POMFRET — The town of Hartford has started providing emergency services to parts of Pomfret after reopening its Quechee fire station this summer.
After analyzing response times, Pomfret’s emergency services committee found that North Pomfret residents would be better served by firefighters and EMTs located at the Quechee station, Pomfret Selectboard Chairman Ben Brickner wrote in an email. He said there is as much as an eight minute difference in response times based on mapping data and travel time for actual calls.
Northeastern Pomfret includes roughly 350 residents who live in the area of Pomfret, High Pastures and Sugarbush Farm roads, along with Sessions Meadow, Brickner wrote. Woodstock covers the remainder of the town’s roughly 900 residents.
“This complements our existing Woodstock partnership,” Brickner wrote. “It’s
about optimizing response times based on geography.”
Pomfret will pay Hartford $12,530 the current fiscal year to cover parts northeastern Pomfret, Hartford Fire Chief Scott Cooney said in a phone interview. The agreement went into effect Aug. 21.
There are two full-time, cross-trained EMTs and firefighters who are always at the Quechee Fire Station, which is known as Fire Station 2. Fire Station 1 is located on VA Cutoff Road and is staffed by four people at all times.
“Originally before the Quechee station was staffed, the response staff from VA Cutoff Road would’ve been extensive to those areas in Pomfret,” Cooney said.
Pomfret’s volunteer firefighters and EMTs work with first responders from Woodstock and Hartford, Brickner said. Pomfret has two fire stations that are operated by the Pomfret-Teago Volunteer Fire Department. Members of Pomfret’s FAST Squad respond to residents who are experiencing medical emergencies.
“Our volunteers are typically first on scene for fire and medical calls, and provide
critical initial care,” he said in an email. “The contracted ambulance services provide transport capability and additional resources when needed. Our fire department and FAST Squad remain vital parts of Pomfret’s emergency services system.”
For decades, Hartford also has had service agreements with Hartland and Sharon to provide emergency services coverage.
“I don’t think we’ve ever actively pursued contracts with communities,” Cooney said. “We’ve accepted contracts with our neighbors… to provide services to areas that need it in the Upper Valley.”
Both Brickner and Cooney said that regional cooperation between emergency service agencies is critical to supporting residents.
“Pomfret’s partnerships with Hartford and Woodstock represent the kind of regional cooperation that has become essential for emergency services in Vermont,” Brickner said. “Medical emergencies don’t respect town boundaries, and neither should emergency response.”