Grant Helps Farmington FD Better Battle Brush Fires

FARMINGTON, CT — After a dry late-summer and autumn drastically increased the forest fire danger in recent months, the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department now has some help.

The Farmington Town Council, at its last meeting on Nov. 12, unanimously accepted a $28,203 donation from The Hometown Foundation to purchase a new, specially designed utility terrain vehicle (UTV) for the department.

UTV's are similar to all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), but they are more designed for work roles than recreational ones.

Sometimes called "side-by-sides," UTVs can seat more than one person and can carry equipment to and from job sites.

For firefighting uses, UTVs can help firefighters get to small brush fires remotely before they can become the massive conflagrations seen in, say, Berlin in October and November, when Lamentation Mountain there burned for more than two weeks.

They can also reach and help firefighters treat victims in distress in remote, off-road locations.

The Hometown Foundation, which is based in Cheshire, assists responders, veterans, animal rights causes, and people with disabilities.

The FVFD's new UTV will be purchased from Connecticut Power and Sport of Wallingford.

"The Hometown Foundation was looking to donate something to our fire department and this is what they came up with and I think it will be something that is valuable to the Town of Farmington," said Farmington Town Manager Kathleen A. Blonski .

She said such a vehicle could also be utilized by the Farmington Police Department.

"We are very grateful to the Hometown Foundation for thinking of us and for making this very generous donation," Blonski said.

Because the donation was more than $10,000, Farmington policy required a vote by the council to receive the gift.

For the minutes of the Nov. 12 Farmington Town Council meeting, click on this link.