Old Firefighter Times
Aug 2015, 108th Issue
G. Michael Fuss, Editor
[email protected]
Dear Friends:
It’s been a great summer! Hope all of you are
having a great summer.
Get-Togethers
3rd Tuesday of the Month - 11 am
Esquire
I went to Nashville for a week. I sang at a few
places and spent 4 days with Johnny & June Carter’s
housekeeper for 33 years. She wrote a couple of books
that I’ve read and they are great.
1st Monday of the month - 8 am
Green Lantern Breakfasts
I went to Minouqua the next week and fished
all week. Caught over 200 fish (Bluegills, Perch,
Rockbass, Smallmouth & Largemouth). Filleted them
all and had 2 big fish fries.
September 3rd, - 11 am
Retiree Picnic, Warner Park
$15 - RSVP to Speranza
Came home to play in the band. Then I realized
that I needed another vacation from “the vacations” to
rest up.
It’s been 27 years since I started the GetTogethers. First at my Uncle Buds Tavern on Atwood
Ave and now at the Esquire. Rod Corcoran started the
breakfasts at the Green Lantern and Davy Crockett
organizes it now.
As of June 26th I’ve been at Old #8 (25 years).
It is hard to believe.
My band hosts a Country & Western Jam, at
The American Legion in Stoughton, on the 4th Sunday of the month, starting at 2 - 6 pm. We also play
at the Rockdale Bar (formerly Heathers) on the 2nd
Sunday of the month, starting at 3 – 7 pm. Both
places have been packed. Great food too!
242-0035
September 15th
Retirees Golf Outing
Sun Prairie Golf Course
RSVP to McGrew
836-3158
September 24th
RPFFW Conference
Coliseum Bar & Grill
Membership not required
RSVP to Speranza
242-0035
December 20th - 11:30 am
F-Troop Party
Joe’s Fire Station Bar
In Memory
Philis Gessler (Bert’s wife) - June
Hugh Emerson - July
Assigned to Stations 1, 9, Dispatch, & 5.
News On MFD

Former Truck 8 is now Ladder Truck 2.

Former Truck 2 is now in reserve.

5 aerials in service at 1, 2, 6, 7 & 8.

11 engines in service at 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
12 & 13.

Only 1 chief car 31 at no. 1. No. 2 and No. 13
need a chief.

8 rescues at 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10.
I believe we need 1 more aerial for the east side
and 2 more engines in this City. Another rescue unit
wouldn’t hurt either. The Administration should
drop the acting captains and make permanent captains in the stations.
Engine 5 - 1989
Lt. Mike O’Leary, Jeff Miller, Randy Prude
New No. 2 - 1980
(421 Grand Canyon Dr.)
T. Washa, T. Heimerl, Capt. R. O’Brien,
P. Jacobson
MFD Retirement
Craig Underkofler - June 22
Closing of Old No. 3 - 1953
Lloyd Briggs, Art Halverson, Paul Tofte, Stan Hermanson, Capt. Harold Muenkel, George Piernot, Keith Lawler
Shorts
Saw Doug & Gail Dahlk, Had a nice talk with Harry Klinger and he is doing fine. Harry is the
oldest retiree, followed by Curley Andrews, Mike Sullivan, Bill Ferger, Carson Mettel, Charlie
Merkle, Dick “Red” Rossmaessler, Ed Kjin, Don Olson and Joe Wedekind. (The top 10.) Saw
Don Bingham and he is fine. Had a nice phone conversation with Don Gandolph. Don and
Mary are doing well. Had a nice talk with John Trinkle and he says “Hi” to everyone. Had a
nice talk with Joe Conway Sr. and he is doing good.
Engine 3
1959 FWD
Transferred from #8 to #3 in
1964
Last Crew at Old #8
June 26,1990
Ed Savee, Dale Gessler, Tom Dalton, Dick Gilbertson, Marti Martinez, Dan Wenborne
Mikey’s History Lesson
There wasn’t what you could consider a class of recruits until January 9, 1966. That is when the 3 platoon system started (right after Station 2 closed and
truck 6 and engine 2 were not manned anymore).
Dan Parkinson died the last day of the 2 platoon system. The recruits became the first to be on the 40
hour work week. They were: Jim Ward, Ron Shaw,
Dale Gessler, John Packard, John Trinkle, and Doug
Birkett. Three days later Jack Deering was hired. On
January 23, Wilmar Sprecher was hired. They used
Old Station 2 for training. On January 28, they started
in the stations. Five of them went to Station 1, the
other 3 went to stations 4, 7 & 9. Prior to this, guys
were hired and started in the stations right away and
spent part of their 24 hour shift with the drill instructor. There was no so called class of 58, 59, 60 etc. The
last guys to be hired as a group before you could consider it a class were: Mike O’Leary, Marti Martinez,
Dick Brown, Gil Gonzales, Ron Ruland, Jerry Burse,
Virgil Westphal, Dick Olson and Duane Riley. This was
January 10, 1965.
Engine 2 - 1960
Broom Street
1956 Pirsch
1st Prize
MFD Display Booth
East Side Businessmen’s Festival
Voit Field - Milwaukee Street
June 1963
Know Your Fireman From the Past
1950
Hank Anderson
Joe Bauer
Vince Geier
Mert Gorsuch
Jim Spangler