PESHTIGO – Each year the Town of Peshtigo Fire Department releases an annual report recapping achievements, equipment, finances, call information and much more.
Within the report Fire Chief Mike Folgert wrote, “I am pleased to present this annual report to our town supervisors, residents and others interested in following the Town of Peshtigo Fire Department.”
He continued, “I trust that you will agree we have continued to be an active and progressive department as we strive to fulfil our mission.”
Chief Folgert recognized all who dedicated their time last year to working with the department.
He wrote, “I am proud to lead such a dedicated group of individuals and take pride in seeing them excel in their skills, abilities and knowledge as firefighters.”
The Town of Peshtigo Fire Department Officers include: Fire Chief Mike Folgert; Safety Officer James Matthews; Assistant Chief Richard Seils Jr; Training Officer Ryan Kass; Captains Derek Monnette and Ryan Kass; Lieutenants Gabe Aschbacher and Joe Paoli; and Fire Inspectors Mike Folgert, Rich Seils and James Matthews.
Other firefighters include: Nick Baldwin, Lindsay Blok, Jed Buechler, Chris Callies, Clarence Coble, Justin Couillard, Jordan DeForge, Mike Dobson, Cienna Grawey, Max Heckel, Chad Jacobson, Jim Meyer, Brittany Peterson, Dano Sebero, Adam Staszak, Justin Walk and Adam Walker.
Engine 205 is a 1994 pumper that will be 31 years old this month. The engine is due to be replaced later this year as signs of rust are showing and some valves are sticking.
Despite this, the truck passed its annual pump test and is able to pump 1,000 gallons per minute. It is also equipped with a compressed air foam system.
Annual DOT inspection, preventative maintenance and pump testing costs totaled $560.91.
Engine 207 is a 2010 rescue pumper that serves as the primary engine since it allows a crew to respond to a variety of calls with only one apparatus. In addition to the 1,000 gallons the engine carries, it also carries the “Jaws of Life” extraction equipment often used to remove those involved in car crashes.
Repair and maintenance costs totaled $7,991.28 for annual DOT inspections, preventative maintenance and pump testing.
Brush 1, a brush truck used to fight fires on difficult terrain, was placed into service in late 2013. The F-350 diesel powered 4x4 chassis holds a 225-gallon water tank.
Tire replacements, a license plate light and DOT inspection totaled $1,556.34.
Brush 2 is the department’s newest truck, a 2017 F-350 four-wheel drive pick-up. The vehicle is mostly used for wildland fires, EMS calls, incident support and for firefighters to attend training.
Repairs, preventative maintenance and the annual DOT inspection totaled $471.57.
Tender 234 and Tender 235 are built on a commercial Freightliner chassis and boast an impressive 3,500 and 3,200-gallon vacuum tanker, respectively.
Repairs, preventative maintenance and DOT inspection totaled $644.38 for Tender 234. Tender 235 required new batteries, diagnostic testing and DOT inspection, which came out to $1,062.40.
Other vehicles owned and operated by the fire department include a Polaris UTV, a Cold Water Rescue Trailer with two inflatable Rapid Deployment Crafts and a Mercury Ocean Runner rescue boat.
The rescue boat was purchased in 2021 with grant funding and required $2,923 in upgrades for navigation lights and search lights. The lights were paid for through fundraising efforts and donations.
In 2024 the Town of Peshtigo Fire Department underwent some large repairs and updates to the station. These upgrades included repairing and replacing three floor trench drains and switching overhead fluorescent lights with LED lights.
The total for these repairs was $15,857.40.
While the department was able to perform some of the required inspections and tests in house, the rest totaled $6,759.
A variety of new items were purchased to either replace old equipment or to improve services. These items ranged from protective clothing and light-up water rescue helmet to additional fire hoses and forcible-entry sets.
The total for all of the purchased items in 2024 was $50,442.48, however grant funding was used towards many of these purchases. Items purchased entirely through grants or donations totaled $5,279.12.
A variety of fundraising events were held to support the general purchases, totaling $11,945 for the department.
The largest fundraising event of 2024 was the cash raffle, which brought in $6,290.
The largest donations came from Russ Martin, who donated back his raffle prize winnings, and the Marinette County Tavern League. They each donated $500.
The fire department wrote, “We are thankful for the awesome community support and generosity of our local businesses and residents to organize and donate towards these efforts.”
Grants from the community and beyond played an important role as well. Grants include: $2,400 from the DNR Forest Fire Protection (FFP) Grant; $1,000 from the M&M Area Community Foundation Grant; and $700 from the Zion Lutheran Church-Marinette Endowment Fund Grant.
The fire department recognized in 2020 that they needed to begin replacing their Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA’s), a type of air pack. The high-pressure packs had reached 20 years in age, while the lightweight packs approached their DOT-recommended 15 years.
The department applied for a variety of grants, but decided to go forward with purchasing new Scott X3-Pro 4,500 psi air packs each year using capital funds. As of 2024, 11 new airpacks have been purchased and five more SCBA’s need to be purchased. The airpacks purchase in 2024 totaled $28,872, which made up a large portion of the total equipment bill.
The department added, “As part of this initiative, we are also seeking funds to convert the cascade fill system to an air compressor filling station to provide a more efficient and available air supply.”
In 2024 the Town of Peshtigo Fire Department responded to 131 calls, with the highest categories being: Medical Assists, 20 calls; Powerlines Down or Arcing, 20 calls; and Vehicle Crashes, 19 calls.
Nine mutual aid calls were provided by the department, including three calls to Menominee, Mich.
Most importantly, there were no fire fatalities or civilian injuries resulting from fire and no lost work time firefighter injuries during the year.
For the department’s response time, which is considered the time period from when dispatch sets off the first alert until the first apparatus arrives on scene, 33.7% of calls were 10 minutes or less. This excludes calls canceled en route.
The NFPA 1720 recommends that volunteer fire departments serving suburban areas be able to arrive on scene of a structure fire and assemble a crew within 14 minutes of the time of alarm. There are no recommended response times for rural volunteer fire departments.
The Town of Peshtigo Fire Department closed their annual report with a call for volunteers. They wrote “We try to maintain our membership roster at no more than 25 firefighters and actively seek out new members to maintain this level. Our current roster stands at 24 with several upcoming retirements and/or resignations anticipated. So, we are looking for more help.”
To apply, pick up an application at the Peshtigo Town Hall or visit the fire department page on the town website, www.townofpeshtigo.org.
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