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History
Welcome to the Cedarburg
Fire Department website history page. The following history is
from the 125th Anniversary Celebration Program. Over the next
few months more will be added to this page.
In the fall of 1866, the Cedarburg
Fire Department was organized by a group of Cedarburg pioneers.
The roster at that time was comprised of 31 members, and Fred
Schatz was the first chief. He served as Chief from 1866 to
1880. The members took great pride in constructing their first
fire station by donating their personal savings and labor,
according to the minutes of their first organizational meeting
in 1867, a year after the department was founded. These minutes
originally were written in low German, and reported that “The
department had to fight many years for its existence because the
hose truck and all of the implements had to be bought by private
means.” Following organization, a hand pumper named “Metamora
No. 2” was purchased for the sum of $800 form the city of
Milwaukee. Members then agreed to purchase a lot and build a
firehouse. The building is located on Washington Ave. and
Cleveland St. Members were required to donate work time and two
dollars each towards the construction costs of the firehouse.
Many contributed more, yet the building once had to be stopped
because there was no money. Despite all the work, the structure
was offered for sale before completion due to lack of funds. The
firemen then moved into part of the Turn Halle (run by the
gymnastic group Turn Verein), since most of the members belonged
to both organizations.
In the year 1869 the Cedarburg Fire
Department and the Turn Verein merged. The fire department owned
the hand pumper, and the Turn Verein owned the hose cart and
ladder carts. They were housed in a shed at the rear of the
Turner Hall until 1875.
On April 27, 1875 the fire department again
became a separate organization and in the fall of the same year
built a new two story fire house. This land was leased from the
School District No. 2. The second floor housed class rooms for
the school and the first floor housed the fire apparatus. City
Hall is now located on this site. The new building was of course
outfitted with a fine new hose tower. The hose used with the
hand pumper was of leather, but the department discarded this
later on and purchased 700 feet of the more modern rubber hose.
In 1880, Edward Lanheinrich was elected
Chief. According to an old history book the department had not
been called out for a fire for about 2 years. The city was
growing and was granted a charter to incorporate as a city in
1885. The first steamer purchase by the Cedarburg Fire
Department was from the City of Racine. It was an 1880 Lilsby
engine. During these years, the department acquired other pieces
of fire equipment. Sammel Kannenberg, who was at that time in
the wagon business, designed and built a hose cart along with a
hook and ladder wagon for a cost of $250. In 1889, Gerhart
Wurthmann was elected Chief. The Cedarburg Fire Department from
1889 to 1907 used the Steamer Fire engine “Michael Colbert”,
which was built in 1885 in Hudson New York by the Claff and
Jones Manufacturing Company. This engine was in service for the
City of Racine at Engine Company No. 4 before coming to
Cedarburg.
Disastrous Fire
Up to this time, the department had experienced few fires.
However, on Easter Monday, April 1, 1907, the most disastrous
fire occurred. It started in the basement of the firehouse, and
all the apparatus was destroyed, leaving the city defenseless.
It was only through the work of neighboring departments that the
blaze was confined to the firehouse and Kuether hotel. Charles
Rilling of Grafton discovered the blaze and spread the alarm.
Cedarburg was without fire protection and had to make
arrangements with Milwaukee to use apparatus until they had time
enough to refurbish the department’s equipment.
The City of Cedarburg purchased a
new 750 gallon per minute Nott steamer from W.S. Nott Company of
Minnesota, at a cost of $6,347. It had originally been intended
for the City of Milwaukee., but due to the extreme emergency was
relinquished to Cedarburg. Later this unit was sold to the City
of Wauwatosa for the purpose of pumping out sewers and
basements.
The City of Cedarburg was ordered by the
State of Wisconsin to build another firehouse in 1908. This
building was built on Mequon Ave. and is still used today. When
the building opened, City Hall was located on the top floor and
the fire department was on the ground level. This station was
also built with a hose tower that rivals the steeples of the
surrounding churches. In the early days, when the old steam
whistle was still the alarm of fire, one could see many a
liveryman or teamster racing towards the firehouse to hitch his
team to a piece of fire apparatus that had to be moved to the
scene of the blaze. In the days when the “steamers were tops”,
Cedarburg could boast one of the finest pair of trained horses
around. At the sound of the alarm, they would be anxious to get
into the harness, and it was a spectacle to see this fire team
stand in front of the apparatus waiting for the harness to drop.
