Dewey FD wins grant from Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative

By Brandi Makuski

DEWEY — The Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative awarded a $1,000 grant to the Dewey Fire Department on Nov. 5 to support the department’s purchase of new breathing equipment.

Dewey firefighter Malayna Polum, who applied for the grant, said the funds will go toward replacing eight air packs and 16 air bottles, part of an $80,000 upgrading project she’s working on for her department.

“We would be going from the 2,600 to 4,500 PSI bottles, which would just about double the time we have on air,” Polum said.

The grant was presented to Dewey Fire Chief Brian Lepper by Bonnie Ziolkowski, a committee member with the Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative’s Operation Roundup program, which allows members to round up their electric bills, with the excess change supporting local grants.

Ziolkowski, who represents the town of Dewey, said the program’s funds are often distributed to communities farther from Dewey. Recognizing a local need, she encouraged Polum to apply.

“I thought, let’s bring some of it back to our area,” Ziolkowski said. “On behalf of the co-op, I’d like to present $1,000 to the fire department.”

The funds will help cover the cost of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) equipment, which is essential for firefighters’ safety during hazardous conditions. The co-op also funds scholarships for high school seniors in its service area.