WILD ROSE, Wis. (WFRV) – The Wild Rose Area Fire District is volunteer-driven; however, its commitment is anything but part-time.
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“Best fire department I know of, very mixed people of every walk of life, and they come together to help people,” Wild Rose Area Fire District Firefighter Paxton Butzin said.
The department has 41 paid on-call staff, covering 30% of Waushara County.
“We don’t get to do it every day, all day,” Butzin said. “So we work twice as hard to be as good as any other fire department.”
Now the department is raising money for two pieces of life-saving equipment, including a thermal imaging camera and a Jaws of Life cutter. Butzin says these purchases go far beyond normal fundraising goals.
“The funds that come in are significantly smaller,” Butzin said. “We do as much as we can with fundraisers, because having great equipment in a moment of need really helps.”
It’s because for this department, seconds matter, and speed can be life-saving.
“During an accident, you have to take the pump out of the hose; it takes 4-5 minutes to put it together,” Butzin said. “With the battery, you can take it out and start using it. You can’t go back and donate when you need it.”
Vice President John Eilers says smaller departments struggle to keep up without more funding, and more money means updated equipment.
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“We are a small department compared to Milwaukee or Madison, so they get the grants,” Eilers said. “Otherwise, you fall behind, and you can’t serve the people as you did before; you need to upgrade.”
Last year alone, the department responded to over 300 calls, an increase of 80 from 2024.
