The Sherman Volunteer Fire Department is an all-volunteer organization providing fire fighting and ambulance services for the residents of Sherman. The Town also participates in a paramedic intercept program that deploys a paramedic to the scene when warranted by the victim’s symptoms.
SVFD Contact Information
Phone: In emergencies dial 911
For routine calls: (860) 354-9273
Mailing Address:
Sherman Volunteer Fire Department
P.O. Box 249
Sherman, Connecticut 06784
SVFD Officers
- Matt Heinz, Fire Chief
- Jeff Rabito, Assistant Chief - Fire
- Kathy Grant, Assistant Chief - EMS
- Jim Reilly, President
Fire Marshal
- Ernie Winkler, (860)350-4063
Office of Emergency Management
Call Totals
| Year |
Fire |
EMS |
Total |
| 2009 |
98 |
188 |
286 |
| 2008 |
103 |
191 |
294 |
| 2007 |
92 |
196 |
288 |
| 2006 |
91 |
180 |
271 |
| 2005 |
95 |
169 |
264 |
| 2004 |
82 |
169 |
251 |
| 2003 |
77 |
165 |
242 |
| 2002 |
77 |
157 |
234 |
| 2001 |
85 |
152 |
237 |
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CPR AED Class April 22ndThe Sherman Vol. Fire Dept. has scheduled an Adult CPR with AED class for Thursday, April 22, 2010. Class will begin at 6 PM, ending at approximately 9:30 PM and will be held at the Senior Center.
If you are interested in attending you may register online by sending a note to svfdlearncpr@aol.com or you can call (860)354-9273. Please include your name and phone number. Someone will contact you prior to the class date.
There is no fee for Sherman residents and only $20.00 for nonresidents. Class size is limited to 8 and registration will close one week prior to class date, so please register early.
2009 Call TotalsIn 2009 the SVFD responded to 286 calls. That total can be further broken down into 98 fire related calls and 188 EMS calls. This means that members responded to an average of just under 6 calls per week. Due to the unpredictable nature of emergency services we have no way of knowing whether those 6 calls will come spread out evenly over 7 days or if we won't get any calls for a week and then get half a dozen calls in 24 hours. This means that our members must be ready and prepared to respond to an emergency on any day and at any time.
The SVFD is always looking for new members to help assist with the growing number of calls that we receive each year. We especially are in need of volunteers who are interested in being EMS certified and are available during the day when many of our members are working at jobs outside of Sherman. If you are interested in volunteering, please call the firehouse at (860) 354-9273.
Come on in, the water's fine 
GVFD (Gaylordsville Volunteer Fire Dept.) and SVFD (Sherman Volunteer Fire Dept.) "broke the ice" Sunday with a collaborative ice rescue drill. With winter activities such as ice skating and fishing in full gear these two fire departments decided to prepare for what we hope never has to be used: the skill to rescue someone who has gone through the ice. Bordering fire departments have a long history of helping each other. Mutual aide fire departments come to rely on each other for unique specialized equipment; specialized skills and man power.
The two departments combined equipment and members to exercise ice rescue and recovery techniques. We started with an overview of techniques and of course safety issues to watch for once on the ice. Classroom preparation is an essential component of training and is critical to the success of the outdoor exercise. We were now ready to take the plunge. The rescue scenarios that we reviewed revolved around plucking victims from an icy open water hole on Mill pond in Kent and delivering our package to shore safely. Once on scene all members donned PFD (personal flotation device) and took our places...some on the ice and some on the shore. Mike Pryor GVFD member and also member of the Wilton Fire Department Dive team managed the in water aspect of the drill. For every "victim" a single rescuer was dispatched with an additional rescuer on deck for support. All volunteers were able to exercise and observe all aspects of the drill. We split up into an ice crew; shore crew; or support crew. Whether playing the victim getting rescued; playing the rescuer; playing a "facilitator" helping members with the bulky Mustang Ice suits or keeping everyone warm with coffee and chili; 32 neighbors contributed to a safe and fun drill. There were seven GVFD families with multiple members participating (The Stietzels managed four members and two generations).
Whether "soft ice" extraction on an ice sled or "hard shelf ice" extraction with Cold Water Rescue Sling, all "victims" were rescued safely and delivered to the shore dispatch area. An interesting item was that the extraction gear used was manufactured by CT based company Marsars Ice Rescue Systems of Shelton CT. Their ice rescue sled performed just like it was designed and may warrant GVFD mutual aide to neighboring departments that lack this gear.
- Photo and article courtesy Tom Hogan, GVFD
Funds for New Fire Truck Approved.
Thank You ShermanOn December 4th at a town meeting, Sherman residents approved the funding for the purchase of a new first due fire engine for the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department. Thank you to all those residents who turned up and voted. .
