Lund Fire Department celebrating 60 years of service

Founded in 1954, the Lund Fire Department is celebrating 60 years of service on Saturday.
According to firefighter Gary Samuelson, area townships including Maiden Rock, Pepin, Lund, and the Village of Stockholm formed a fire department.
"When the department was formed, there were about 10 businesses in Lund," he said. "The fire department was manned mostly by business owners and farmers who lived close by."
Originally, the fire hall had two doors, and room for just two trucks. A back section was added in 1985, opening up room for two more. The current building was constructed in the same location 10 years ago.
In 2010, a second station was added in the Village of Stockholm, and houses one combination pumper-tanker truck. Samuelson said a few of the current members live close to Stockholm, and it's easier for them to get to Station #2.
Samuelson, who has been on the department for 46 years, says he's "the old guy."
"Up until roughly 1985 we didn't have a paging system, and used four fire phones in businesses and houses," he said. "There was a siren in the building, and each person with a fire phone had a call list."
At that time, neither county was involved with paging, said Samuelson.
"After that, Pepin County Did all the paging, and about a year ago, Pierce County got involved, as well," he said.
The Lund Fire Department mutually aids Nelson, Durand, Plum City, and Ellsworth fire departments, and holds a joint-response agreement with Pepin.
"If there's any call for the Town or Village of Pepin, both fire departments respond," Samuelson said.
With 28 active members currently, Samuelson said the department responds to approximately 25 calls per year, and covers about 120 square miles in the fire district, which includes about 20 miles along Highway 35 by the river. The department operates on money from tax assessments.
"In the mid 1970s to '80s, we lost a lot of farmers in the area, so we had less members," he said. "Now numbers are good, because we have more young people and at-home retirees."
At one time, Samuelson said there were around 30 members, which was the highest.
"It's hard to find members," he said.
When a call comes in, Samuelson said everyone who is around shows up. For mutual aid with the tanker, two firefighters respond.
The Lund Fire Department, led by Chief Steve Anderson, currently has six trucks: a ladder truck, which was gifted to the department, an engine, two tankers, brush truck, and a rescue van, which is a converted Pepin ambulance.
"We got some pretty good grants after 9/11 for trucks, turnout gear, and breathing apparatus," Samuelson said.
Samuelson said the types of calls the department responds to have changed.
"Years ago, before burning bans, we had a lot of grass and brush fires, or chimney fires," he said. "Now, the calls are for a lot of accidents. We had two in the same day during the Flood Run, one of which was a fatality."
Samuelson said Anderson is working on getting the department special training for oil tankers that are coming in on the rail from North Dakota.
"It's something we're currently working on," he said.
Samuelson said the department goes through thorough training once a month.
Over the years, equipment has gotten a lot better, and turnout gear is safer, said Samuelson.
"The trucks are also much more user friendly with the pumps and other equipment," he said.
Samuelson said the department is always looking for members in the four municipalities. The department is a paid-volunteer department, which means a small stipend is offered for responding to calls.
Another helpful change over the years was the implementation of the universal numbering system with fire numbers, which was introduced in the early '90s, said Samuelson.
The Lund Fire Department is hosting an open house on Saturday, October 11, from 12-4 p.m.
"Come on out to see our equipment and watch demonstrations," Samuelson said. "We'll be holding drawings for fire extinguishers."
Lunch will also be served all afternoon at the fire hall, located just off the intersection of County Road CC and County Road J in Lund.