A few clips would be closed, the driver was seated with reins in
hand and off they were at a gallop. Later on, a team was stabled
in the rear of the firehouse. This area was later remodeled into
a meeting room.
After the loss of these trustworthy
steeds, the City obtained another pair of horses. The City teams
were also used for street work by the street commissioner and
his crew. The new team was quiet young, and it was after they
shied one day on a side road, galloped off in an uncontrollable
manner, and crashed into the front porch of a Washington Ave.
home. From this day forward this team of horses was known as
“The Wild Ones.”
Steam, in those days was constantly present
in the steamer engine. An arrangement of pipes connected to a
small boiler in the basement of the firehouse provided steam to
the engine. When the alarm sounded all that needed to be done
was to close a few valves and the steamer was ready to pump when
it arrived at the fire. Over the next several years, more
equipment was added and the first motorized, horse drawn pumper
was purchased, 1910. Funds at this time were provided by the
department and the city. In 1914, Ernst E. Schneider was elected
Chief, and for the next fifty years served in that capacity.
Sometime after this the city built a jail on the north side of
the firehouse for the Cedarburg Police Department to operate.
The year 1926 began the Cedarburg Fire
Department’s transition into completely motorized apparatus.
This was done when the department purchased a 1924 Graham-Dodge
chemical truck. The truck was purchased with funds from the
department and city treasury. Two years later the department
felt the need for more adequate equipment, and with money from
the department treasury and the city’s, they purchased a 600
gallon per minute Pirsch pumper and a hook & ladder truck. With
the purchase of these pieces of equipment the use of hand pulled
and horse drawn equipment was nearly eliminated. The department
retained the old gas pumper and a hand pulled hose cart. In 1935
after the purchase of this equipment the space available in the
firehouse became limited and the building was modified. A new
stairway was built to the second floor, so that the old one
could be eliminated and make more room for apparatus and larger
doors.
In 1938, the city of Cedarburg was growing and so was
the town of Cedarburg. This increased the need for more fire
protection, and the department purchased a Pirsch 600 gallon per
minute pumper with an 800 gallon water tank. The same year, the
first aid personnel of the department felt that there was need
for an emergency unit. The department purchased a Pirsch truck
which served as a rescue squad until 1954. The Rescue Squad was,
and is, the most active company of the fire department to this
day. For many years this unit answered calls for help throughout
the county. 1938 was a year of growth for the department. The
town of Cedarburg signed a contract with the Cedarburg Fire
Department for fire protection at a cost of $500 per year for 5
calls with an additional $100 for each extra call.
The foresight of the officers and members
at this time helped form the department into what it is today.
At the November 7th meeting, it was brought up that the county
fairgrounds were for sale and would be available for purchase in
the very near future. At the December 4th meeting the department
voted to purchase the County Fair Grounds, now known as
Firemen’s Park. From this time forward, the department raised
all the money to purchase equipment and train all its members.
To raise money for the purchase of the property and to pay
$5,000 in truck debts, the department set up a system of ticket
jars which were placed in local establishments. Thickets, which
sold at 5 for 25 cents, were drawn from the jar and winning
numbers could receive 50 cents to $3. The proprietor in turn
earned $7 per jar. While not in compliance with local
ordinances, there were no complaints. In fact one tavern keeper
stated that it helped him get through the depression.
Once the department acquired the
park, races that had been popular under the fair board’s
ownership continued. The park had a ½ mile oval track. The
weekly dog races started in 1928, gained popularity when betting
was later allowed. Other events included sulky-type horse races,
motorcycle races, saddle horse races, tractor and truck pull
competition and now Maxwell Street Days. These events took and
still take, many hours of the volunteers time through out the
summer months.
In 1941, department officers took a
training course on national defense, and sabotage given by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation. There were many classes given
by local industries, on products they were manufacturing. The
Milwaukee Fire Department Chief’s and officers also gave many
classes.
