Dewey Fire Department breaks fundraising record
By Brandi Makuski
Dewey Firefighter Malayna Polum was hoping to raise $10,000 on Saturday. Or, at least, close to it.
“Even though it’s rainy, there’s still a lot of people here today, it’s surprising,” Polum said on Aug. 13. She was one key figure in the department’s setup at the 7th annual Drag Boat Race Day at Bullheads Bar & Grill.
It was the site of the annual Upper Midwest Powerboat Association contest, which drew over 3,000 onlookers, participants, and campers about seven miles north of Stevens Point. The DFD annually holds a fundraiser during the event, offering a silent auction, raffles, and selling burgers and other items. About 25 firefighters, and their family members, turned out to pull off this year’s offering.
Toward the end of the day on Saturday, Polum said she was confident they were close to the goal. But according to Dewey Fire Chief Brian Lepper, the department brought in a record-setting $12,711.98.
“We’re buying an extractor washing machine, which is about $6,000, and we wouldn’t be able to afford that without this event,” Lepper said.
It’s a special appliance made only for the fire service, he said, “like a washing machine on steroids—it gets all the carcinogens and smoke off of our gear.”
Lepper said the DFD also needs to purchase an SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) compressor, which supplies clean, breathable air to firefighters’ air tanks.
Dewey previously used the washing machine and compressor from the Park Ridge Fire Department. But that equipment became unavailable when trustees in Park Ridge voted to place the department on inactive status in June.
A compressor will cost the department about $10,000. Lepper said he’s working on an application for a FEMA grant to cover the expense, but added, “if that doesn’t work we’ll have to do some additional fundraising.”
Since becoming chief in Dewey, Lepper said he’s been planning to increase firefighters’ pay, which is based on a point system. Depending on a member’s time in service, and the type of activity for which they are present, each is awarded a certain number of points. Once a year, those points are cashed in for a paycheck.
“To me, people are the biggest asset. We could have the reddest, shiniest fire trucks, but if you don’t have people, you don’t have anything,” he said. “The members we’ve had the longest, they make about $1,500 a year.”
Lepper said an anonymous donor has pledged $4,000. If he can obtain approval from the town board, he’ll use those funds to boost the point reimbursement.
“But my people are too humble; they know we need equipment, and they don’t do this for the money,” Lepper told the Metro Wire on Monday. “With a $26,000-ish operating budget, $12,000 is huge.”
Dewey Fire Department and EMS is located at 430 Dewey Dr. and can be reached by calling 715-344-2343 or on Facebook.
