Fire protection in Rockingham goes back nearly two centuries, to the Bellows Falls Fire Department in a dense mill, railroad and river village. In 2025 the town brought its fire and rescue organisations together into one municipal department, working from several stations.
1825
The Bellows Falls Fire Department is founded.
1907
The Island House fire.
1912
In March the Great Bellows Falls Fire devastates part of the downtown business district.
1970
The Rockingham Volunteer Fire Department is formed on 16 August.
1981
On 29 December Bellows Falls firefighters Terry Brown and Dana Fuller die in the line of duty at the Star Hotel fire.
1989
Saxtons River First Response Rescue begins on 1 January, giving Advanced EMT-level care.
2024
The Vermont Department of Health names Saxtons River First Response Rescue the state's First Responder Service of the Year.
2025
On 1 March Town Meeting approves a consolidated fire and rescue model, after an AP Triton feasibility study. Saxtons River First Response ends on 31 October and the Rockingham VFD on 1 November, as Rockingham Fire & Rescue takes over.
Saxtons River in Windham County. Every fire station in the county is marked —
1 here, 29 in neighbouring towns, which is
who turns out on a mutual aid call.
Boundaries and water from VCGI; fire district lines are not town lines, and
village districts and contracted coverage cross them. A town line runs out into
the lake, so the shoreline here is the water drawn over the boundary, not the
boundary itself.
In an emergency dial 911. These are business lines.
Burning
Vermont requires a Permit to Kindle Fire from the town’s Forest Fire Warden for anything larger than a campfire — except where snow covers the ground at the burn site, or the fire is at least 200 feet from anything that will carry flame. Wardens can suspend burning outright when fire danger is high. Who to ask locally is recorded department by department; where it is blank below, the fire department itself is the place to start.
Read in October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not recorded yet
Nothing is written up here for joining, burn permits, call volume, budget.
Not because it does not exist — because nobody has typed it in. If you know this
department, tell us and it goes on the record with its
source named.