At the November meeting the members
recommended that the officers approach the County Board on
purchasing 160 acres north of the fairgrounds for an airport. A
member was appointed to present it to the County Board. As
history has proven, this was never a reality.
With the onset of World War 2 Chief
Schneider attended a meeting in Milwaukee on National Defense.
He was appointed to organize and head fire departments in the
county. The use of air raid sirens in the future for fire and
rescue was discussed. In September of 1942 the department
started to buy war bonds, and by the end of February 1955 had
accumulated $36,600 in bonds.
The final payment was made on Firemen’s
Park in 1943 for the purchase of the grounds. Members approved a
motion to purchase “smokes” from manufacturer to send overseas
with the name Cedarburg Fire Department on the packages. The
cigarettes were purchased from Ligget and Myers Tobacco Company.
Members received a letter from the company expressing thanks for
the department’s display of patriotism. Training continued on
handling Magnesium fires and other defense procedures.
The steam whistle that notified
members of fires was repaired in 1944. The labor for installing
the whistle was donated by Wittenburg Mills. The whistle is
currently on display in the old firehouse. The fire department
also received a donation of an Orthophonic Machine. The
Infantile Paralysis drive (POLIO), later to be known as The
March of Dimes, and later yet as the Mother’s March, was
spearheaded by the Cedarburg Fire Department for the area. The
money raised was used for research on the disease.
In 1945 the Chamber of Commerce requested
that the Fire Department band join with high school graduates to
form a Civic Band.
In 1947 built a ¼ mile oval track inside
the half mile at Firemen’s Park. This would become a major
source of revenue for the fire department over the next 30
years.
A committee was formed in 1949 to purchase a new fire
truck. They were instructed to look at Clintonville Fire
Apparatus Four Wheel Drive(FWD) units. The next year the
membership authorized the purchase of a new FWD. The truck had a
500 gallon per minute pump and had a 500 gallon tank.
The Cedarburg High School was looking for
an athletic field with lights. The members of the fire
department voted to improve the infield of the ¼ mile track and
install lighting for the field at no cost to the school system.
For many years members donated time for controlling traffic and
parking at the games.
The great train wreck in Saukville
of this year proved that all the time members spent on training
was worth the effort. They learned from the incident, where they
were weak, and they added the training and equipment that was
needed.
The operating cost for the building
maintenance and supplies was $1,000 in 1950.
A new heavy
duty rescue squad was purchased in 1954, replacing the 1938
Pirsch.
In 1955 the department purchased flags and flag
holders for Washington Ave. to mount on the recently installed
light poles. The fire department continued to replace the flags
for many years.
A committee was formed in 1956 to
evaluate the needs of growing community and if any apparatus
were needed. The conclusion of the committee was that they
should add a pumper and possibly a new ladder truck. With the
committee’s recommendation, the department purchased a 1956 FWD
pumper with a 750 gallon water tank. The apparatus was purchased
with money raised by the department. The department also
purchased a hydraulic jack set to cover any and all problems
that they would encounter.
During the inspection of the new
1956 pumper the members inquired about aerial ladders. Early in
1957 FWD brought an aerial ladder for the department to look at.
The unit was going to the International Fire Chiefs convention
in Florida. After much discussion, the members voted to purchase
the apparatus. However, the members wanted the truck to be
updated to their specifications.
The community was looking for money
to build a swimming pool. They were selling bonds and at the
August meeting the members voted to purchase $5,000 worth of
bonds to expedite the construction.
In 1959 the members voted to appropriate
money for incorporation of the department. In July of that year,
the 4H club approached the department for money. The members
voted to donate $500 to their cause.
On September 6th of 1959 the new swimming
pool was dedicated. At the September 4th meeting, the members
voted to burn the bonds that they held at the dedication on
Sunday.
1960 marked the first time that the
Cedarburg Fire Department gave scholarships to graduating high
school students. The fire department also made the final payment
of $1,694 for the new Boy Scout house on what is now Riveredge
Dr.
