Q&A: A talk with Fire Chief Brett LaRose of Bristol, Vt.

Native Vermonter and Bristol Fire Chief Brett LaRose has served as a volunteer member of the Bristol Fire Department for 21 years. Chief LaRose, a third generation family member to serve with the all-volunteer company, is presiding over the construction of a spanking new $3.19 million fire station which includes 2.7 acres of a nine-acre site. The Bristol community has a long, proud heritage of firefighting; it is among Addison County's best all-volunteer squads. The original fire department, founded as the N.H. Munsill Hose, Hook & Ladder Co. in 1894, operated on Main Street. According to local fire historian Reg Dearborn, "In 1893, Fire District 1 was survey in the Town of Bristol... The area of the district was approximately the same as the area that later became the incorporated Village of Bristol in 1903." In effect, Newcomb "N.H." Muncill (1852-1900) was Bristol's equivalent of Los Angeles's mighty water magnate William Mulholland, but on a very much smaller scale. (Curiously, Mulholland, too, had an interest in developing the Los Angeles Fire Department.) Munsill ran herd on developing of Bristol's copious montane water supply during the late 1800s. He was also responsible for building the current firehouse in 1897. The venerable firehouse, with its share of structural problems, is being replaced by a new multi-million dollar station currently under construction. Before Muncill's organizing influence, firefighting in Bristol was haphazard with the usual assembly of bucket brigades during times of conflagration. An historic hand-drawn hose cart—dating back to the 1800s and the last of five used in the mountain town—is still part of the Bristol F.D.'s roster of firefighting hardware although it is used mostly seen on July 4 and at special events throughout the year. Similar hand hose carts were also used by a private fire brigade of the coffin-maker Bristol Manufacturing Co., the town's largest employer. The Eagle met with Chief LaRose recently to discuss the new fire station under construction on West Street and the Bristol F.D.'s storied history in Vermont. NCL: We're sitting in the backroom of the historic, circa-1897 Bristol Fire Station here on North Street. Your volunteers will be in a spanking new firehouse this summer. There must be a lot of history in this old building? La Rose: "In 1897, Munsill's fire company built this station. It wasn't until the early 1900s when the town took over the company. The name "Bristol Fire Department" was only made official during the 1970s. It has always been a volunteer force, but demands on volunteers keep increasing, and it's mixed bag on what volunteers are expected to do." NCL: Fast forward to the 21st century—what were the factors that created a new firehouse? Clearly you have structural problems with the 1897 station. La Rose: "In 2004, then Fire Chief Mark Bouvier started to look ahead. We had outgrown our current facilities—combined 6,500 square feet which includes the building we have on Fitch Avenue that houses fire trucks right now. They were in rough shape, without any upgrades. So Mark formed a committee, consisting of fire company and other community members, with the support of the town. For several years, the committee looked around the village; where could we build a fire station if it can't sty here? Then, during Town Meeting Day in 2007 or 2008, Taxpayers approved $15,000—I believe—to hire an architect specializing in the design of fire stations to put together a study. Pacheco Ross Architects of Voorheesville, N.Y., was hired to study the concerns and report to us." NCL: Bristol Town Hall had a radon issue at that time. Was that an impact on the fire station committee's timeline? NCL: "Yes, town hall had a significant radon issue. They were squeezed, too. "The police department was sharing the basement of Holley Hall with town offices. The fire station project had to take a back seat which was understood; the town hall problem had significant health issues. That's when renovations were made and the police department moved out. "Town Administrator Bill Bryant got us moving again. On Town Meeting Day 2014, we went before the taxpayers and asked $350,000 for architectural designs and purchase property. We wanted something we felt the taxpayers could afford. "We considered dismantling the house next to the 1897 station. But we weren't really building for the future and expanding at the North Street site would have been squeezing us. We would have been faced with no parking here." NCL: My two cents: At least Bristol voters were smarter and didn't make the mistake Middlebury voters did in 2015 by shoehorning a new town hall downtown, right up against next to a beautiful library, and thus creating a long-term visitor and resident parking problem which it has essentially ignored in favor of short-term political gains. NCL: "The 2014 bond vote did not pass but we regrouped and more public meetings at the American Legion. "Out of that a nine-person committee, known as the Bristol Fire Station Sites Selection Committee, was formed. I cochaired that committee. We looked at 33 sites around town. "We dwindled it down to the top three —number one being the recreation field's skateboard park. Two was the 1897 station on North Street, which required demolition work, and the number three site is where we ended up and are now building the new station. "On Town Meeting Day 2016 in March, voters will decide what to do with the 1897 firehouse. The Select