Wilmington Vermont Fire Department

07/04/2026

06/03/2026

It is deep regret we announce the passing of Bob Murray. Bob was a firefighter with the Wilmington Fire Department in the late 60s into the early 70s, before he went to begin a career with the Town of Brattleboro Fire Department. Bob was a positive influence for hundreds of firefighters in Southern Vermont and beyond, over his career.

Bob was voted in as an Honorary Firefighter of the Wilmington Fire Department several years ago and was given a plate that he proudly displayed on his vehicle.

Many, many years ago, a sign appeared over the door to the entrance to the office. That sign read “There are no strangers here, only friends you have never met.” When we moved into the new station, that sign accompanied us and now hangs over our gear room door. Many never knew its origin until one day we found out Bob and his late wife Diane were responsible for that sign, giving that sign a lot more importance to know those that knew Bob. The day we celebrated the occupation of our new firehouse, Bob was present and we had him unveil the sign to show its importance both he and the sign have to a lot of us.

Please keep Bob’s family and friends in your thoughts these next few days, and the wake information for tomorrow is in the obituary along with the service information on Friday.

View Robert W. Murray's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

03/24/2026

Thanks to Dan Nowill for making the trip over to talk Reading Smoke and Flowpaths. Well attended and well received and we hope Dan will come back in the future! 

Great night in the Green Mountain State with a group of dedicated responders from the Wilmington Fire Department. We presented “Read it Right, smoke and flow path indicators for decisive fireground management.” Removing the mysticism of reading smoke and its limitations, understanding the interaction of flow paths and smoke presentation. This allows for another piece to the size-up puzzle. A good night of back and forth learning, with a welcoming group.

03/19/2026

A reminder if you need your shots…..wait, if your pets need their shots, here is your reminder for this Saturday from 10am to noon. See all the other details on the flyer. 🐶🐱

03/04/2026

Wilmington pet owners…….put Saturday March 21st on your calendars!! 10am to Noon, Dr. Miles Powers DVM will be present to vaccinate your cats and dogs. Dogs must be leashed and cats must be in a carrier. Rabies shots are $25 and distemper is $30 or both for a deal of $50! CASH OR CHECK ONLY!! There will also be a representative from the Wilmington Town Clerks office to register Wilmington dogs.  See you then!

03/01/2026

Press Release
Wilmington Police Department, Vermont
SUMMARY: Structure Fire / Death Investigation
DATE AND TIME: February 28, 2026 11:16 PM
CASE #: 26WM000461

On February 28, 2026, at approximately 11:14 PM the Wilmington Police Department responded to a residence on Ray Hill Rd in the Town of Wilmington for a report of a structure fire. The initial responding officer arrived within five minutes and reported that the structure was fully engulfed. The officer was unable to enter the residence due to the intensity of the fire. Wilmington Fire Department responded and conducted fire suppression operations with the aid of additional mutual aid responding fire departments. During the fire suppression operations, firefighters discovered a body in the residence.
Once the fire was suppressed, the Wilmington Police Department, the Vermont State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit (FEIU), the Vermont Fire Marshal’s Office and a Medicolegal Death Investigator from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) commenced an investigation. FEIU and the Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the fire to determine the cause. The Wilmington Police Department and the OCME investigator are investigating the cause of death. During the investigation, the body of an unidentified male was recovered from the scene and sent to the OCME for an autopsy to confirm identity and the cause and manner of death.

01/25/2026

Well, here we go….it has begun to snow and it looks like we are in the jackpot area (if you like snow!).

All of our trucks are chained up and ready. There is talk of 2” per hour snow and the plow crews are gonna have their work cut out for them, so hunker down and enjoy wherever you are and please try and stay off the roads to let the plows do what they do!!!

Use wood stoves, pellet stoves and space heater’s safely….lets throw cook stoves in there too!!! 🪵

Make sure your vents are kept clear to minimize carbon monoxide problems (those of you that have septic systems too) and make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.

Sit back and enjoy the weather and as always, if you need us call 911!! 🚒

01/24/2026

The Town of Wilmington will be opening a warming center, tomorrow morning at 8 AM at the old firehouse, 18 Beaver St. and will probably continue on Sunday. Please see the graphics below for warnings about the impending cold snap starting tonight followed by potential heavy snowfall on Sunday through Monday.

Please make sure you are prepared and once the snow gets here, stay home and enjoy yourselves and let the road crew do what they do, and stay safe!

And as always, if you need us, call 911 ! 🚒

01/18/2026

 Today around 3 PM we were dispatched to a residence for a carbon monoxide detector sounding. On arrival, the crew entered the building with SCBA and immediately found readings of over 35 ppm on both floors. The crew identified two potential sources; an oil fired furnace, and a wood stove. A thorough investigation ruled out the oil fired furnace and then shortly thereafter the actual woodstove.

Readings of over 35 ppm were still present so it was time to dive a little deeper. Right next to the woodstove was an ash bucket. At first glance, everything looked normal very fine ash on the top that appeared to be no problem, but a quick movement of that ash resulted in finding larger pieces of smoldering wood debris underneath. The ash bucket was removed, ventilation began and readings began to decrease.  Zero readings of carbon monoxide were confirmed by two monitors on all floors and the basement.

So, #1, make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors because they truly do save lives!! #2, make sure you remove all remnants of the fire to include the ash buckets out of your house. The remnants of this fire were hours old, so it should be a good learning experience to you all, that they hold their heat and can give off deadly carbon monoxide for a long time.

When you take your ash buckets out of your house, please don’t put them in paper bags/plastic bags, or place the bucket on something combustible such as wood. Here is some other good advice….

Cool Completely: Let ashes cool for a minimum of 96 hours (4 days) inside the firebox before handling.
Use Metal Container: Transfer cooled ashes to a metal bucket with a tight-fitting lid, never a plastic or cardboard container.
Place Safely: Store the lidded metal container outdoors on a non-combustible surface like concrete or bare soil, at least 10 feet away from your house, decks, firewood, or anything flammable.
Add Water: Soak the ashes in the container with water to ensure all embers are out, securing the lid.
Final Disposal: After another week, if completely cool, you can add them to regular trash or spread thinly in a garden as a soil amendment.

Key Safety Rules
Never put hot ashes in regular trash, green bins, or plastic bags.
Never use a vacuum cleaner for ashes.
Keep the container away from wooden decks, porches, or garages.

So, make sure you have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors that are working, and take care of your ashes. If you have any questions, you know how to find us!  🚒

01/02/2026

Happy New Year!! 2025 was our busiest year ever, responding to 268 calls! Once we get everything compiled, we will break things down for you and give you a little more understanding as to what really happens throughout the course of a year. Stay tuned for more!!