BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – After a recent study conducted by AP Triton LLC, a Wyoming-based firm specializing in fire service, fire prevention, and emergency medical services, it has been recommended to the towns that three local fire departments – Bellows Falls, Rockingham, and Saxtons River – merge into one, district-wide fire department.
The study was recently discussed during a joint meeting at the Rockingham Town Hall between the Rockingham Selectboard, the Bellows Falls Village Trustees, and the Saxtons River Village Trustees. At the meeting, AP Triton project manager John Stouffer gave a remote presentation discussing several options. The study was conducted through private, online surveys with the fire department’s employees and elected town officials, as well as gathering detailed descriptions of each facility and its functions.
Another option discussed during the Zoom meeting was to combine the Rockingham and Saxtons River fire departments by building a new fire station/community center at the Saxtons River Recreation Area on Pleasant Valley Road. However, it was uncertain whether the deed on the property would allow a fire station to be built on the land. Currently, the Saxtons River fire station is reportedly in poor condition, and too small to serve the department properly.
A third scenario discussed would be to continue maintaining three stations, but with limited equipment housed at the two smaller facilities. This scenario also recommends the hiring of two full-time firefighters, to be based at the Bellows Falls station.
After the meeting, the three boards decided to present all the options to the Rockingham Fire Equipment Committee for further consideration. The fire equipment group is comprised of the three fire chiefs, Bellows Falls’ Shaun McGinnis, Saxtons River’s Art Smith, and Rockingham’s Kevin Kingsbury, and also one representative from each of the three boards, as well as Rockingham town manager Scott Pickup.
“After the tri-board meeting in April, a unanimous decision was made to kick the study back to the fire equipment committee for an implementation plan,” Bellows Falls Fire Chief Shaun McGinnis said in a recent interview. “The committee will look at the study and tailor a plan that we feel works for the town, and then we’ll make our recommendation to the tri-board.”
The next committee meeting is June 10, at the town hall, and then the next tri-board meeting is set for June 25. At this time, the Rockingham and Saxtons River Fire Departments are staffed by volunteers, with the Bellows Falls Fire Department staffing a paid fire chief and paid, on-call firefighters. Previously, Bellows Falls employed a full-time fire department, but it was eliminated more than three years ago.