The Maplefields convenience and gas station chain has donated $25,000 toward the purchase of a high-water utility task vehicle for the Johnson Fire Department.
After Maplefields president Tim Vallee reached out to village manager Erik Bailey with an interest in helping Johnson after it suffered serious damage to municipal and residential property in the Flood of 2023, Bailey said Johnson trustee Ken Tourangeau suggested buying the vehicle for the Johnson Fire Department’s high water rescue team.
The donation and plans for the purchase were announced at the Sept. 11 meeting of the Johnson village board of trustees.
Fire chief Arjay West told trustees in August that the department could have used a vehicle with both land and water travel capabilities as many of the town’s roads alternated between being underwater and dry during the July 11 flood, making it impossible for both a boat or a vehicle to travel all the way down one stretch of road.
West told the board that the department was on duty for 18 hours straight and fielded a total of 56 flood-related calls, 28 of which involved water rescue and evacuations. Firefighters were forced to abandon their fire station during the flood as it took on water, and mostly used boats and kayaks to accomplish the evacuations.
The department requested mutual aid from Stowe Mountain Rescue, but it was not able to respond, emphasizing the need for the Johnson department to be able to rely on its own resources for future floods.
Tourangeau first suggested giving the money directly to Johnson residents affected by flooding, but village clerk Rosemary Audibert said he would have to disperse it among all the flood victims.
Bailey called the donation “amazing news” and said that, between the Maplefields donation and money already raised, the department should be able to purchase the “perfect rig” for around $30,000.
Tourangeau noted that the vehicle will also be useful for both off-road terrain and can be used by all towns in Lamoille County through mutual aid.
The Green Mountain ATV Club is planning to raffle an ATV with half of the proceeds going toward the purchase of a trailer to transport the high-water vehicle for the department.
The Maplefields location on the east end of Main Street in Johnson village was spared any significant damage in the flood.
“This high-water UTV purchase is our way to help ‘make a difference’ going forward, and also say thank you to the Johnson area for supporting our stores,” Vallee said.