The Truck Committee was appointed to get
specifications together and present them to the members for
their evaluation. At the December meeting, the approval was
given to the committee to purchase a new FWD. The new engine was
delivered in 1961 and included a 1000 gallon per minute pump and
1000 gallon tank.
With the addition of a new and larger
engine space was becoming limited in the current station. In
1962 the members started to look for a new location for a fire
station. The officers had meetings with the council members on
what land was available and if they had any preference on
location. There were many locations that were looked at. Some of
these were Firemen’s Park, The Woolen Mill complex on Bridge and
Washington, and the City owned property on Mequon Ave. Insurance
underwriters were contacted by the building committee and asked
for their recommendation. They indicated that an spot closer to
the industrial area would be number one, or the site on Mequon
Ave. would be the next best location. The city already owned the
land on Mequon Ave, and that site was chosen.
The next year after many meeting
with the architects and representatives from Wisconsin Electric
Company, all the legal ramifications were completed. In December
of 1963 the department members voted unanimously to build a new
firehouse as bid.
Throughout the early part of 1964, members
watched with a careful eye as the new station took shape. Then
in October, the department moved into their new station, and “OH
BOY THEY WERE PROUD.”
In 1965, William G. Ritter was elected
Chief. After a long wait the department was issued a tax exempt
number from the Federal Government.
Because of some problems over the
last couple of years, the members voted not to sponsor
motorcycle races. This was not the people’s fault, who sponsored
the races, but some of the people who came and did not know how
to enjoy the event for what it really was, an excellent sport.
Motorcycle races can be enjoyed just as any other sport is.
With the lost income from the races, the department needed to
fin some other source of income. Chief appointed a committee to
research ways for the members to raise their income level so as
to continue purchasing their own equipment and pay for their
members training. In September of 1966, it was decided to try a
flea market. The first couple of times, the response was not the
greatest, but each time it did grow. This was the birth of
Maxwell Street Days. This has helped to support the department
and relieve some pressure off of local tax payers.
In July of 1966 the Rescue Squad had the
experience of delivering their first baby. During this time
period the Rescue Squad served along side of the Cedarburg
American Legion ambulance.
A truck committee was appointed to
upgrade pumping capacity of department and equipment. Some of
the officers of the department presented to the members that
there could be a use in forming a county mutual aid pact.
In 1967, the truck committee presented to
the membership the cost, specifications and their recommendation
on what apparatus to purchase. After some questions were
answered by the committee chairman, members authorized the truck
committee to purchase the apparatus as presented.
The Music Festival Committee reported
that they have 35 musical units in competition. 8 open bands, 5
junior bands, 8 class C drum and bugle, and 14 class A drum and
bugle units. In 1991 it was found that putting a show of this
caliber would cost about $157,000.
The second Maxwell Street Day was held on
May 28th, 1967 and brought in $277.80, with 80 spaces sold. The
Firemen’s Park Committee and the County Agricultural Society had
a meeting to enter into an agreement that whoever would decide
to sell their land first, the other organization would have the
first right of refusal.
Joint rehearsals with neighboring
departments started to become more common place. Trainings began
to increase as new technologies increased within the fire
service.
In 1968, a new engine was received and had a 1000
gallon per minute pump and a 750 gallon water tank. This
apparatus was a FWD.
With the synthetics becoming more and
more popular along with more chemicals being used, it has become
very dangerous to enter a burning building. With this in mind,
the officers recommended that the department buy more
self-contained breathing apparatus.
The Town of Cedarburg
fire protection contract needed to be renewed, and like any
other business, building and operation costs increased. It was
decided to ask for an increase to $6,500 for the next year.
The year left some sad memories for the
Cedarburg Fire Department members, in that the town had their
first fire fatality. Fighting fires takes its toll on personnel
and equipment, but when there is life lost, it cannot be
explained what the firefighter feels. What happened that day
stays in your mind, and you relive all the events and memories
of that day every time you hear that people are trapped in a
building.
