Before I tell you about my awesome adventure I want you to check your smoke/carbon monoxide detectors. I’ll wait while you do that. Mmmkay? Did you know state law requires them in every residential building? One on each floor of the home and in the area of the bedrooms for sure. Smoke alarms should be tested monthly. Got it? Good! You might have just saved a life!
I think it was “Take Your Favorite Mayor And Radio Personality To Work Day” or something at the Sheboygan Fire Department. (I just made that up!) Mayor Ryan Sorenson and I got to get a super first-hand and realistic look at what brave firefighters train for to keep us all safe.
Quick stats time! The Sheboygan Fire Department has responded to just over 5,294 calls (so far) in 2024 and 6,643 last year (2023). The department was established in 1888 and currently employs 78 personnel. All members at all five city fire stations are trained as firefighters and paramedics providing a dual response capability. It’s a win-win for anyone ever needing their assistance! The average Response Time? 4 minutes.
The ladder/bucket truck extends 110 feet (7-8 stories) and uses cool outriggers to stabilize it. Crawling on my hands and knees in full gear (75lbs) in a simulated search and rescue smoke-filled room was beyond intense. If you’re not into being in a confined space breathing with oxygen this probably isn’t the gig for you. (Infrared cameras are so cool!) Putting out a small demo fire was also super fun. Thanks to the mayor, the fire chief and all of the support staff for this amazing experience!
You want in on some of this too? The Sheboygan Fire Department offers a Citizens Fire Academy annually in fall. It’s a 7-week course that focuses on classroom and hands-on education of all aspects of the fire department, including; Administration, Emergency Medical Services, Technical Rescue, Fire Prevention/Code Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Fire Ground Operations, and Scenario Night/Graduation. I highly recommend checking it out! It’ll give you a super realistic look at what these life-saving real life superheroes do!
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