Burlington, settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1799, began as a quiet farming community. For the first 100 years after the town's founding, no fire department existed, and by 1900, many important buildings had tragically been lost to fires. The loss of these historic landmarks prompted the beginning of a group of volunteer firefighters that protected the town until the first full-time fire department's establishment in 1951. Over the years, the department expanded to meet the demands of the town's rapid growth. Today the fire department consists of professionals constantly striving to improve the department and committed to serving the people of Burlington.