I have known Dave for 34 years , I will always remember him as an extremely hard worker and a dedicated firefighter, fire officer,military leader.   My wife Susie Ransom hired Dave to be a maintenance person for the new town of Essex pool as she was the  designer and Manager the first year it was opened. Dave was just exceptional at his job. Dave then joined the Essex Fire Dept. where I was a member and also Daves Father George was a member. I remember having talks with Dave about his future and what he wanted to do for a career.  I suggested he join the Vermont Air Guard and get into the Fire Crash Rescue I thought this would be an excellant career for Dave since he loved firefighting. After I received news Dave was in the UVM Med Ctr. I went to visit him one night after work no one was there and dave was sleeping I didn,t want to wake him up so I said loudly I am the other member of the two man fire department remember us and Dave immediately woke right up and said my name just as clear as can be "LARRY RANSOM"  and a military "HO RAW"  he grabbed my hand for a few minutes then fell back asleep hopefully he knew me I really think he did.  The story of the two man fire department goes like this: one cold day below zero between Christmas and New Years I am not sure what year it was but we got a call for a structure fire on Foster Rd. near the Fire Staion on Sandhill Rd. I responded to the station I as the first one there got my gear started the old Maxim rebuilt pumper 510 opened the overhead and waited Dave arrived seconds after me got his gear and I waited just a minute no other firefighters arrived so I had started the truck and now Dave is the Truck Officer  I told Dave lets roll we can,t wait we could see smoke.  Dave spotted an hydrant and said stop here we can hit this hydrant I said no lets just us our 1000 gallons of tank water and let the next incoming truck hit the hydrant OK Dave said.  I told Dave to pull the inch and three quarter attack line all the way and I charged the line with around I guess 125psi donned an air pak left the pump panel and assisted Dave on the attack line fire was starting to show big time and the front window had blown out so we just attacked the fire straight stream through the window luckily knocking the fire down. We then entered the house to check for extension and could find nothing we had just knocked the fire down in the nick of time before it got hot enough to get through the cabinets, walls and ceilings. We completed final mop up,ourselves and finally another truck arrived it may have been Daves Father I can,t remember but Dave got o the radio and said we are all set the two man fire department covered it this time!!!!  This is What Dave and I have said to each other from the time on until today WE WERE THE TWO MAN FIRE DEPARTMENT. I will miss Dave but we will always have our memories.  Hon. Chief Larry Ransom EFD