Barre City Firefighters, IAFF Local 881

03/27/2026

Quick work by our members and mutual aid today kept this fire from becoming a larger incident. Fortunately, this fire occurred during the daytime, where additional staff in the station responded immediately to fill the command role, allowing the on-duty crew of just four firefighters to focus on fire attack.

03/17/2026

Saturday was a busy morning helping our neighbors. Upon Engine 3’s return from the fatal fire in Barre Town, Engine 3 was again requested mutual aid for a vehicle rollover with entrapment in Washington, fortunately the occupants were able to self extricate and our crews were not needed. Shift 4 then answered 14 calls for service on Saturday with multiple overlapping calls, some requiring mutual aid.

Our thoughts are with the victims family during this difficult time.

Berlin Barracks / Fatal fire investigation

STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE

CASE #: 26A3002047
RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Detective Sgt. Christopher Blais
DFS INVESTIGATOR: Assistant State Fire Marshal Jesse Dobiecki, Assistant State Fire Marshal Jay Moody
STATION: Berlin Barracks
CONTACT #: 802-229-9191

DATE/TIME: 3/14/2026, at approximately 0545
INCIDENT LOCATION: 4 Barclay Quarry Rd., Barre Town, VT

VICTIM: Pending positive identification and notification of relatives
AGE:
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Barre Town, VT


SUMMARY OF INCIDENT:

At about 5:45 a.m. Saturday, March 14, 2026, the Barre Town Fire Department was dispatched to a fire at 4 Barclay Quarry Rd. in Barre Town. The fire department found heavy smoke and fire on the first floor of the home upon their arrival. When making entry to the home, the fire department located a deceased individual.

Barre Town Fire requested the assistance of the Department of Public Safety Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit in determining the origin and cause of the fire. Members of the FEIU worked with officers from the Barre Town Police Department to investigate the fire and untimely death. Preliminary investigation was unable to determine the cause of the fire, however it is not considered to be suspicious. The male victim was transported to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Burlington for autopsy. Identification of the victim is pending positive identification and notification of relatives.

Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Christopher Blais at VSP's Royalton Barracks at 802-234-9933, or Patrolman Koltin LeDuc at the Barre Town Police Department at 802-479-0509. Information also may be submitted by contacting the Vermont Arson Tip Award Program (VATAP) hotline at 1-800-32-ARSON (1-800-322-7766).

The Barre Town Police Department is the lead agency handling the death investigation, and all further questions should be directed to them.

03/08/2026

Incredible work by our members and mutual aid during this fire. Fire crews overcame a few setbacks early on in this fire. There were only three firefighters on duty and the two closest hydrants on the way to the fire were out of service.

We continue to advocate for additional staffing to meet the increasing needs of the community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2026
Barre City Fire Department Responds to Smith Street Structure Fire

Barre, VT, Moments before 11:00 PM on March 4, 2026, the Barre City Fire Department was dispatched, along with second-alarm mutual aid departments, to a reported structure fire on Smith Street in Barre City.

Barre City Engine 3 arrived on scene to find significant fire in a two-story wood-frame residence. Engine 3’s captain ordered the engine’s deck gun into operation, which effectively reset the fire using approximately half of the engine’s tank water. This allowed crews to establish a water supply and deploy handlines to complete extinguishment operations.

Additional Barre City units responding included Engine 2, Truck 30, Ambulance 2, and Car 1.

The building involved was a single-family home that was undergoing renovation at the time of the fire. Nearby homes located on both sides of the fire building were identified as potential exposures due to their close proximity.

Mutual aid departments responding on the second alarm included:
• Barre Town Fire Department – Engines 3 and 4
• Barre Town EMS – Ambulance
• Montpelier Fire Department – Tower
• East Montpelier Fire Department – Cover truck providing station coverage

Barre City Police Department assisted with scene operations, while Green Mountain Power responded to secure electrical service to the building. Barre City Dispatch also played a crucial role in coordinating communications and resource deployment throughout the incident.

No civilian injuries were reported.

As with all fires occurring in the City of Barre, the incident remains under investigation to determine the origin and cause.

The Barre City Fire Department thanks all assisting agencies for their prompt response and continued partnership in protecting the community.

01/26/2026

Shortly after midnight on January 21, firefighters responded to a fire alarm activation at a large housing complex in the City. Upon their investigation of reported burnt food, crews located an individual suffering a medical emrgency and immediately began critical life saving efforts. Our members utilized medical equipment carried on the Engine until a mutual aid ambulance arrived from anothr town. This scenario demonstrated the benefits of our department having cross-trained Fire & EMS staff protecting our city, but highlighted the need for additional staffing.

We are less than a month into the new year and have responded to over 200 incidents already, 37 incidents have occurred simultaneously, requiring mutual aid 14 times, we have provided mutual aid twice.

Today's shift has already answered 15 calls for service and they are only half way through their snowy 24-hour shift. lic

01/14/2026

📣 Professional Training Annoucment 📣

For any interested regional Fire or EMS agencies/personnel, consider signing up for this upcoming training being hosted by the Barre City Fire Department.

