Right now, the town of Cabot’s fire station is at risk of falling into the Winooski River, impacting both the volunteer fire department and ambulance service.”It’s been a little chaotic, but we’ve been staying in front of it,” said Chief Dean Deasy, about what the department and town have experienced since flooding on July 10.The town’s volunteer first responders have been working almost non-stop since the first flood hit on the afternoon of July 10.”We almost went around the clock from that point forward,” said Deasy. “Presently, right now, I have over 146 hours dealing just with storm issues on that, and a lot of my members have well over 100 hours that they’ve put into this.”Johanna Thibault owns Harry’s Hardware and her husband is also a volunteer firefighter.She said the department had to help rescue her during the floods.”I don’t know what we would’ve done without them, I really don’t,” said Thibault.Now the department is facing a new challenge as the fire station is vulnerable to erosion and has been deemed unsafe to be inside.Cracks can be seen in the foundation of the building, as the embankment behind the fire station has experienced landslides into the Winooski River over the past three weeks.”We’ve reached out to the Emergency Management Center and we’ve requested a temporary building,” said Deasy. “I’m gearing up now, with my other officers, that we are going to be set up for at least a 24-month run within that structure.”But until that happens, the town has moved all equipment and vehicles to other, temporary sites.One site is the town garage, which is about three miles away, and can cause challenges when it comes to response times. “There has been in motion now, for the past couple of years, there’s been a new fire station in the works,” said Thibault. “They’ve been trying to get the town to rally and really help get behind supporting that. They were hoping to go that way, they just didn’t think they’d have to be forced that way.”The Cabot selectboard has also been working with the department trying to figure out the next steps forward.”We’re also working with FEMA and other state entities to secure funding should the town approve a larger facility, which we have a footprint down the road to build on,” said Mike Hogan, selectboard chair.Cabot’s selectboard will meet again on Aug. 1 and plans to discuss next steps for the fire station, aimed at giving some help to the fire department after all of the help they’ve given this community.
Right now, the town of Cabot’s fire station is at risk of falling into the Winooski River, impacting both the volunteer fire department and ambulance service.
“It’s been a little chaotic, but we’ve been staying in front of it,” said Chief Dean Deasy, about what the department and town have experienced since flooding on July 10.
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The town’s volunteer first responders have been working almost non-stop since the first flood hit on the afternoon of July 10.
“We almost went around the clock from that point forward,” said Deasy. “Presently, right now, I have over 146 hours dealing just with storm issues on that, and a lot of my members have well over 100 hours that they’ve put into this.”
Johanna Thibault owns Harry’s Hardware and her husband is also a volunteer firefighter.
She said the department had to help rescue her during the floods.
“I don’t know what we would’ve done without them, I really don’t,” said Thibault.
Now the department is facing a new challenge as the fire station is vulnerable to erosion and has been deemed unsafe to be inside.
Cracks can be seen in the foundation of the building, as the embankment behind the fire station has experienced landslides into the Winooski River over the past three weeks.
“We’ve reached out to the Emergency Management Center and we’ve requested a temporary building,” said Deasy. “I’m gearing up now, with my other officers, that we are going to be set up for at least a 24-month run within that structure.”
But until that happens, the town has moved all equipment and vehicles to other, temporary sites.
One site is the town garage, which is about three miles away, and can cause challenges when it comes to response times.
“There has been in motion now, for the past couple of years, there’s been a new fire station in the works,” said Thibault. “They’ve been trying to get the town to rally and really help get behind supporting that. They were hoping to go that way, they just didn’t think they’d have to be forced that way.”
The Cabot selectboard has also been working with the department trying to figure out the next steps forward.
“We’re also working with FEMA and other state entities to secure funding should the town approve a larger facility, which we have a footprint down the road to build on,” said Mike Hogan, selectboard chair.
Cabot’s selectboard will meet again on Aug. 1 and plans to discuss next steps for the fire station, aimed at giving some help to the fire department after all of the help they’ve given this community.
