To study Boyceville Fire Department needs

BOYCEVILLE — A professional company will be hired to study the needs of the fire department. At the meeting of the Boyceville Community Fire District held last Wednesday, September 18 municipal officials that are part of the district agreed to hire an engineering firm to study the space needs of the fire department.

 The members elected Rick Monn, chair of the Town of Stanton to preside over the monthly meeting of the fire district in place of Gib Krueger, who was absent from the meeting because of another obligation.

During the discussion about the need to have a study done, Monn stated, “the big item here with the fire department is where and how it is going to be housed.”

At present the fire and ambulance service is housed in a crowded building at Center and Main Street. It is expected that the ambulance will move to new quarters by the end of the year. But the fire department still will have room needs.

A committee will draw up requirements for the study and will try to get three bids from firms to decide on how to proceed. The cost of the study is estimated to be between $2,500 and $3,500.

Gib Krueger, who is chair of the Fire and Ambulance District, did arrive at the meeting and suggested to the group that they take the advise of the firm hired to do the study and not just shelf the information.

The group heard from Fire Chief Brian Marlette that the department has answered 44 calls so far this year. He noted that they had four calls in August. One call was a Mutual Aid, Marlette stated, a car fire and a shed fire in the Town of Sherman. He noted that they were called to an accident on highway 25 and County Highway FF where a horse drawn vehicle was struck by a motor vehicle. Marlette said he was happy to report that there were no injuries in that accident.

Marlette reported that no one was interested in the old Jaws of Life after he attempted to offer neighboring emergency services a deal, after their new equipment was put into service.

In other action the group voted to pay the village $1,000 annually to do the department’s book work. That was approved on a 4-2 vote. Monn noted that the village is still doing all the paperwork for the fire department and with the forming of a fire district, he talked about having a “clean break” from the village. Krueger  suggested, “there is no reason to upset the apple cart now, we have enough other items to consider.”

Bids Opened Today For Ambulance Quarters

It was learned during the ambulance service part of the monthly meeting that bids for the remodeling of the former Chevrolet garage on Race Street will be opened today (Wednesday, September 25). They heard this report from EMS chief Matt Feeney. He stated that he expected that state approval of the plans would be back on September 19th.

The group set a meeting for Monday, September 30 to let the bids on the work for the new ambulance quarters.

During his report, Feeney informed the officials that there are four EMTs doing advance work and they should be certified by January. He also stated that they are planning a mass casualty training in Wheeler next May. He noted that this “is a large scale incident and will be doing it jointly with the Colfax Ambulance service.

Feeney also spoke about the “Cross Country Event” in which six runners in the event experienced heat related symptoms and were transported for medical care. He noted all the other agencies that responded to that incident. He also informed the meeting of some new items that his department had received including a snowmobile rescue sled, helmets and grants that they are working on.

On a five to two vote the officials approved a payment to the village of $2,000 annually to do the ambulances bookwork.

The next regular meeting will be on October 9th.