01/06/2026

Shift 1 kicked off with a busy morning, fielding 3 simultaneous calls. Both ambulances were at the hospital on separate medical calls when a fire alarm activated at a local motel, after turning over their patients, the ambulances responded to assist Engine 3 with the fire alarm.

Staffing: Only 3 on duty.

Ambulance 2: On duty crew.
Ambulance 1: Two off duty firefighters.
Engine 3: Duty officer and off duty firefighter.

We are only a few days into the New Year but there has already been 7 overlapping incidents, requiring a mutual aid ambulance twice.

With call volumes continuing to rise we need additional staffing to field all the emergency calls.

Please take a moment to complete the City budget survey below ⬇️

https://www.barrecity.org/budget-survey.html

01/01/2026

As we look back on the past year, we wish to acknowledge the community's vital role in supporting our operations and express our deepest gratitude. The resources and equipment furnished by the community have been indispensable in accomplishing our work.

The year 2025 was marked by a record 2,752 calls, a notable increase from the previous year, with medical emergencies constituting the bulk of these calls.

Additionally, our simultaneous call volume has risen, resulting in increased reliance on mutual aid. Our staffing situation remains challenging, with shifts frequently operating with the bare minimum of 3-4 personnel, leading to significant strain on our resources and personnel.

We encourage all citizens to participate in the budget survey and voice their support for our department.

Budget Survey Link Below 👇

https://www.barrecity.org/budget-survey.html

*total call volume may fluctuate slightly as year end numbers are finalized.

Pictured is the recent second alarm fire at Gilles in East Montpelier. Our Engine was the first Engine to arrive, our crew is credited with quickly knocking down the bulk of the fire, limiting further damage to the business.

12/29/2025

We have been out responding to calls this morning, but it is taking us a little longer to get around.

Be cautious outside to avoid slips, trips, and falls. Many offices, businesses, and even City Hall are closed until noon or later, so please stay home.

12/26/2025

Another huge THANK YOU to Nelson Ace Hardware for supporting Christmas breakfast and dinner for the shifts working fire, police and dispatch today. We are extremely grateful for the support we get this time of year from the community. We hope you all continue to have a safe and festive holiday season.
Barre City Police Department City of Barre, VT - City Government

12/17/2025

Today we remember the deadliest fire to have ever occurred in the history of our city.

Twenty years ago today, December 17, 2005, firefighters responded to a reported fire on Eastern Avenue with people trapped inside.

An adult male jumped from a second story window and alerted neighbors to call 911. Firefighters arrived and performed searches in limited visibility and without the protection of a hose line. An unresponsive adult male was located and removed down a ladder, four children were then located and removed. One child received CPR from firefighters on the frozen sidewalk while waiting for more ambulances to arrive.

A mother and four children ultimately perished in the early morning fire.

The apartment was found to have working smoke detectors but it is believed they never activated. This left our firefighters questioning why the detectors never activated and why the family didn’t have a chance to evacuate.

An exact source of the fire was never determined but it is believed that the fire was a slow burning, smoldering fire, producing a dense “cold” smoke.

At the time, it was not well known that there were two types of smoke detector technology. Ionization, faster at detecting open flaming fires, and photoelectric, faster at detecting smoldering type fires.

Two of our firefighters led an initiative to research, educate and advocate for change regarding the two types of smoke detector technology.

They went on to testify to the Vermont Legislature using this tragedy and their subsequent research to lobby for change to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again. These efforts were successful and changes to the Vermont Statutes were made. Governor Jim Douglas signed the bill into law in the Barre City Fire Station.

Photoelectric smoke detectors became the standard, detector technology continues to improve and the latest technology must meet “UL 217 Ed. 8/9”. These new “Precision Detectors” combine the benefits of alarm technology and reduces the nuisance alarms caused by cooking.

Fire Prevention week and daylight savings were recent reminders to test smoke alarms and change the batteries, if you did not do so then, please take a moment to get it done and prevent a tragedy like this from ever occurring again.

If you have any questions about type or placement of smoke alarms please feel free to call the station and speak to the on duty crew or Fire Marshal.

12/16/2025

TWO CRITICAL EMS CALLS = NO CREWS AVAILABLE

This evening the on duty crew of just four firefighters responded to a critically ill patient, while the primary ambulance was tied up on this call, a second, simultaneous, unresponsive person call occurred.

Both of our ambulances, the second one being staffed with the assistance of an off-duty firefighter, handled these critical calls. The Engine, with cross trained staff, responded to assist on both calls since extra hands were needed.

Despite attempting to call back more off duty firefighters, this left no additional crews available to respond to another emergency.

National standards recommend an engine crew of four firefighters to be on scene in the first four minutes of a fire. During times like this, which are frequent and increasing, there is either only one firefighter or no one available to respond to any call, fire or otherwise.

File Photo

11/27/2025

Huge shout out to Gusto's Bar for the Thanksgiving dinner for our members working the holiday and to Nelson Ace Hardware for their continued support of our holiday meals. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday