Firefighters: ready for anything

Our Wright County Heroes series concludes this week with a focus on firefighters. Firefighting services are required by the state, and the volunteers in Wright County step in to make sure our communities have that essential coverage. However, they do not just suppress fires; being a firefighter means being prepared to deal with a variety of dangerous situations.

Who they are

Seven Wright County communities maintain a fire service. Including junior firefighters (who are between the 16 and 18 years old), 27 firefighters volunteer in Dows, 23 in Clarion, 20 in Eagle Grove, 12 in Goldfield, 32 in Belmond, seven in Woolstock and 14 in Rowan. 

What they do

How often fire departments are called can vary a lot. Clarion Fire Chief Gene Rosenbaum said his service typically gets 50-60 calls in a year. “One fall when it was very windy we had five calls in one day—combine and field fires,” he said.

But being a firefighter isn’t all about putting out fires. “We get involved with so many other things, including car accidents, assisting medical personal, any type of gas leak, hazardous materials and liquid spills, traffic control if needed, storm spotting in severe weather,” said Matt Ring, Dows Fire Chief. “The list is virtually endless for what firefighters are asked to do.”

For the full story, and more words from Wright County fire chiefs, see the September 22 edition of the Monitor.