During the 1920s there were approximately 5-6 fire districts.
The Town of Norton hired its first and full-time Fire Chief Harold L. Wetherell in 1930, he was 24 years old at the time. Chief Wetherell served as Chief until December 31 1970. (40 years)
At that time the headquarter fire station was located in a garage (22 South Worcester St.) across the street from the current Chartley Fire Station. That station was built in 1899.
The Town started providing 24-hour ambulance service with part-time help in 1950.
At the Town meeting in 1955, the town appropriated monies to build the Chartley Fire Station, the land that the fire station currently sits on was land donated by the Wetherell family to the town. In November of 1956 the station was opened, the final cost of the station was 28,000. This station served as Fire Headquarters.
Chief George Burgess started Jan. 1, 1971, this is when the 2 nd floor of the Chartley fire station was added, most of the work was done by volunteers.
At one time the town had 5 fire stations, Chartley, Center station (now senior center) the grove station, (torn down sometime in the late 80’s), Barrowsville station (now used for NEMA and our fire alarm division) and the Winnecunnet station (torn down in 2010)
In 1979 headquarters was moved from Chartley Fire Station to the current Town Hall Fire Station complex.
Currently The Norton Fire Department staff’s Fire HQ’s (Station 2) at 70 East Main Street and the Harold Wetherell Station (Station 1) on South Worcester Street.