Town of La Grange, Wisconsin

LAUDERDALE-LAGRANGE FIRE DEPARTMENT - Posted on 2/1/2009
NEW AMBULANCE - RESCUE VEHICLE ORDERED A new ambulance/rescue vehicle was ordered in January, 2009. The Department Fire Fighters/Rescue Squad selection committee had established specifications in the fall of 2008. Then they reviewed the different manufacturer’s products, advertised for competitive bids and reviewed the manufacturers proposed products and cost before awarding the contract to purchase. The new ambulance will have a cost of $137,000 with an expected delivery date of June 1, 2009. Life Line Ambulance Manufacturing Company, Sumner, Iowa will build the new ambulance on a Ford 450E turbo-diesel engine powered chassis. A significant design difference in the new ambulance compared to the current Department ambulance will be the patient layout compartment. It will provide much better patient access and from both sides. It will also have four inches more head room. Life Line Ambulance is represented in Wisconsin by Jefferson Fire and Safety of Middleton, Wisconsin. The sales representative for Jefferson Fire and Safety working with the Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department is also the Fire Chief in The Lancaster, WI Fire Department. “It is good to have a sales rep that understands your needs” related Chuck Taylor, LLFD Department Rescue Squad Captain Money for the Ambulance has been totally raised by Department Fund Raising and Donations from people in the community. Arrival of the new Ambulance/Rescue Vehicle in June will conclude the two year planning and fund raising process. All Fire Fighters extend their thanks and appreciation to the Community for supporting this important project 2008 FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY The volunteers serving the Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department responded to 193 total calls for support during 2008. Total calls were about the same in 2008 as 2007, and the Department averaged 3.8 call responses per week each year. The Emergency Rescue Team had the most activity answering 138 calls for assistance, which was lower than the 161 in 2007. Fire fighters responded to 55 calls in 2008 much higher than 35 in 2007. On average over the past three years the Department responded to 181 calls per year. That is the equivalent of 3.5 RESPONSE CALLS EACH WEEK, however the trend has been up the last two years. “Volunteers continue to be the vital link making this department a success,” related Fire Chief John “Curly” Duerst. The volunteer fire fighter staff level is 37 members, while the approved staff level is 40. Please spread the word that The Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department is seeking new volunteers to become Fire Fighters and Emergency Medical Technicians. For those if us living in the Town this could be a life or death situation. Quick response time by both the EMT and Fire Fighters has helped many residents and property owners. Men and women volunteers are needed now, and if you or someone you know is interested please call Chief Curly Duerst at 262 495 8610. Especially needed are those people that could be available during the weekdays. The area property owners and residents are true partners by supporting our Department through gifts and fund raisers. Our Department is classified as a 501c3 organization. Your gifts are generally eligible for tax deduction, and a confirmation letter will be provided for larger gifts. If your employer provides matching gifts please notify them of your gift so that they may also make a matching contribution. “Your past support has been great, and I extend my personal thanks to all of you for making the Department very successful” said Chief Curly Duerst. ANNUAL FIREMEN’S DANCE TO RAISE MONEY FOR NEW HEART MONITOR/DEFIBRILLATOR The Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department’s annual dance will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2009. Tickets will be mailed to Town of La Grange property owners and residents about three weeks before the dance. The proceeds from the dance will be added to the fund to purchase a new heart monitor/defibrillator. This equipment will be installed in the new ambulance. It will allow Rescue Squad members to capture and immediately transmit 12-lead ECG's to the hospital emergency room. That capability has been shown to greatly reduce the time required to get victims of heart attacks into a catheterization laboratory and significantly increase both survival rate and the quality of life of those that survive. This piece of equipment will cost about $14,000, and the Department plans to use profits from the Dance along with other funds to purchase the equipment. Watch for the letter from LLFD this spring. Please financially support the Department as you are able. Funding this important heart monitor/defibrillator purchase will help people in our community survive a heart attack. WILL A FIRE TRUCK GET TO YOUR HOME? Living in the Town of LaGrange close to The Lakes, State Forests, farms, and away from the city is both peaceful and relaxing. We have a truly beautiful area with many trees to enjoy. However, we also have many narrow roads and driveways that make it more challenging for Fire Trucks and Ambulances to reach you during an emergency. Winter brings lots of snow and this makes emergency travel challenging. Please keep your driveways plowed after every snow fall. For those property owners living on private roads or lanes, please have your contractor plow snow and sand as needed to be sure the Fire Truck and Ambulance will reach you in case of emergency. In addition our beautiful trees are close to the narrow roads, and often have low hanging branches. Fire Chief Curly Duerst asks all homeowners and residents to be sure and trim your tree branches. The emergency trucks are large, and they must have a MINIMUM 12 FEET of clearance above the road and driveway surfaces. Branches should not extend into the road or driveway below the 12 FOOT height. Look at your property now as winter is the best time for tree trimming. Having this work done in the winter will protect the many oaks and other trees that could be damaged by insects and other diseases if trimmed during spring and summer months. Trimming in the summer months may result in your trees dieing from disease in subsequent years. Hopefully you will not need the Fire Department, but if you do be sure it arrives without trees damaging the truck.
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