiate primary medical care, and communicate with the incoming ambulance. We operate a First Response Vehicle that is equipped with oxygen, trauma supplies, a defibrillator, and all medical supplies needed to initiate treatment. We also operate an off-road Rescue sled, snowmobile, ATV and trailer. A transporting ambulance is dispatched with us. Williston’s ambulances include: Saint Michael’s College, Essex, UVM, Richmond, and South Burlington. It can be critical as well as reassuring to have Williston EMS personnel arrive quickly to provide assistance and medical direction until an ambulance arrives. EMS calls are dispatched by Saint Michael’s College.

FIRE
We provide traditional fire services as follows: Fire Suppression (car fires, outside fires, structure fires, building alarms); Hazardous Condition Management (downed wires, gas leaks, carbon monoxide incidents, spills); Vehicle Accident Response, Mutual Aid Assistance (police, ambulance, airport, other fire agencies), and other responses as requested. Fire calls are dispatched by Essex Police.

We also continue to offer Fire Prevention activities in our local schools and the community. In October, we visited, and interacted with approximately 600 children who attend daycare, pre-school or school in Williston. This year the Fire Department helped in planning the Williston Safety Day on May 16. We helped to organize, with the Police, Williston’s second Safety Day, which involved hands on demonstrations of fire and bike safety, fire extinguisher training and smoke detector awareness. Also the Williston Fire Department attended the Home Depot Safety Day at the end of Fire Prevention Week. This year proved to be another great year of educating citizens about safety. Also this year, we were able to offer a 3 part video series about fire safety to children.

All Firefighters are trained to the minimum level of Firefighter I which consists of 208 hours of coursework. In addition, we have 10 Firefighters trained to the level of FFII. Hazardous Materials Training, CPR Training, other specialized classes and weekly Department training are also attended.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Fortunately, there were no natural or manmade disasters in Williston in the past year, although H1N1 planning was a large part of our preparedness planning this year. We continue to maintain supplies and equipment in our budget for those in need, who are victims of any large scale disasters. We also review and update plans in an effort to remain prepared.

The budget being voted on this March includes adding a transport ambulance service to the Fire Department. I am pleased to report this essential service is being added without raising the overall budget, due to the revenue it will produce.

IN SUMMARY
There are always openings for Fire and EMS personnel and I encourage anyone interested in serving Williston to apply. Unfortunately we still experience a shortage of personnel to respond at certain times.

Last, I want to express my gratitude to all of the personnel under my command, their families, and their supportive employers.

Respectfully submitted,
Kenneth N. Morton, Jr.
Fire Chief