Board would like to sell it, as is, with no caveats, but keep its classic exterior appearance. Maybe for use as an office or an apartment." NCL: Maybe one of our local classic car collectors might like it as a storage garage—close to Bristol's Better L8 Than Never award-winning annual car show? La Rose: "Well, it would be nice—say, 50 years from now—to drive by and still see the classic exterior and say, 'Now, there's the old Bristol fire station.'" NCL: When do you expect to have the new fire station completed? LaRose: "Sometime in June 2016. Our 2016-17 FY budget which begins July 1 was designed for the new fire station. That was one of my biggest challenges this past year was putting together a budget, with the town administrator and Select Board, for a building that hadn't been constructed yet. We did a lot of research—heating cost, mechanicals, sprinkler system. I still can't believe this is happening. I have eight years invested in this project, serving on many committees. Getting to that successful bond vote on July 7, 2015, with 75 percent of the town's support felt really, really good." NCL: Please give our readers an overview of the new station. LaRose: "The site is located along West Street, across from Mt. Abraham Union High School and the rec field. A new town road will be built along the station. It was connect West Street, along the station, to a future business park. That's what helped sell the fire station project. Yes, we were developing the land for the station, but it was also opening up land for a new business park. Like many small Vermont communities, the Town of Bristol can use a little bump with taxes and also create a little industry here." NCL: The town has incorporated many modern features in the new fire station. LaRose: "Yes, for example, it's a 'drive-thru' concept. Fire trucks drive through the building into a large bay. This is common in new fire stations, providing you have the land. It's a safety feature; you don't have to back-in vehicles. We'll have three trucks parked side-by-side with one behind them. We have a total of six trucks in the fleet. All are parked strategically for how they'll roll out for responses. Front-line engines depart first." NCL: Bristol has a lot of pride in its firefighting heritage. I understand the new station will showcase vintage apparti? LaRose: "Yes, we have what we're calling an 'antique bay'. It's much smaller but we have a 1936 American LaFrance pumper (the first truck Bristol ever bought) and a hand hose truck I mentioned earlier. In 2000, we raised funds to completely restore the pumper. We use it for parades and funerals only; it has carried more caskets than I can count." NCL: You seem to be very concerned about how personnel and vehicles are used in the new station. LaRose: "Yes, the building is designed around flow—that is, how well do we respond to an emergency? The personal vehicles of volunteer responders will come to the station via a one-way private drive. As we're all coming in during an emergency, we won't impede with emergency vehicles or future business park traffic. They park, come in the door, right into the gear locker room. They don personal protective gear, safely, away from the trucks—then get on the trucks and go do their jobs. We also showers, something we never had before. Firefighters are exposed to carcinogens and it gets on our gear and on our skin and we bring it home. We also have a washing extractor where we can wash our gear regularly. We should be doing it, but we didn't have the means until this new station." NCL: This is big step forward for all the Bristol volunteers. LaRose: "Let me say that volunteering is more than just getting together to flip some hamburgers or doing a good thing on a Saturday to help some local organization. This is a commitment. When I joined 20 years ago, I was told my family comes first, my job comes second (because that pays the bills), and the fire department expects to be number three. Twenty years later, I'm now the guy sitting at this table giving the same spiel. "It has to be that way because there's so much expected from a volunteer. We are professional- volunteer firefighters; that's how refer to us all the time. "A volunteer is expected to perform, and train, the same way someone who is collecting a paycheck does—yes, full timers have more calls, and that's why they are full time. I can only speak for the Bristol F.D., but we're truly a professional-volunteer force. "The demands and expectations are always there along with changing national standards, and we have to be there, too. It's my job to make sure everyone stays current. That's why continuing education is where it's at." NCL: And you have the responsibility of saving lives and property, too. LaRose: "Right. I'll give you an example: this time of year we get many carbon monoxide alarm calls. Many people have them today; but many are false alarms because of expiration dates on the various devices. But we use a multi-gas detector for all these investigations. Eventually, if there isn't a problem (or even if there is), I am telling that family that it is safe to go back in their homes; you're going to wake up tomorrow morning. To me, that's a huge responsibility. I don't take this job lightly at all. I am not only responsible for the lives of my firefighters, but also all the people we're here to protect."

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Q&A: A talk with Fire Chief Brett LaRose of Bristol, Vt.

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