By the Winsted Fire Department

The Winsted Volunteer Fire Department serves the City of Winsted, along with Winsted, Hollywood, Victor, and Woodland townships.

The following is a list of activities that the department was involved in during 2009:

• added one new member to the department, had two members with 20 years retired, two members resigned;

• annual spaghetti dinner and pancake breakfast.

• fireman’s dance with Lester Prairie.

• provided fire protection for Winstock and Higher Ground

• responded to 153 calls in 2009 (113 medicals, 40 fires/other).

The Winsted Volunteer Fire Department was formed Dec. 3, 1889. The department’s first truck (chain driven Oshkosh) arrived in 1927. In 1944, 33 feet of Meulener’s property was purchased for the construction of Winsted’s first fire station.

Over the years that followed, the bell was replaced by a siren and then by pagers, ambulance service was provided, fire trucks came and went, but one thing has stayed the same over the years – the dedication and devotion of the volunteers that truly make a volunteer fire department.

The Fire Department operates with a roster of 30, all volunteer members. Currently there are 24 members. They are: Matt Williams, Tim Purcell, Wayne Schumann, Charlie Fiecke, Gerald Heinen, Jamie Stender, Brady Tormanen, Todd Koch, Troy Scherping, Troy Fleischacker, Mitch Wittmer, Mike Laxen, Rose Heimerl, Dale Gatz, Chad Stender, Jim Condon, Mike Thonvold, Jerry Koch, Jim Koch, Chief Chad Engel, 1st Asst. Chief Brian Langenfeld, 2nd Asst. Chief Jon Davidson, 1st Capt. Tim Kosek, 2nd Capt. Brent Mickolichek, Ladder Capt. Shaun Bush and Secretary Justin Hertzog.

In addition to providing general fire suppression services, the Winsted Volunteer Fire Department also provides fire cause determination, fire prevention services, cold water rescue, auto extrication, hazardous materials response, Skywarn spotters, and MN licensed day care inspections.

The Winsted Fire Department also operates a First Responder service, responding to all medical emergencies within our coverage area. The department operates with state certified Emergency Medical Technicians, and certified First Responders. With an average annual call volume of just over 150 calls for service, an average of 66 percent of these calls are for medical emergencies.

In the year 2009, Jim Koch achieved 25 years of service, Dave Gailey achieved 20 years of service, Charlie Fiecke achieved 15 years of service, Chad Stender achieved 10 years of service, and Brent Mickolichek achieved five years of service.

In 2010, the following members will achieve the following: Jim Condon 20 years of service, Troy Fleischacker five years of service.