Help your responders: Shovel out hydrants

When our local volunteer fire department firefighters drop everything they are doing to respond to an alarm — time is everything.

VARS seeing progress in 2024

Leaders of the communities the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad serves, and of the nonprofit ambulance and emergency medical service itself, agree VARS has made major progress in the past year.

New OSHA rule threatens local fire & rescue groups

Newly proposed federal rules aimed at increasing the safety of first responders could ironically cause the death of many firefighting and rescue organizations in Vermont and throughout the country, according to public safety officials here in Addison Coun … (read more)

VARS seeks hike in town charges

One reason for the higher proposed municipal spending that Vergennes-area towns will consider this Town Meeting Day is an increase in the funding requests to those communities from the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad, or VARS.

Bristol Rescue Squad calls rise 30% in 2 years

In August, the agency responded to around 100 calls, the highest monthly total in its history. And this reflects a larger trend within the organization, which has seen its annual call volume increase in recent years. 

Being a volunteer first responder is in their blood

In Sprague Huntington’s family of four, there’s a 75% chance you’ll come across an Emergency Medical Technician.

Community forum: EMS providers always ready

In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized National EMS Week to celebrate Emergency Medical Services practitioners and the important work they do in our nation’s communities.

When Davydov broke her hip in the woods, local first responders offered aid and TLC

Editor’s note: Cornwall resident Dieuwke Davydov shared this piece with Independent readers. On Sunday the 13th of October I had quite an adventure: My husband Sergei, daughter Tania, her friend Chris and I — plus our three dogs — went on a lovely hike by … (read more)