2025 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FIRE CHIEF
MAY 11, 2026
I am honored and proud to present the Annual Report of the Fire Chief for the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company. The Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company recently completed its 81th year of service to the Town of Simsbury. This could not be possible without the 80-year partnership with the Simsbury Fire District. The fire service and the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company continue to evolve as the needs of the community change. While providing basic fire protection to the Town of Simsbury, the fire company also provides technical rescue services that include High Angle Rescue, Cold Rescue, Confined Space and technical motor vehicle extrication.
Since its formation in 1944, an agreement exists with the Simsbury Fire District that the members of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company would provide firefighting services at no charge. This 81-year-old agreement continues to this day and has resulted in labor cost savings in the millions of dollars that have been and continue to be saved by Simsbury Taxpayers versus the cost of a fully or partially paid fire department.
The Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company finished the year with 95 active members, 86 regular members and 9 junior firefighters. In 2025, we responded to 835 calls for service. This is the 3rd highest calls for service ever recorded by the SVFC in our history.
As we look toward the future, we are well positioned and enthusiastic about maintaining an all-volunteer workforce. This of course is not possible without the unwavering commitment of our volunteers. Our membership is ready to respond to any emergency at all hours of the day. This level of sacrifice, dedication and perseverance cannot and has not been replicated by any other group around. To the membership of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company, I want to say thank you for all that you do!
This past year we were met with new and emerging challenges. The Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company is committed to staying on top of these challenges and new ones that we will be facing in the future. We continue to improve our training and awareness while responding to all types of emergencies.
The Auxiliary continues to provide a rehab component to our response at structure fires, technical rescues and hazardous materials incidents. This year we augmented the Auxiliary’s capability by repurposing a vehicle and establishing Rehab-1, a response vehicle that remains loaded with essential rehab equipment. The vehicle greatly cuts down on time and energy to get the necessary equipment to the scene. This endeavor is constantly evolving, and 2026 is already off to a busy start for the Auxiliary.
Training continues to be a source of pride and members generously and willingly participate in regular Monday night training. Fire and rescue related topics are delivered every Monday night for a minimum of (2) hours and often longer. The preparation, research and scheduling of these events start weeks and often months in advance. The Training Division continues to develop and deliver training that is realistic, relevant and on the cutting edge of fire service technology.
In addition to Monday night training courses many members take on additional internal and external training opportunities.
Weekend high angle rescue training, swift and cold-water rescue training, Rapid intervention team and vent enter search topics have been added to the already busy training schedule.
This past year (8) members were certified to the FF1 level and (3) completed the FF2 certification. (4) members were licensed by the State of CT to operate fire apparatus, the first step in becoming a fully qualified apparatus operator. Additionally, members completed certifications in technical rescue, as instructors, and fire officers.
These are just a few examples of the training opportunities our members take on in addition to their busy schedules. 2025 saw SVFC members complete almost 16,000 hours of training. All the training and certifications demonstrate what our members are willing to do for your safety.
We continue to prepare for the future and are closely monitoring our current equipment and apparatus while preparing for the future needs of the department and town. We recently selected a vendor to replace Engine 3. The 24-year-old 4-wheel drive pumper will be replaced with a newer 4-wheel drive vehicle but with more space and flexibility for our growing and ever-changing needs. Although several years away We look forward to the vehicle’s delivery.
Some recent good news that the new Rescue 14 was able to go into production early and should be delivered in the fall of 2026, almost a full year ahead of schedule.
Apparatus replacement is a major concern, and we are already anticipating the cost of T12 to be well over 2 million dollars and taking (3) years to build.
As we look toward the future we are preparing for a significant wearing apparel replacement and breathing apparatus replacement in the coming years.
A group of dedicated firefighters has already taken on additional duties of developing specifications and testing different brands of firefighting gear. Firefighter safety, regulatory and health concerns are not a new reality, but the growing complexity has been met head on by this group We thank the Fire District for the support and partnership in long-range planning.
This past year our organization lost (6) members. These (6) members each contributed in their own way to make our organization better and our town safer. These members may no longer be with us physically, but they are part of our history, and part of why this group is so special, so successful and so meaningful.
Every volunteer is a precious gift. We recognize the challenge of balancing personal time with training and emergency responses, and we are committed to flexibility and never taking that generosity for granted.
Beyond our members’ training and readiness, we rely on strong District support to succeed. Thank you to our Fleet Mechanic for keeping our apparatus maintained and mission-ready; to Maintenance for the grounds, buildings, and hydrants; to Dispatch for continued professional service; to the Fire Marshal’s Office for guidance and public education; and to our District Administrator for fiscal oversight.
I cannot thank enough the officers, firefighters, Auxiliary and junior members for the hard work, dedication and professionalism they continue to give The Fire Company, The Fire District and this community.
Respectfully Submitted,
Todd M. Myers, Chief of Department