BRISTOL — Mutual aid among fire departments is common practice in Addison County — one department responds, no questions asked, when another is in need at an emergency. The Bristol Fire Department two years ago went above and beyond that practice when it loaned its neighbors in Cornwall the use of one of its utility vehicles.
That short-term loan grew to months and then years as the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department awaited the delivery of a new utility truck after its own truck was totaled in a traffic accident. The truck was hit while responding to a fire. Earlier this month, Cornwall returned the truck to Bristol, fully tuned up and detailed after taking delivery of its new utility vehicle. It was also returned with the enormous gratitude of the firefighters of Cornwall.
“The Bristol Fire Department immediately responded to our need for this vital vehicle. Then they generously let us use it for the many, many months it took to build our new utility,” said CVFD Chief Dave Berno. “We can’t thank them enough for this.”
A utility vehicle carries many of the firefighting and accident scene tools first responders need to be effective, such as air packs, lighting, signage, chimney fire equipment and each firefighter’s protective gear.
At the time of the accident that totaled Cornwall’s truck, it was only a couple of years old and had been custom designed by CVFD. The new truck is largely based on that vehicle with a few modern updates, such as an array of lithium-ion battery-powered tools that replaced corded and gas-powered tools previously used. Insurance and fundraising paid for CVFD’s new truck.