A first due engine is a piece of firefighting apparatus that has everything on it that first responders would need for the initial attack on a structure fire. There are specific requirements that the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has for fire engines that ensure the truck is adequate for this function and is also safe for the firemen. Our current first due engine, Engine 2, does not meet some of these requirements. Engine 2 will remain in service as the second piece of apparatus that will respond.
Be Part of Tomorrow, Buy a Brick TodayNow is your opportunity to purchase a Brick that will leave a legacy showing the support and thanks to all the volunteer members of the Sherman Volunteer Fire Department who are there for each and every one of you. The bricks will form the walkway that leads to the main entrance of the Emergency Services Facility.
For a minimum donation of $100, a brick may be personalized with your family name, in honor or memory of a loved one, or to promote a business. It’s also a great way to recognize a Birthday, Wedding, and Anniversary or as a unique Holiday gift. The money raised will help to defray the cost of Audio Visual training equipment for the vital continuing education of the Fire and EMS members. Any excess funds would be ear marked toward the purchase of a Water Rescue Boat.
Each brick will be 4" x 8" x 2 1/4" and is ‘laser’ engraved with up to 3 lines of text that is specified by the donor. The laser transforms the clay of the brick into hardened dark glass. The lettering becomes part of the brick itself and requires no maintenance. The laser mark will last as long as the brick surface, guaranteed!
So, let’s all be part of Sherman History. Purchase a commemorative Brick that will last for future generations to share!! If you are interested in purchasing a brick you can print off this form. (all the information you need is on the form) If you have questions please give us a call at (860) 354-9273 or send an email to SVFDBricks@aol.com.
Boot Drive Held October 11th 
The SVFD held its annual Boot Drive fundraiser on Sunday, October 11th. Funds from this years drive will be used to help furnish the Sherman Emergency Services building.
If you didn't happen to be driving through town on Sunday morning or would like to make an additional contribution, you can also mail your donation to:
The Sherman Volunteer Fire Department
PO Box 249
Sherman, CT 06784.
Please make checks payable to S.V.F.D. Remember, all donations are tax deductible.
45th Annual SVFD Fireman's Ball held August 1st
The SVFD would like to thank everyone who came out on Saturday, August 1st for the 45th annual SVFD Fireman's Ball. We couldn't have asked for a nicer evening, the weather was perfect and a good time was had by all.
We would like to add a special thanks to all the individuals, groups and local businesses who helped make the ball possible through generous donations of door prizes or services that made the evening a success. Please remember them and show your appreciation by giving them your business when possible.
Let the Construction BeginOn Friday, July 17th, a ceremonious ground breaking was held to signify the official start of construction for the transformation of the firehouse into the Emergency Services Facility. During the construcion phase the base of operations for the fire department has moved to the town garage. For emergencies you should still dial 911. For any business matters please continue contact us at (860) 354-9273.
Also, please be aware that in the event of an emegency, apparatus will be entering route 39 from both the entrance for the town garage as well as Judd construction. Emergency responders will also be driving into these locations so if you pull over as a courtesy to allow a member to pass please do not block the entrance to either of thse locations.
Keeping Tabs on the SVFDIf you're the type of person who likes to read the police blotter so they have an idea of what's going on around town you can take a look at the SVFD call blog. This is a very brief summary of each of our calls which is a quick way to get the pulse of the department activity. The information that is posted has been sanitized so that it does not contain any names, addresses or ages which protects the privacy of the person or persons who the call was for. These are not novels, each entry has a one or two word description of what the call was along with the dispatch time and the call code. Singal 23 is an emergency incident that might involve both fire and EMS such as a motor vehicle accident. Signal 33 is a medical emergency and signal 50 is a fire incident.
You'll notice that calls can come in at all times of the day or night. Everyone always thinks of the fireman who's being woken up in the middle of the night to rush out and run into a burning building. As you can see from the call times and types that is rarely the case, we especially need volunteers who are available during the day to handle EMS related incidents. If you are interested in joining us, please leave a message at (860) 354-9273 or stop by the firehouse on any Monday evening and we'll be glad to answer your questions.
Updated Emergency Services Facility Plans
The latest revisions to the Emergency Services Facility plans are now available online. Click on these links to check out the first floor and second floor plans.
Updated Useful Info and Links Section Be sure to check out the Useful Info and Links section of the website. We have links to all the neighboring emergency services providers as well as helpful information on fire safety. New information is added from time to time so take a minute to browse through it.
Old News If you're looking for some information that used to be on the cover page, please check the SVFD News section.
Under Construction: Online CPR registration - Under Construction .
Questions or Suggestions for the web site
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