Dresden Fire and Rescue

About Our Department

The Dresden Fire Department is an on-call department which currently has around two dozen firefighters on its roster (see Roster page). Firefighters are paid a token amount when they are called out, and the Chief and Assistant Chief are paid a modest annual stipend for their services. If you are interested in joining or have questions please click here. DFD responds to all motor vehicle accidents within the boundaries of the Town of Dresden; to service calls such as a downed tree(s) blocking a road or a downed power line; most definitely to various types of fire (brush, wood, motor vehicle and structure); CO2 / smoke alarms; to hazardous material incidents (e.g. oil/gas spill); and to assist a resident or the EMS (when requested). Like all small, rural towns without public water supplies and pressurized fire hydrants, Dresden F.D. cannot afford enough equipment, nor does it have the manpower, to respond all on its own to a major structure fire. Dresden and surrounding towns rely on each other with Mutual Aid agreements. This provides a better response for a more favorable outcome if at all possible. These Mutual Aid assistances have proved many times to be invaluable and due to the shortage of firefighters in many towns, it has become almost a necessity for our volunteer departments. For more information about the Dresden Fire Department, please take a look at the various pages on this website, accessible by clicking on the ‘buttons’ below the picture at the top of each page.

History of The Dresden Fire Department

A history of the Dresden Fire Department was published in 1991 by the late Leslie Souviney, a founder of the department. It was completed by his widow, Doris Souviney. We hope to have a link to a copy of this history soon. In the meantime, Bridge Academy Library has a copy on file.

Here is a little information about our department and the people who protect our community every day.

Incorporated in 1947, the Dresden Volunteer Fire Department began with one truck purchased out of state, housed in a garage owned by one of the firemen.  Someone would make phone calls to the members when the ‘alarm’ was sounded, with members scurrying to get there as fast as possible.  Our building has grown to a nice 8 bay station. Our volunteer fire/rescue consists of 20 fire personnel who have either gone through or are now engaged in specific types of training (some of which has to be done each year as mandatory per state and federal regulations).  These people are dedicated to doing the best job they can to assist our community when an emergency arises. These are your family, friends, and neighbors who put the safety and protection of their community before their own.  As we are not a full-time fire department, we have some of the best mutual aid towns that are always willing to help us whenever we call on them. This provides all towns in the Mutual Aid system to have the extra help when needed as many times we are short-handed.  Over the years we have built our department into one that has some of the best apparatus a small town could ask for.  This includes a 1000 gallon tanker, a brush truck, a rescue squad, 3 engines, and a rescue boat.  We recently were provided some much appreciated donated money that we added with funds that we had raised for a 6-wheel Polaris Ranger.  This is now equipped and ready for use when needed.  Although we are primarily funded by a town-appropriated budget, our members do fund raising events a few times a year to help offset expenses that arise above the allocated funds.  We are grateful for the wonderful support of those in our community and surrounding areas that make our efforts successful.