LETTER: Fire department association supports training, outreach, wellness, safety, and more
December 8, 2025To the Community:
Since 1882, the Waterbury Fire Department has been serving this community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to protect the lives and property of the residents and visitors of Waterbury and the surrounding towns. The fire service is both incredibly challenging and deeply rewarding. Many lives have been touched in an untold number of ways through the years.
The mission of the Waterbury Firefighters Association is to support the members of the department who respond to meet the ever-changing needs of the bustling Waterbury community, and to provide additional ways for us to give back to our community. The association is a non-profit, 170(c) organization, comprised of the active members of the Waterbury Fire Department. With your generosity, this association hopes to be able to fund several initiatives that include, but are not limited to:
• Scholarships for local students who are pursuing secondary education in a first responder career.
• Training activities, which are very important to the overall success of the firefighters.
• Support for firefighters during extended emergency events and larger training events. Donations help the association to provide food and drinks to firefighters from both Waterbury and surrounding Mutual Aid response agencies.
Along with responding to emergencies, members of the Waterbury Fire Department give back to the community in a variety of ways. Examples include annual blood drives with the American Red Cross, fire department open houses to provide fire safety information for the community, fire safety visits and talks at local schools and child care centers, set-up for the annual Not Quite Independence Day parade, and a Halloween celebration that provides hot dogs, candy, and glow necklaces to more than 600 kids in the community. Although not all of these events come at a cost, some do and funds to cover them come from department fundraising, not the town budget.
We hope we can count on your support so that the Waterbury Firefighters Association can continue to fund programs to support the training, education, wellness, safety, and retention of members, as well as provide the best level of service to our community.
Your tax-deductible gifts, in any amount, are greatly appreciated. To contribute, donations may be mailed to: Waterbury Firefighters Association, 28 North Main Street, Waterbury, VT 05676.
Thank you for your support in the past, present, and future.
Sincerely,
Waterbury Firefighters Association members
Submitted by Kenny Ryan