Bringing Back a Remnant of the Past

The City of Barre (VT) fire station was erected at 8 South Main Street in 1904 and served the community for over 100 years. It was closed and put up for sale by the City in 2006. Valerie WhiteBeaudet purchased the building after the initial owners were unable to have success with it.

The Ladder 1 Grill and Pub has been operating in the old firehouse since 2008. In 2013, White-Beaudet decided to turn the existing space on the second floor into the Firehouse Inn with several rooms available for overnight stays. Although the building has been completely renovated and restored, it still has that old firehouse feel and charm.

The Ladder 1 Grill and Pub on the first floor has seating spread out throughout the large former apparatus floor. The walls and ceiling alike are covered in fire patches, t-shirts, and antique firefighting tools and other historical items. Many of the antique firefighting items throughout the building were a part of a firefighting museum, which occupied the space at one time. Food items throughout the menu feature firefighting themes, or are named after area firefighters.

On the second floor, the Firehouse Inn has four rooms with clever names, including the “Chief’s One Bedroom Suite” and the “Captain’s Studio Suite,” which are available for overnight stays ranging from $165$229/night. All the rooms feature cable, wifi, kitchenettes and other amenities. Old photographs from the Barre Fire Department line the hallway walls, and small features like an old firehouse telephone make the

State Fire Marshal Names New Fire Safety Division Director

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey recently welcomed Brian J. Ingram as director of the Fire Safety Division of the Department of Fire Services. Mr. Ingram has more than 30 years of fire and life safety experience, including 15 years in managing fire safety at institutions of higher learning and more than 20 years as a firefighter.

The Fire Safety Division is one of four divisions within the Department of Fire Services. Its staff conduct and coordinate code compliance and enforcement, fire data colle ction and reporting, public education, licensing and certification, a nd other vital functions.

Mr. Ingram comes to the Department of Fire Services from Bentle y University, where he served as fire safety officer before being named manager of fire and life safety operations. In this role, he was responsible for campus-wide fire and life safety planning, management , supervision, compliance oversight, and system operability, as well as managing the school’s fire response and prevention in partnership with the Waltham Fire Department. Prior to that, he was the fire safety officer and fire marshal for Becker College, where he created and a dministered the first fire safety program in the college’s history.

space feel authentic.

The owner has plans to turn the basement of the old firehouse into a “speakeasy” style barroom, which has a planned opening of later this year.

The Ladder 1 Grill and Pub can be visited online at www.ladder1grill.com, and the Firehouse Inn can be visited at www.firehouseinnvermont.com.

20 Local Firefighters Graduate from Firefighting Academy

Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Director Jeffrey P. Winn announced the graduation of 20 firefighters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program.

The graduating firefighters of Class 310 represent the fire departments of Andover, Charlton, Danvers, Devens, Littleton, Malden, Middleton, Plainville, Wakefield, Waltham, and Wilmington.

The MFAprovides recruit and in-service training for Massachusetts firefighters in all stages stage of their careers, from recruit to chief officer, at campuses in Stow, Springfield, and Bridgewater.

- Submitted by Jake Wark

Orange FFs Honora Century and Half of Service at Annual Meeting

- Submitted by Jake Wark

Mr. Ingram has also served as a firefighter and fire educator in Berlin and West Boylston, MA, and in Farmington, CT, where he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and named Firefighter of the Year in 1995. He is a graduate of Becker College, a credentialed fire p revention officer, and a certified fire investigator. He is a reside nt of Marlborough.

Food and Facts forSeniors at Simsbury Breakfast

Orange firefighters honored seven members who have given a total of 145 years of service to the town and celebrated the rescue of one firefighter by another. The tributes came at the recent annual meeting of the Orange (CT) Volunteer Fire Department.

In other reports, Jillian Gagel, president of the OVFD Auxiliary, reported that the auxiliary was back to doing all of its fundraising events.

Dumas and Selectwoman JudyWilliams recognized firefighters for their length of service. They were: Past Assistant Chief Michae l Esposito - 30 years; Firefighter Steven Douglas - 30 years; Firefighter Scott Reichbart - 25 years; Firefighter Dan Johnson - 20 years; Fire Chief Vaughan Dumas - 20 years; Lt. Dan Abrams - 10 years; and Assistant Chief Eric Auscavitch - 10 years.

- Fire News photo by Mark Grabowski

The Simsbury (CT) Volunteer Fire Department’s pancake breakfast crew. They served and also provided valuable information to the seniorcitizens of Simsbury. Chief Baldis oversaw the presentation. The breakfast was held at the Simsbury Fire Department headquarters on Hopmeadow Street.

- Submitted by Doug Fenichel