In December of 1968, the fire department
also recorded the largest fire loss of the time. The Formart
Container Fire started from a heater that was used to heat wax
during the manufacturing process. The warehouse was completely
destroyed and also part of the manufacturing area. The office
and records were saved and some manufacturing area, along with
the equipment. The factory was rebuilt and is in operation
today. During this fire, the Cedarburg Fire Department was
assisted by Grafton and Thiensville. Together their mutual aid
training and camaraderie helped to save as much as was possible.
At the beginning of 1969, Cedarburg and
the surrounding communities saw the advantages of mutual aid. At
the May meeting members were informed that a County Association
is in the making with all nine Ozaukee County fire departments
in attendance. All of the departments were in agreement that
this type of cooperation can only add to the strength of each
department. In June, it was reported that the County Association
will now be referred to as “The Association of Ozaukee County
Fire Departments.” The first officers were: President-William
Anderson of Cedarburg, Vice President-William Rausch of
Thiensville, Secretary/Treasurer-Allen “Skip” Eernisse of
Grafton. The final legal items were worked out and presented to
each community for confirmation. Each department created a list
of its own equipment and were shared with each other department.
Mutual aid agreements were signed with Germantown, Jackson, and
Newburg. Since these departments were not in Ozaukee County,
there had to be separate agreements, with them.
In order to better the patient care of
the Rescue Squad, the department purchased its first Heart Lung
machine. The department also purchased a light duty Rescue Squad
and resuscitator.
In 1970, a committee was appointed
to replace the 1928 pumper, seeing that it had been in service
for over 40 years.
The demands of the volunteers
increased in the 1970’s. A typical monthly schedule for an
active Cedarburg firefighter from April through September looked
like: Every Monday night Firemen’s Park clean-up averaging 2
hours, races every Wednesday night from 6pm to 11:30 or 12 for
an average of 5 hours. The first Friday monthly meeting
averaging 2 hours followed by Thursday’s monthly rehearsal for 2
hours. Rescue Squad rehearsals on the following Tuesday take 2
hours and on the left over Thursday night, pump operators
classes last about 3 hours. Fire prevention activities and
inspections take many hours. There are four Maxwell Street Days
per summer with set-up on Saturday and early Sunday for about 13
hours. It takes 80 to 90 people to make this function run
smoothly.
In 1971, the Chief received a letter from a local
factory on a job well done by the department. A possible
disastrous fire was prevented by the sprinkler system which was
held in check until the fire department arrived.
In 1972, a new pumper was ordered.
A motion to borrow money to pay for the new truck was made,
since the cost of apparatus was rising faster than the
department’s income.
Chief Ritter was honored for forty years
of service to the department and city in 1973. Pieces from the
firehouse that burned in 1907 were given to the department. They
are on display in the meeting room.
The new FWD pumper was put into service.
It was equipped with a 1250 gallon per minute pump and carried
750 gallons of water. The new engine replaced one purchased in
1957.
Better ways of alerting members for calls
was discussed and the radio committee was given the job to find
one. In November, the members authorized the purchase of
individual pagers at a cost of $26,000.
The fire department was offered the space
in the upstairs of the old firehouse. The city had moved out and
the department needed the office and storage space.
In 1974,
a new grass fire unit was purchased. A committee was formed to
replace the heavy duty Rescue Squad. The committee purchased a
Mack chassis and awarded the job of building the new squad to
Marion Fire Apparatus in Marion, Wisconsin. The Rescue Squad
requested funds to purchase equipment to be carried on the light
duty squad for only doctors to use. This would be on the
recommendation of local doctors, and the cost would be around
$5,000.
A new house numbering system was
implemented in 1975. Anyone not understanding how it works was
trained on the new system. The 1957 pumper was sold to Mountain,
Wisconsin. The Rescue Squad continued to grow and more training
became required. Emergency Medical Technician certification
became part of the Rescue Squad’s requirements. The department
responded to 292 calls for service in 1975.
The department
purchased a new station wagon in 1976 for the purpose of fire
prevention. The members of the Rescue Squad received cardiac
training from area doctors. A dive team was established, and
members trained on SCUBA diving and underwater emergencies.
The 1957 ladder truck was in need of
repairs and the members authorized expenditures to bring it up
to good working condition.
