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Park Ridge provides fire support vehicle

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
When a larger fire breaks out in Portage County, the smallest fire department in the county will likely respond.

The Park Ridge Fire Department is called to many of the fire scenes in the county because it has a support vehicle to assist the Mutual Aid Box System (MABAS).

That vehicle includes an incident command center with a firefighter accountability system, a communications center, a personnel carrier with air-pack seating, an 18,000-watt generator system, 10,000 watts of scene lighting, a refill system for self-contained breathing apparatus, a mechanical tool source and a rehabilitation area for firefighters.

"This new truck is our way for the village to contribute to the mutual aid system," said Village President Tom Gloudemans during a Sept. 5 appreciation ceremony at the village Fire Station for Fire Chief Ron Slicer for his efforts in the design and building of the truck.

"The fire department here knows how much we depend on other fire departments," Gloudemans said. "In the past we were giving aid but getting more from the other departments. Ron took that need and added to it."

Slicer took an 18-foot step van from the St. Charles, Minn., Fire Department and developed it into the support vehicle. He's familiar with building fire trucks. He worked with town of Dewey firefighters to build two trucks for that department.

Gloudemans said the village spent about $40,000 for the vehicle that now has equipment that would have cost $120,000 and probably in the range of $140,000 to $150,000. "Now we have a vehicle to be proud of and which the county very much needs," he said. "This is our attempt to make mutual aid mutual."

Slicer's contribution in building the unit probably saved the village about $75,000, Gloudemans said.

"I'm so pleased that this unit has worked out this well and has the capabilities that it has," Slicer said. Previously, Park Ridge could only send fire trucks that duplicated units those fire departments already had and now it has a unit that no other department has, although Plover has a similar one for its Hazmat (hazardous materials) team, he said.

"There are things that Plover can do that we can't," Slicer said. "And there's things we could do and they can't. They complement each other. Because they are a Hazmat team it's more tagged to Hazmat. We're on the responders level.

"This can be a catalyst so all department can learn together to use instant command and use it in the same way." Slicer said. "When we have to work together, we will be used to working together and we will succeed in working together."

While Slicer did most of the work on the truck, he said others provided assistance, singling out Leo "Corky" Sieg and David "Buzz" Casto for their help. "I couldn't do it all or I needed help doing some things. My wife Mary had to put up with a lot. When I needed someone to help hold a nut or something, she made her way out there to help me. It's greatly appreciated on my part," Slicer said.

He said contributions by area businesses helped the village, including Joe Thorn of Metal Crafters in Stevens Point for labor and materials for metal work, Troy Aeby and Ken Barrington of Duralum Carpets for flooring and supplies, Greg Karr of Check's Muffler for labor to build an exhaust system, Kent Worzella of Kent's Service Center for steel welding and Maremount Mufflers for the donation of a design and manufacture of a specialty muffler for the unit.

The unit has been in service since April, and other Fire Departments have had the opportunity to utilize some of its features.

For example, the vehicle is equipped with a television to watch weather forecasts while on the scene, a feature used while investigating a reported drowning in the town of Dewey during stormy weather.

Slicer said the incident command center has a firefighter accountability system so commanders are aware of where firefighters are, plus a communications center with four vehicle radios, two handheld radios and a cellular telephone.

The unit has an 18,000-watt generator system that is capable of powering three complete households at the same time, he said, and has 1,100 feet of electrical cable to bring electricity to needed areas.

The unit also provides 10,000 watts of light to illuminate a fire or emergency scene, he said, and the center can refill air tanks at the scene instead of sending firefighters elsewhere to get them refilled.

The mechanical tooling source on the unit has more than 400 tools, both power and hand, to help firefighters at a scene.

To provide rehabilitation to firefighters, the vehicle is equipped with a refrigerator to keep water, athletic drinks, soda and fruit juices; a microwave for soup, hot chocolate and other items; and a coffee pot.

Gloudemans said the truck is all about volunteers in the fire department in Park Ridge and that department is part of protective services Portage Country prides itself in. "They are paid nothing," Gloudemans said, "But the reward is in serving. I am proud of the Park Ridge Fire Department volunteers."

The plaque on the truck simply says, "In recognition of Chief Ron Slicer's Dedicated Service to the Village of Park Ridge for Building Unit 675 in Service Feb. 1, 2002."



