The Cotton Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) would like to thank the Town Board and the Citizens of Cotton for their continuing support. With your support we have been able to keep providing quality emergency medical and fire-fighting services to our community.

The CVFD had 24 active members in 2005 of which, 8 are currently First Responders and EMTs.

In the past year CVFD received 38 calls of which 18 were EMS calls and 20 were Fire and Fire related. Four of these were Mutual Aid calls with Kelsey and Ellsburg departments, 5 were false alarms or cancellations , and 3 were “other”.

Training for both EMS and Fire Fighting personnel continued throughout the year. This included Hazmat, Blood-borne Pathogens, Right-to-know, EMT refresher, frequent First Responder skills honing courses, Meth Lab Awareness, Wildland Fire Fighting, Auto Extrication, Training on the new pump, and a walk-through of the Cotton School .

Throughout the year inspections, tests, assessment, maintenance, and repairs are performed on equipment, buildings, and supplies.

Accomplishments during 2005 include: The acquisition of a trailer-mounted water supply pump and training thereon; building and installation of new storage lockers in the fire hall; the acquisition of some new turnout gear (Personal Protective Equipment).

The members of the CVFD, in conjunction the Cotton School , with the co-operation of surrounding fire departments, law enforcement, the Cron-Sheehy Funeral Home, and the Arrowhead EMS organization, planned and staged a Mock Car Crash at the Cotton School . Through this the CVFD hoped to tighten liaison with the community, educate as to what the Volunteer Fire Department , the EMS responders and etc. actually do, promote safety awareness, and , hopefully, to inspire new membership in CVFD.

CVFD also participates in Fire Prevention Week at the school, provides EMS readiness at the Annual State Fiddle Contest, sponsors the annual Senior Citizen’s Christmas Dinner, and floods the skating rink.

Our goals for the year 2006 include: Fire Fighting training for all members; First Responder Refresher (which is done every 2 years in addition to the monthly training during the year); training more members as First Responders; purchasing a new Automatic External Defibrillator; purchasing some new pagers and radios; gradually upgrading turnout gear (Personal Protective Equipment); making more progress toward an insurance upgrade for the town of Cotton.