Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard
Your neighbors are the fire department.
All volunteer. Up-island born and raised, and on call for Chilmark and the Menemsha village the moment the tones drop. When the pager goes off, it is the people next door who answer.
Who we are
A department made of neighbors
The Chilmark Volunteer Fire Department is exactly what the name says. Every firefighter here is a volunteer, a resident of this up-island town who trades an evening or a night's sleep to keep the rest of us safe. There is no big-city roster of career crews. There is the person who fixes your boat, teaches your kids, or pours your coffee, pulling on gear when the call comes.
We run from two stations, with headquarters at Menemsha Crossroad, covering the quiet roads, the harbor, and the hills of Chilmark. It is a small community, and that is the point. We know these roads because we live on them.
- Two stations, headquartered at 3 Menemsha Crossroad, Chilmark.
- All volunteer. Firefighters and EMS responders who live and work up-island.
- Reach Assistant Chief Dave Norton for department questions and to volunteer.
Concept crest, not an official emblem. Created for this redesign concept.
What we do
Fire, rescue, and the calls in between
A rural up-island department answers a little of everything, from structure fires to the wind-driven brush that comes with dry summers. Here is the shape of the work.
Fire suppression
Structure and vehicle fires across Chilmark's homes, farms, and the Menemsha waterfront, with the water supply a rural district plans around.
Rescue & medical response
First on scene for injuries and emergencies, working alongside neighboring up-island departments so help arrives fast, even on the far roads.
Brush & storm
Wildland and brush fire in the dry season, plus the downed trees, floods, and nor'easters that come with living on the edge of the island.
Our people
The department is your neighbors
There is no line here between the fire department and the town. The people who answer the call are the town. They fish out of Menemsha, run the farm stands, raise families down the same dirt roads they respond to. When you support the department, you are supporting the folks next door.
Much of that community life runs through the Chilmark Volunteer Firefighters Association, which keeps the department woven into the year. Its Backyard Bash is a Chilmark institution: food off the grill, live music, cornhole, and games for the kids, raising money for the firefighters' benevolent fund, a local scholarship, and the children's holiday parties.
Neighbors, on call
The Backyard Bash
A family evening of food, live music, and games each summer, run by the Firefighters Association to give back to the town that gives so much to us.
Volunteer
There is a place for you on the roster
You do not need to have done this before. Chilmark trains its volunteers, and there is a role for nearly everyone, on the fireground, behind the wheel, on medical calls, or in the support work that keeps a department running. What it takes is a willingness to show up for your neighbors.
- Reach outEmail the department and tell us you are interested. That is the whole first step.
- Come meet the crewStop by, see the stations, and ask every question you have.
- Train and serveLearn the work with people who have your back, and join the roster when you are ready.
Ready to raise your hand?
The cleanest way to reach the department is by email. Assistant Chief Dave Norton can answer your questions about volunteering and point you to the next step.
dnorton@chilmark-ma.govNote: the department's Facebook presence is a community group, not an official page, so email is the surest way to reach us.
Contact
Reach the department
For anything that is not an emergency, here is how to find us up-island.
3 Menemsha Crossroad
Chilmark, MA 02535
Find the Chilmark firefighters and the Backyard Bash through the town's community channels. The department's Facebook presence is a community group, not an official page.