Fire Department: New procedures, familiar reminders on batteries, burn permits

May 5, 2020  |  By Sally Dillon

Waterbury Fire Department has added hearts strung with lights to the fire stations. Photo by Gordon Miller.

I hope this first edition of online Waterbury news finds everyone as well as can be expected. The Waterbury Fire Department would like the community to know that we will continue to respond to your calls. 

There may, however, be some modifications to our response related to COVID-19. Unless there is an actual fire, you will probably see our members wearing masks. We will try to keep our social distance and may ask you some screening questions regarding illness and recent travel. We will do our part to make it the safest interaction for all of us.

We encourage everyone in their day-to-day lives to do their part in complying with Governor Scott’s order regarding the virus. Stay home, stay safe, and when you do go out for essentials or to enjoy this spring weather, be aware of social distancing to reduce your person-to-person contact. If we all do our part, it will help us to get closer to a point of what will become our new normal.

Although we can’t do it in the same manner we normally would do, the fire department is continuing to train on our regular schedule. Our officers have put together videos with a quiz afterward for members and they are in the process of working on more interactive trainings through Zoom video conferencing.

Hearts and lights

I’m sure some have noticed the hearts lit up on the fronts of the two fire stations as well as lights on houses throughout the town. The fire department and its members are pleased to be part of helping Vermont light up the world and we encourage others to do the same.

Batteries switched out?

We also would like to remind everyone to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors if you didn’t do so when you changed your clocks last month. There are some new detectors that have a 10-year battery, so they do not need changing. If you have conventional detectors, they should get a fresh battery twice a year. A good way to remember is … change your clocks, change your batteries. Even hard-wired detectors need their batteries changed.

Burn permits needed now

Now that the snow has melted, it is no longer permissive to burn on your property without a burn permit. If you live in Waterbury, please contact Charlie O’Brien 249-8798; Duxbury residents should contact Kyle Guyette 382-7471. Try to reach out to the fire warden at least a day ahead so you can connect and get the proper authorization from them. The fire chief cannot issue a burn permit, so please plan ahead.

On behalf of all of us, take care of your family, keep track of your elderly neighbors, be safe, and be well.

Sally Dillon is a battalion chief with the Waterbury Fire Department.