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HOMETOWN HEROES:
FIRE DEPARTMENT ORIGINS
In March of 1935, a local tragedy motivated the Pleasant Prairie community to form their own Fire Department. A fire that had started in one house spread to three more before it could be put out. Three of the four houses were completely destroyed. Soon afterward, 502 citizens signed a petition calling for the Town to form a Fire Department. When the Town Board received the petition, they immediately ordered a Pirsch firetruck. On August 22, 1935, the Pleasant Prairie Fire Department was officially operational.
For decades, volunteers and one full-time employee ran the Fire Department. Volunteers were paid $2.00 per emergency call and for each Saturday training session. This helped off-set some of the costs that came with volunteering. The Town only supplied each firefighter with a helmet, raincoat, and boots. Volunteers had to buy everything else themselves. This included items like first aid kits, pry bars, and fire extinguishers to keep in their cars, since most drove themselves to emergency calls.
“You joined the Fire Department because you were interested in contributing to the health and welfare of the township.”
– Harold A. Bastrup, Pleasant Prairie Fire Department Volunteer, 1947 – 1955.
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