Fire Department

This 1994 pumper was built by 3-D in Shawano. This had been our front-line engine until replaced by Engine 207 in 2010. This apparatus holds 1,000 gallons of water, is rated to pump 1,000 gallons per minute and is equipped with a compressed air foam system (CAFS).

This 2010 rescue pumper was built by Rosenbauer America on a commercial Freightliner chassis. This pumper was placed into service in April 2010, carries 1,000 gallons of water and is capable of pumping 1,250 gallons per minute. This truck is also used to carry our extrication equipment, commonly known as the “Jaws of Life”. This is our primary first due engine and has a four-person cab which permits us to respond with a full crew of firefighters.

This brush truck was placed into service in late 2013. The unit is built on an F-350 diesel powered 4x4 chassis with a flat rack equipped with compartments and a 225 gallon water tank with an 18 hp mounted pump. This apparatus is the primary response vehicle for grass and brush fires, provides support at vehicle crashes and is used to tow our water rescue trailer.

This is a 2017 F-350 four-wheel drive pick-up. This truck is outfitted with a skid unit that is removed in winter months when not needed for grass fires. It is used primarily for wildland fires and incident support. It also pulls the trailer with our fire/rescue UTV and rescue boat.

This is a 3,500-gallon vacuum tanker, which was purchased new in 2002. Built on a commercial Freightliner chassis, this apparatus brings much needed water to the scene of a fire, dumps it within minutes into a portable folding water tank and goes to a water source to re-fill.

This is a 3,200-gallon vacuum tanker, which was purchased new in 2016. Built by Stainless & Repair from Marshfield, WI on a commercial Freightliner chassis, it meets all current NFPA standards for fire apparatus of this nature and is our primary rural water shuttling apparatus.

This fully tracked UTV unit was purchased in 2019 and is equipped with both a 70-gallon water tank and pump to extinguish grass fires as well as a rescue body that allows us to safely transport a patient over difficult terrain.

This fully enclosed cargo trailer was purchased in 2008 and outfitted with our cold-water rescue equipment. This includes an inflatable rapid deployment craft (RDC), seven cold water rescue suits, rescue ropes, throw bags and various supplies needed to implement a safe water or ice rescue.

A Mercury Ocean Runner 460 Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) was placed into service in 2021. This new 15 ft. rescue craft is equipped with a 40 hp Mercury outboard motor and state-of-the-art navigation equipment making it ideal for performing safe water rescues either on Green Bay or in the Peshtigo River.

Fire Extinguishers (source: NFPA)

A portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives; but portable extinguishers have limitations. Because fire grows and spreads so rapidly, the #1 priority for residents is to get out safely.

Class A, B, C, D, and K Extinguishers:

A portable extinguisher must match the fire that is being fought. There are five classes of fires. Extinguishers are labeled with letters and symbols for the classes of fires they can put out.

Class A – Ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth and paper

Class B – Flammable Liquids such as oil and gasoline

Class C – Energized Electrical Equipment

Class D – Combustible metals such as magnesium and sodium

Class K – Combustible Cooking Oils and Equipment

To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word PASS:

Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking mechanism.

Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.

Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

Smoke Alarms (source: NFPA)

Smoke alarms are a key part of any home fire escape plan. Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of your home and inside each bedroom. Working smoke alarms provide early detection of a fire. Make sure to test your alarm monthly, change the batteries twice each year and replace smoke alarms every ten years to insure they work properly.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms (source: NFPA)

Carbon monoxide is an invisible, colorless and odorless gas that results from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas, propane or burning wood. Carbon Monoxide detectors should be installed outside of every bedroom and on all floors of each residence. Test your alarms monthly, check for low batteries and, if the alarm sounds, move to fresh air and call 911.

Kitchen Fire Safety (source: NFPA)

Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the kitchen while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire

• Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
• Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.
• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
• Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

Exit Drills in the Home (source: NFPA)

Your ability to get out of your home during a fire depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes. Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.

Prior to conducting any open burning within the Town of Peshtigo a DNR annual burning permit must be obtained whenever the ground is not completely covered with snow. After obtaining your permit, and prior to burning, you must then call 1-888-WIS-BURN or go to https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestFire/restrictions.asp to check the daily burning restrictions and fire danger.

Burning permit requirements with a link to obtain a DNR burning permit application:  https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/forestfire/permits

Burning permits are NOT required anytime the ground is completely snow covered or for fires such as campfires designed solely for cooking food or warming purposes.

April 28, 1964
First meeting of the new organization held at the town hall 

Howard Rettke elected as first fire chief / president (April 1964 – Aug. 1966).

Purchased the first pumper truck, an American LaFrance, to be housed in Marinette under contract

June 1964
Ratified the By-Laws of the new organization – Town of Peshtigo Volunteer Firefighting Company

September 1964
First group photo taken on September 26, 1964

October 1964
Town Board abolished the ordinance authorizing the volunteer firefighting company and created a Town of Peshtigo Fire Department. All current officers to remain the same with Howard Rettke as fire chief

April 1965
Pay rate of $1.00 per hour set by the town board for volunteers responding to fires

June 1966
First tanker truck chassis purchased from Gustman – A 1966 Chevrolet to be outfitted with a 1,000 gal. water tank 

August 1966
Adolph Benson elected Fire Chief (August 1966 – Sept.1967)

Model By-Laws approved by the Town Board

February 1967
Tanker truck completed and now housed at Marinette Fire Dept. with the town’s pumper

September 1968
John Benson elected Fire Chief (Sept.1967 – Sept. 1969)

September 1969
Tom Grandaw elected Fire Chief (Sept. 1969 – March 1983)

April 1970
Purchased 11 firemen coats for $70.04 each

August 1971
Mutual Aid agreements in place with Marinette, Menominee, Peshtigo and Oconto

May 1972
Purchased second tanker with 2,200 gal water tank from Marinette Produce

July 1972
Received military surplus 6 x 6 truck on loan from DNR – outfitted with a 1,000 gal water tank. Purchased two portable Hale pumps

May 1973
First paging radios purchased

January 1975
Purchased second pumper – 1,000 gpm (Engine 6), built by Pierce Mfg.

