The Manitowoc Fire Department is looking for more help to keep the community safe.
They are taking a few different approaches on how to educate and bring in individuals with the desire to help.
One of these approaches involves changes to where they are legally able to hire potential firefighters.
Manitowoc Fire Chief Todd Blaser joined WOMT’s Be My Guest program to talk more on the matter saying, “We grant a 50-mile radius, it used to be 25 miles.” Blaser said.
He continued, “It was actually at the request of myself for it to be expanded a little bit.”
One of the main reasons for this increase from a 25-mile radius to 50 miles was geography-based.
In this case, Manitowoc has the disadvantage of being a coastal city.
Fire Chief Blaser noted that this increase has already allowed them to hire two new firefighters.
Unfortunately, the expansion was not solely due to Manitowoc’s location on Lake Michigan.
Fire Chief Blaser had more to say on the situation.
“Right now we are really, I don’t want to use the word crisis, but it sort of is that way when it comes to recruitment and retention.”
He went on to say, “We do have several positions open within the Fire and Rescue Department.”
With the need for more firefighters, the Manitowoc Fire Department is working on a program to educate local high school students in the Manitowoc School District.
They are looking for those with a passion for helping their community.
Fire Chief Blaser said that he hopes to have this program approved at Tuesday, June 11’s M.P.S.D. meeting.
This would give way to having a Firefighter 1 Training program in collaboration with Lakeshore Technical College and hosted by Lincoln High School.
This program is four years in the making with initial talks beginning before COVID, so getting approval would be a huge boost for Fire Chief Blaser, the Manitowoc Fire Department, and Manitowoc residents.
Additionally, newly appointed Battalion Chief Jeremy Wagner joined Fire Chief Blaser on the Be My Guest program.
He talked about his vision to bring back the cadet program for college students.
He feels this could be the bridge between the Firefighter 1 Training program and the fire department.
Wagner said, “Students from Fox Valley Technical College or LTC to come in and spend a semester with us and work on our shift.”
He then explained his hopes for the program, “To go off the high school stuff, catch them in high school, get them interested, then have them come through our cadet program and hopefully become a member of our department.”
While the search for more firefighters continues, things seem to be trending in a positive direction.
The full Be My Guest interview with Fire Chief Blaser and Battalion Chief Wagner can be found online at Seehafer Podcasts.
