Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, Inc.

10/22/2026

10/22/2026

Its always nice to hear that our service and members have helped someone.

10/22/2026

This link will take you to a story about an incredibly dangerous and stupid social media fire stunt that firefighters in Massachusetts and New Orleans are warning about. Hopefully, our children in Gloucester are smarter than this!

Officials say the TikTok challenges, which encourage children to ignite isopropyl alcohol for effects like “fire-breathing,” can cause severe burns or house fires, after a 9-year-old New Orleans boy was burned over 70% of his body this month

10/21/2026

This morning, your Gloucester Volunteer Fire Prevention Team is currently at Newington Baptist Church Preschool to speak with 27 of their preschoolers about fire and life safety concepts (appropriate to their ages of course). We stress the importance of having working smoke (and carbon monoxide) detectors in their home, EVERYONE (and that means you too parents, and adults who aren’t parents) SLEEPING WITH THEIR BEDROOM DOORS CLOSED, staying low below the smoke and feeling the doorknob with the back of their hand in the event of fire in their home and having a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room along with what firefighters will look and sound like if they have to come to rescue them. (Yes, we know that was probably a “run on sentence” but we do have a lot of safety information to cover.) Also addressed is kitchen and campfire safety, stop, drop and roll, knowing their address and calling 911 if for some reason the adult they are with cannot do so. The children most enjoy getting inside of the fire truck! They are given plastic red fire helmets, informational coloring books and fire escape plan templates for them to take home to work up an escape plan with their parents. This is one of the most enjoyable aspects of being volunteer firefighters - educating youngsters to be safe and what to do if faced with an emergency!

We’re always looking for new members and if you’d like to find out more about becoming a volunteer, go to our website www.GVFRS.org and take a look around or stop by Station 1 on Main Street in the Courthouse Village. We provide free training and equipment, and you’ll find there is nothing more rewarding than being able to provide meaningful assistance to someone having what could be their very worst day ever!

10/17/2026

ITS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN YOU'LL BE SWITCHING FROM AC to HEAT. HERE'S SOME BASIC SAFETY AND THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE STARTING UP YOUR FURNACE (most of which came using AI)

To Safely Start Your Furnace for the first time after summer, before turning it on do a quick safety check, replace or clean the air filter, clear vents, and test detectors. These steps prevent breakdowns, improve efficiency, and keep your home safe.

1. Safety First - Clear the furnace area: Remove clutter, stored items, or combustibles within at least 30 inches of the unit.

2. If your home is heated using propane, oil, kerosene, or wood, check your carbon monoxide (CO) detectors: Test them and replace batteries and make sure you have them installed near sleeping areas and in the room adjacent the furnace room.

3. Inspect for gas leaks: Smell for gas; if present, evacuate and call 911 and your propane company immediately!

4. Ensure power is on: Check the furnace switch and circuit breaker; set thermostat to HEAT with a temperature above room tempempature.

5. Air Quality & Airflow: Replace or clean the air filter! A dirty filter restricts airflow, makes the furnace work harder, and reduces efficiency.

6. Clear vents and registers: Remove furniture, rugs, or curtains blocking supply/return grilles.

7. Inspect ducts: Look for kinks, disconnections, or debris; repair as needed.

8. Fuel & System Check: If you have a propane gas furnace, confirm the gas valve is open, ensure the pilot light is lit and steady, and check burner flame color (steady blue is normal) after lighting. If you have an oil fired furnace verify there is oil in the tank. Verify that the pilot light is lit and and steady.

9. Test the System by setting the Thermostat to HEAT and above room temperature and confirm warm air is delivered to the vents.

10. Listen for unusual sounds such as grinding, squealing, or banging that may indicate issues requiring a call to a HVAC professional.

11. Run your system for a few minutes to ensure that heat is consistent and no error codes appear on the thermostat.

12. Oftentimes, when you first start your furnace, you may smell something burning. This may be from dust that accumulated on the coils or burner over the summer that is burned off after the furnace was started. If the smell persists, or if you see smoke do not hesitate to call 911!

10/11/2026

REMINDER - SUNDAY OPEN HOUSE CANCELED!

We’re sorry to announce that Hurricane what’s its name is tracking to bring wind and lots of rain to Gloucester this Sunday. As such, we think it best that everyone stay home and “batten down the hatches”! We’ll be standing by to respond to fallen trees, fires and any other calamities the storm may spew. Stay safe everyone and make your storm preparations now!

10/09/2026

SUNDAY OPEN HOUSE CANCELED!

We’re sorry to announce that Hurricane what’s its name is tracking to bring wind and lots of rain to Gloucester this Sunday. As such, we think it best that everyone stay home and “batten down the hatches”! We’ll be standing by to respond to fallen trees, fires and any other calamities the storm may spew. Stay safe everyone and make your storm preparations now!

10/09/2026

This morning, your Gloucester Volunteer Fire Prevention Team is currently at Botetourt Elementary School to speak with 164 of their pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students about fire and life safety concepts (appropriate to their ages of course). We stress the importance of having working smoke (and carbon monoxide) detectors in their home, EVERYONE (and that means you too parents, and adults who aren’t parents) SLEEPING WITH THEIR BEDROOM DOORS CLOSED, staying low below the smoke and feeling the doorknob with the back of their hand in the event of fire in their home and having a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room along with what firefighters will look and sound like if they have to come to rescue them. (Yes, we know that was probably a “run on sentence” but we do have a lot of safety information to cover.) Also addressed is kitchen and campfire safety, stop, drop and roll, knowing their address and calling 911 if for some reason the adult they are with cannot do so. The children most enjoy getting inside of the fire truck! They are given plastic red fire helmets, informational coloring books and fire escape plan templates for them to take home to work up an escape plan with their parents. This is one of the most enjoyable aspects of being volunteer firefighters - educating youngsters to be safe and what to do if faced with an emergency!

We’re always looking for new members and if you’d like to find out more about becoming a volunteer, go to our website www.GVFRS.org and take a look around or stop by Station 1 on Main Street in the Courthouse Village. We provide free training and equipment, and you’ll find there is nothing more rewarding than being able to provide meaningful assistance to someone having what could be their very worst day ever!

10/08/2026

This morning, your Gloucester Volunteer Fire Prevention Team traveled to Bethel Elementary School to speak with 181 of their students broken into 8 separate presentations about fire and life safety concepts (appropriate to their ages of course). We stress the importance of having working smoke (and carbon monoxide) detectors in their home, EVERYONE (and that means you too parents, and adults who aren’t parents) SLEEPING WITH THEIR BEDROOM DOORS CLOSED, staying low below the smoke and feeling the doorknob with the back of their hand in the event of fire in their home and having a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room along with what firefighters will look and sound like if they have to come to rescue them. (Yes, we know that was probably a “run on sentence” but we do have a lot of safety information to cover.) Also addressed is kitchen and campfire safety, stop, drop and roll, knowing their address and calling 911 if for some reason the adult they are with cannot do so. The children most enjoy getting inside of the fire truck! They are given plastic red fire helmets, informational coloring books and fire escape plan templates for them to take home to work up an escape plan with their parents. This is one of the most enjoyable aspects of being volunteer firefighters - educating youngsters to be safe and what to do if faced with an emergency!

We’re always looking for new members and if you’d like to find out more about becoming a volunteer, go to our website www.GVFRS.org and take a look around or stop by Station 1 on Main Street in the Courthouse Village. We provide free training and equipment, and you’ll find there is nothing more rewarding than being able to provide meaningful assistance to someone having what could be their very worst day ever!