June 1977
Engine 4 rebuilt by Pierce Manufacturing

July 1977
Fire station constructed by the town hall on Old Peshtigo Road

April 1979
Mini-pumper (Engine 8) purchased for $27,700 – built by Pierce Mfg.

July 1980
New base radio and 180 ft. radio tower installed at the fire station

March 1983
Bill Johnson elected Fire Chief (March 1983 - January 1988)

January 1988
Clarence Coble elected Fire Chief (January1988 – December 2009)

May 1991
Fire Corporation was dissolved with the fire department officially becoming a town fire department

October 6, 1992
Public hearing at the town hall regarding termination of the contract with Marinette and taking a truck out of the Marinette station. Town decided to maintain the contract.

January 1994
Town Board orders a new truck (Engine 205) from 3-D in Shawano to replace the original truck purchased in 1964. New engine is equipped with a Compressed Air Foam System and delivered in October.

May 1994
I.S.O. conducted a field audit and improved the town’s Public Protection Class rating to 7  

September 1994
Engine 204 taken out of service at Marinette Fire Dept. and sold. Engine 206 moved to Marinette Fire Station upon delivery of new engine

January 1996
Purchased the first multi-gas detection monitor and implemented procedures for responding to carbon monoxide alarms.

Sept 1996
Purchased a 1988 International chassis from State Surplus for $14,900 to be outfitted as a tanker truck (T-233). Tank installed by T-Line Equipment in Monroe, WI.

April 1998
Received a 1986 military surplus Chevrolet pick-up truck on long term loan from DNR to be outfitted and used as a brush truck

May 1999
First Scott Thermal Imaging Camera purchased for $15,500

2000
Converted Tanker 233 to a vacuum tanker to enable self- filling

December 2000
Contract with Marinette terminated at the end of the year with Engine 206 being moved back to the Town of Peshtigo Fire Station. Marinette will provide mutual aid upon request. 

March 2002
New vacuum tanker truck (Tanker 234) purchased for a cost of $120,000 from Monroe.

December 2004
Town Fire Commission created. Bill Johnson elected chairperson

December 2004
Engine 205 re-built by Elite Power Products with a new pump and foam system

February 2007
Town Board authorized the purchase of ice water rescue equipment including rescue suits, ropes and an inflatable rapid deployment craft.

Summer 2007
Fire Station completely remodeled and expanded with two additional truck bays, new roof, new walls, insulation, plumbing, an office and rest room. Cost $350,000.

January 2010
Mike Folgert appointed Fire Chief (January 2010 to ___)

April 2010
New fire engine (E-207) delivered. Built by Rosenbauer America on a Freightliner chassis. Replaces Engine 206 which was sold to The Motor Company for $4,000

August 2013
Dodge tanker (Tanker 231) removed from service and sold for $3,555

November 2013
New Brush Truck (Brush 1), built on a F-350 chassis was purchased from Red Power Diesel at a cost of $85,478. Replaces old Dodge Tanker (T-231) and 1979 mini-pumper (Engine 208)

February 2014
Dodge mini-pumper (Engine 208) sold through the Wisconsin Surplus Auction for $4,950

June 2015
Town of Peshtigo Fire Department celebrates its 50th year anniversary with an old-fashioned picnic with pig roast at Badger Park. Congressman Reid Ribble presents the town with a Congressional record commemorating 50 years 

August 2014
As a result of an I.S.O. field audit, the town’s Public Protection Class rating improved to class 6 for all properties within 5 miles of the fire station.

March 2016
New water tender (T-235) delivered. Built by Stainless & Repair in Marshfield, WI on a Freightliner chassis for $208,000.  This vacuum tanker has a capacity of 3,200 gallons and replaces an old tanker (T-233) that was destroyed in a crash while shuttling water to a fire in June 2015.

October 2017
New 2017 F-350 four-wheel drive pickup truck with a crew cab (Brush 2) was purchased locally from the Motor Company and outfitted with a winch, emergency equipment package and the Department’s existing skid unit at a total cost of $47,153. This truck replaced the 1986 military surplus truck that was on loan from, and returned to the DNR.

2018
A used, 10 ft. inflatable, Avon, semi-rigid boat equipped with a 9.9 hp four stroke outboard motor, was purchased with funds from grants and donations at no cost to taxpayers. The boat comfortably carries two people and is equipped for performing rescue work either in the Peshtigo River or near shore waters of Green Bay. 

April 2019
New Polaris 900 UTV, outfitted with tracks, was purchased from Cozzy’s Polaris for $19,000. A firefighting/rescue skid was fabricated by Stainless & Repair of Marshfield, WI, and mounted on the back of the UTV.

August 2021
New Mercury Rigid Inflatable (RIB) rescue boat was placed into service. This rescue craft is equipped with a 40 hp Mercury outboard motor and Humminbird navigation system. The boat and motor were donated by Mercury Marine, while the trailer and all other associated equipment were entirely funded through grants, donations and fund raising events.