An ice storm hit the community, and the
Chief commended the members on a job well done. He also explains
that we cannot commit all apparatus, some units must be held in
readiness for fire emergencies.
The department purchased a Jaws of Life
and other tools for vehicle extrication. The unit was put into
service on the new heavy duty Rescue Squad. The total cost of
the equipment and truck is $169,000.
In 1977, bids were received for a new
pumper. After evaluating the bids, and trips to see what quality
of work would be supplied by bidders, it was decided that Pierce
Fire Apparatus of Appleton, Wisconsin would be awarded the bid.
The cost for the new engine was, $82,467.50.
The demands for firefighters and officers
in 1978 continued to demand more hours for completion. With
costs of all things rising, the cost of fire equipment also
continued to rise. The department saw this, and recommended that
the truck committee look into refurbishing some of the older
apparatus. One pumper and the aerial ladder were recommended for
updating. The costs for the repairs to the pumper were estimated
at $20,000 and cost for the aerial was estimated to be around
$21,000.
The new rescue squad was received.
The City of Cedarburg passed Ordinance
No. 78-1 pertaining to the status of fire department members and
creation of a Fire Prevention Bureau.
Chief William Ritter resigned from
his position as Chief at the annual meeting. He explained the
procedure for electing a new Chief to the members. After members
vote for their choice, it is submitted to the Fire and Police
Commission for approval, and then it is given to the Mayor and
Common Council for appointment. William H. Anderson was elected
as Chief by the members.
The members questioned the Chief on how
much liability they are assuming on fire and rescue calls. The
city and their insurance company, along with legal council, have
stated that as long as the members operate within their
training, they are covered by the city’s liability insurance.
Members were also advised that it is not possible to make a
broad statement that covers every kind of loss.
It was discussed whether to
continue having races at Firemen’s Park and a decision was made
to honor the contract with Midwest Speedways for one more year
of racing.
The old heavy duty Rescue Squad was donated to the
Cedarburg Civil Defense for use as a hazardous material truck.
The new Pierce engine was delivered. The apparatus had a 1750
gallon per minute pump and a 750 gallon water tank. Chief
Wiegert was elected to Vice President of the Fire Prevention
League of Wisconsin. Members voted not to sponsor races any
longer and gave the Fair Board authorization to go ahead with
improvements to the infield. Maxwell Street Days was becoming
bigger and bigger with well over 1000 exhibitors per event. With
this increase, more manpower was needed to run the events.
Improvements were also made to the fair grounds to accommodate
customers. A recognition dinner was held for employers that have
supported department by allowing their employees to leave for
emergencies.
In 1980, William Anderson resigned
a Chief and Wayne A. Fischer was elected Chief at the annual
meeting. The department purchased individual personal protective
gear for all firefighters. Before this, the department carried
helmets, coats, and boots on the heavy duty Rescue Squad. This
led to members wearing gear that sometimes did not fit properly.
Harry Wiegert was elected President of the Wisconsin State Fire
Inspectors Association. Harry was the first volunteer to be
elected to this position. Hazardous Materials class and
demonstration sponsored by the department and the stat
government. A letter was received from the state coordinator
complementing the department on a job well done. The operating
costs of the department in 1980 cost $178,394. The cost to the
city for the year was $62,652.90.
A new Pontiac Le Mans was purchased for
the Fire Prevention Bureau in 1981. The Rescue Squad had 23
state registered EMT’s. In order for the EMT’s to keep their
registration up, they must have 16 hours of refresher class.
OSHA’s issued new rules on SCBA and caused the department to
update the ones that could be updated at a cost of $17,070. The
department received a Thank You letter from the March of Dimes
Chairman on a job well done for the past 42 years. A letter for
m the Milwaukee Journal tells of an excellent job and dedication
by the members over the years. Maxwell Street Days brought in
over 1,100 vendors and an estimated crowd of about 10,000 people
for the day. A motion was made to restore the first motorized
piece of equipment purchased by the department. The estimated
cost of $6,000 was given. The fire department hosted a National
Fire Ground Commander class. The instructor for this class was
Chief Brunacini from the Phoenix Fire Department.
