Demonstration dovetailed with real life for the Fort Atkinson Fire Department on Saturday morning.
The department, which went full time after a city referendum in 2022, was hosting elected representatives to show them what goes into running a modern, full-time fire and EMS department.
Those officials, including state Assembly Rep. Joan Fitzgerald and state Sen. Melissa Ratcliff, were still at the firehouse when a call came in for a garage fire in the 300 block of Lincoln Avenue just before 11 a.m.
Fire Chief Bruce Peterson says the first unit reached the burning garage in less than three minutes. Firefighters attacked the fire in the garage and cooled adjacent structures to prevent it from spreading.
No residents were hurt. One firefighter suffered a minor leg injury.
Peterson says the cause of the fire is unknown but not believed to be suspicious.
The flyer for Saturday’s event at the firehouse said it would run from 9 a.m. to noon. Elected and appointed officials were invited to an “exclusive, hands-on experience” to learn about the department’s operations.
Highlights were to include meeting department leaders, a guided tour of the fire station at 124 Milwaukee Ave. West, hands-on experiences with vehicle extrication equipment and fire extinguishing techniques, EMS equipment demonstrations, and an overview of department operations.
