The Burlington International Airport is home to one of the best-equipped fire departments in the state — the one attached to the 158th Fighter Wing of the Vermont Air National Guard. And they're busy. Fire Chief Brannon Soter estimates that his department responds to 750 to 850 calls a year. A year-to-date report from the National Fire Incident Reporting System shows that the department is the 18th busiest Air Force fire station in the country. (Paid Post)
Courtesy Of U.S. Air National Guard/Andrew J. Merlock The Vermont Air National Guard took part in this U.S. National Guard firefighting training in Georgia in 2016 Many Vermont lawmakers say they are ready to ban the forever chemicals that have contaminated drinking water in parts of the state. They have many reasons. In Vermont s best-known case, the chemicals known as PFAS contaminated hundreds of wells in Bennington after two former textile factories in the town baked them onto their products for years. Elsewhere in Vermont, evidence of contamination has turned up in the leachate of lined landfills because discarded rugs, furniture and clothes break down, and the PFAS-based waterproofing on fibers washes away.
28 In November 2020, Mr. Brannon Soter was welcomed as the first civilian, “Title 5” fire chief in the history of the fire department at the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard. Previously only available as an Active Guard/Reserve (AGR) role, Soter heard about this historic job opening through his chain of command.
When referring to federal technicians, Title 5 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) states that a civilian federal employee does not need to be a member of the military in order to hold a Title 5 position, whereas Title 32 and AGR roles require a military commitment.
In this instance, the 158th Fighter Wing s fire department previously only had the position of fire chief as an available opportunity for certain applicants. Previously, eligible submissions were limited to uniformed military members and uniquely required those members to maintain military status as a condition of employment. With the historic change to a “Title 5” role,