In 1982, the Boy Scouts contacted the
department for a donation to repair the Boy Scout House. Members
voted to donate time for labor that was needed to complete the
work. The Rescue Squad purchased two new Heart Monitors at a
cost of $67,000 each. They also purchased mast trousers used for
patient stabilization. Members also voted to replace $6,428
worth of firefighting equipment. The joint purchase of a phone
recorder for the dispatcher to record incoming phone calls and
radio messages was approved at a cost of $6,000. The department
paid to update the firehouse heating system at a cost of $7,500.
The Fire Ground Command school was successful with 135 people in
attendance. Instructors were nationally certified and had a lot
of information to give. The members voted to authorize the
purchase of a new 1983 Buick wagon and a new pumper to replace
the 1964 pumper. The cost of the wagon was $13,045 and the
pumper cost $235,000. The Grandstand at Firemen’s Park was
rebuilt.
In 1983 the Historical Society asked for
help in moving and renovating the Cedarburg Railroad Depot. The
members voted to donate $5,000 to their cause. The Fire
Prevention Bureau received its new station wagon for fire
inspections and investigations. Members of the Rescue Squad
re-registered for their National EMT Certification. Problems
with radio communications were experienced in emergency
situations and the radio committee was instructed to research
the problem and recommend a solution. The department was
approached by the Cedarburg High School alumni to donate to the
high school field lighting. After a month’s discussion, the
members voted to kick off the fund raising drive with a $10,000
donation. As in the past, training continues and fire prevention
is one area that increases the most. The Fire Prevention Bureau
works hard in getting the schools to teach fire prevention in
the lower grades, Grade schools cooperate with the fire
department by teaching fire safety with the department
furnishing books and guidelines for classes.
Through the years there were many fires,
but not all were caused by lightning or natural causes. Arson
has , and always will be present. Fire science has improved and
so have ways of detecting arson. Members take the many classes
that are available in arson detection and become proficient at
determining the cause of most of our fires. They also have
proven some of our fires were arson, took them suspects to court
and won.
The department made a donation of $1,500 to the
Emergency Government for a new truck in 1984. This was donated
because all the support that they give the department throughout
the years. Through the years, the department members have always
supported the youth of the city in many ways: Hosting and
chaperoning post prom parties, sponsoring boys to Badger Boys
State, giving scholarships to graduating seniors, free use of
Firemen’s Park for football games, paid lighting of the football
field, and many more things. The Rescue Squad added a new
cutting tool to their Hurst tool equipment for auto extrication.
Seeing the world is entering every thing into computers, so is
the fire service. Everything from training to hazardous material
records is operated by computers. Members vote to update their
computer system so that they will be able to access this
information and keep better records for the state and federal
government.
With more members going to outside
classes a Suburban was purchased so they did not have to take
their personal vehicles to class. With the department still
experiencing problems with the radio system, the radio committee
presented a new radio system to improve the quality at a cost of
$53,000. The department was approached by the City Centennial
committee for a donation. Members voted to donate $5,000 for the
celebration and also offer manpower to run the parade.
The City of Cedarburg suffers its first
fire fatality. A child and a father died in the fire. One child
was rescued by a police officer and a firefighter before the
department arrived.
In 1985, discussion was being held about
creating a 911 system for the county. The phone company stated
that they would not be able to sort out calls at this time,
because of Grafton and Mequon also having 375 and 377 exchanges.
The Rescue Squad updates its Heart Monitor with the purchase of
the Lifepack-5 at a cost of $8,500. The department also
purchases a new Horton light duty Rescue Squad at a cost of
$62,625 to replace the old unit.
In 1986, Richard Horneck was elected to
Chief. Member Mike Schultz was appointed to a National Fie
Prevention Protection Association sub-committee. Members honor
Melvin Maronde for 65 years of service to the Cedarburg Fire
Department. With the state giving fire departments more
responsibility, the members vote to hire a part-time fire
inspector.
In 1987, the Fire Prevention Bureau began
looking into the “Survive Alive” program which is geared to
teach children fire safety. A few surrounding communities have
started programs. By the end of the year the Survive Alive House
is being built in the old station with help from the community.
