On July 14th at 15:31, Vergennes Fire Department was dispatched to a serious motor vehicle accident with entrapment, tangled in multiple downed power and communication lines. Heavy Rescue and Engine 1 rolled out fast, joined by New Haven and Addison firefighters. The scene tested our newest extrication tools and a year’s worth of training.

With live wires overhead and access blocked, Green Mountain Power was called to cut electricity remotely—an essential safety move that briefly knocked out power for some residents. GMP quickly isolated the outage and restored service to unaffected areas.

Even as that call unfolded, at 16:12 we were sent to a city fire alarm, aided by Ferrisburgh Fire. Minutes later at 16:31, another crash was reported on Route 17; Addison Fire investigated and no further action was needed. By 16:33, our crews were handling water in a basement.

Four very different calls in just over an hour, under heat and humidity that pushed both people and equipment to the limit. Once back at the station, there was no rest—we rolled right into a scheduled work night: deep-cleaning apparatus, mounting shelves in our new equipment trailer, leak-testing boats, installing a UTV backrack, and re-inventorying gear.

Thanks to the mutual aid partners—New Haven, Addison, Ferrisburgh, and Green Mountain Power—these incidents proved once again that training, readiness, and teamwork keep our community safe when the pace is relentless.