	Park Ridge provides fire support vehicle By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette When a larger fire breaks out in Portage County, the smallest fire department in the county will likely respond. The Park Ridge Fire Department is called to many of the fire scenes in the county because it has a support vehicle to assist the Mutual Aid Box System (MABAS). That vehicle includes an incident command center with a firefighter accountability system, a communications center, a personnel carrier with air-pack seating, an 18,000-watt generator system, 10,000 watts of scene lighting, a refill system for self-contained breathing apparatus, a mechanical tool source and a rehabilitation area for firefighters. "This new truck is our way for the village to contribute to the mutual aid system," said Village President Tom Gloudemans during a Sept. 5 appreciation ceremony at the village Fire Station for Fire Chief Ron Slicer for his efforts in the design and building of the truck. "The fire department here knows how much we depend on other fire departments," Gloudemans said. "In the past we were giving aid but getting more from the other departments. Ron took that need and added to it." Slicer took an 18-foot step van from the St. Charles, Minn., Fire Department and developed it into the support vehicle. He's familiar with building fire trucks. He worked with town of Dewey firefighters to build two trucks for that department. Gloudemans said the village spent about $40,000 for the vehicle that now has equipment that would have cost $120,000 and probably in the range of $140,000 to $150,000. "Now we have a vehicle to be proud of and which the county very much needs," he said. "This is our attempt to make mutual aid mutual." Slicer's contribution in building the unit probably saved the village about $75,000, Gloudemans said. "I'm so pleased that this unit has worked out this well and has the capabilities that it has," Slicer said. Previously, Park Ridge could only send fire trucks that duplicated units those fire departments already had and now it has a unit that no other department has, although Plover has a similar one for its Hazmat (hazardous materials) team, he said. "There are things that Plover can do that we can't," Slicer said. "And there's things we could do and they can't. They complement each other. Because they are a Hazmat team it's more tagged to Hazmat. We're on the responders level. "This can be a catalyst so all department can learn together to use instant command and use it in the same way." Slicer said. "When we have to work together, we will be used to working together and we will succeed in working together." While Slicer did most of the work on the truck, he said others provided assistance, singling out Leo "Corky" Sieg and David "Buzz" Casto for their help. "I couldn't do it all or I needed help doing some things. My wife Mary had to put up with a lot. When I needed someone to help hold a nut or something, she made her way out there to help me. It's greatly appreciated on my part," Slicer said. He said contributions by area businesses helped the village, including Joe Thorn of Metal Crafters in Stevens Point for labor and materials for metal work, Troy Aeby and Ken Barrington of Duralum Carpets for flooring and supplies, Greg Karr of Check's Muffler for labor to build an exhaust system, Kent Worzella of Kent's Service Center for steel welding and Maremount Mufflers for the donation of a design and manufacture of a specialty muffler for the unit. The unit has been in service since April, and other Fire Departments have had the opportunity to utilize some of its features. For example, the vehicle is equipped with a television to watch weather forecasts while on the scene, a feature used while investigating a reported drowning in the town of Dewey during stormy weather. Slicer said the incident command center has a firefighter accountability system so commanders are aware of where firefighters are, plus a communications center with four vehicle radios, two handheld radios and a cellular telephone. The unit has an 18,000-watt generator system that is capable of powering three complete households at the same time, he said, and has 1,100 feet of electrical cable to bring electricity to needed areas. The unit also provides 10,000 watts of light to illuminate a fire or emergency scene, he said, and the center can refill air tanks at the scene instead of sending firefighters elsewhere to get them refilled. The mechanical tooling source on the unit has more than 400 tools, both power and hand, to help firefighters at a scene. To provide rehabilitation to firefighters, the vehicle is equipped with a refrigerator to keep water, athletic drinks, soda and fruit juices; a microwave for soup, hot chocolate and other items; and a coffee pot. Gloudemans said the truck is all about volunteers in the fire department in Park Ridge and that department is part of protective services Portage Country prides itself in. "They are paid nothing," Gloudemans said, "But the reward is in serving. I am proud of the Park Ridge Fire Department volunteers." The plaque on the truck simply says, "In recognition of Chief Ron Slicer's Dedicated Service to the Village of Park Ridge for Building Unit 675 in Service Feb. 1, 2002."