The truck committee recommended that the department accept the
bid from Pierce Manufacturing for a new ladder tower to replace
the 1957 aerial ladder at a cost of $435,000. The department
donated $750 to the youth center at Westlawn School. The
department also added a new ram to its extrication equipment.
In the spring of 1988 the department received its new tower
ladder and put it into operation. New hose and equipment was
purchased at a cost of $18,000. The Survive Alive program
started operation and was given to 240 students.
A new grass fire unit was put into
service in 1989 in time for the grass fire season. A permanent
scholarship fund is set up, and the members vote to start with
$26,000. Their intent is to invest money and give scholarships
from the interest earned. The Community Scholarship committee
will oversee this money with one firemen serving on the
committee. The 911 system started to be set up in Ozaukee and
Washington counties’ dispatching systems and would be completed
by 1991. The truck committee was given the okay to enter into a
contract with Pierce Manufacturing for the purchase of a new
pumper to replace an older apparatus at a cost of $233,000.
In 1990, bisds for a new heavy duty
rescue squad were received, with the cost of the apparatus to be
$249,541. The Cedarburg Fire Department Inc. purchased land from
the Wisconsin Electric Power Company. The land involved in the
purchase is from Washington Ave. to Jefferson St. just north of
the firehouse. This strip of land was at one time used by the
interurban electric train, which ran from Sheboygan to Kenosha.
The department donated $2,625 for purchase of a fire truck type
play equipment for city park. The new Pierce engine was
delivered with a 1500 gallon per minute pump and a 1000 gallon
water tank. The paging system was updated at a cost of $8,700. A
right of first refusal between the Cedarburg Fire Department and
the County has been signed, returned and filed at the County
Courthouse. The old heavy duty rescue squad is sold to the
Milwaukee Fire Department, where it was used with their dive
team for the next 15 years.
1991 brought the 125th anniversary
of the Cedarburg Fire Department. The members moved to celebrate
the event with a parade, carnival, and fireworks. The cost was
not to exceed $60,000. The members purchased a new Hurst Jaws of
Life at a cost of $16,298 to be installed on the new heavy duty
rescue squad.
In 1993, the department elected a new
Chief, Richard Van Dinter. The department also expanded its
station to the north adding more office space and a new hose
tower.
In 1994, the department purchased and received a new
pumper tender. This piece of apparatus gave the department the
ability to quickly shuttle water. The department previously had
to pump water out of its tanks, the new tender has dump shoots
expediting the process.
In 1997, the department purchased a new
light duty rescue squad. This squad allowed gave the department
a second light duty squad. The department now became the sole
provider of Emergency Medical Service to the City and Town of
Cedarburg. This came about after the city ended its contract
with Cedarburg Ambulance. This ended the policy of people seeing
what appeared to be two ambulances on the scene of a EMS call.
In 1999, the department responded to the
largest incident it had since the Formart fire. In the middle of
the night ,a fire alarm sounded at Ataco Steel. Upon arrival of
the first sheriff deputy, dispatch was notified that there was a
fire. This began the week long effort to contain, knockdown,
overhaul, and investigate the fire. Since the building is in an
area with out hydrants a water shuttle was set up. This involved
departments for Ozaukee, Washington, Sheboygan, and Milwaukee
Counties. The office space of the building was totaled. However,
the manufacturing portion of the building was saved and
operation resume shortly after the fire. The department also
purchased new SCBA in 1999.
In 2000, the department replace a light
duty rescue squad with a new Freightliner Medtech.
On September 11, 2001 the members of
Cedarburg Fire Department stood by while events around the
nation were unfolding.
In 2003, the department received a
trailer donated by the LaRosa Landscaping Company for use as a
dive team trailer. Members worked to put the trailer in service.
In 2004, a new utility truck was purchased. The truck
committee also meet for the replacement of an engine. The
department also helped the Town of Cedarburg design a new
firehouse in the town. The department received its new engine at
the end of 2004.
2005 brought the addition of a new station
to the Cedarburg Fire Department.
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