SALUTING AREA FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE!
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK
OCT. 4-10, 2020
Kaproth’s
volunteerism a presence that cannot be put out Foley resident has served as a firefighter for 46 years BY EVAN MICHEALSON | STAFF WRITER
FOLEY – In 1974, Tom Kaproth was just out of high school, an 18-year-old entering technical college and working at Murphy’s Chevrolet. Despite his educational endeavors, he was looking for a way to help his community. So, when fire chief Al Lewandowski approached him about becoming a volunteer firefighter, he eagerly took the offer. Forty-six years later, Kaproth is still answering the call for the Foley Fire Department, a service he is forever grateful for. “I’m paying back the community for all it has done for me,” he said. “I get so passionate about doing this that words start to escape me. This is my adult life; it’s all a part of who I am.” “You would never know the feeling you get when somebody comes up to you and says, ‘Thank you, I remember your face,’” Kaproth said. “At the worst time of their life, they remembered you, for your compassion, your care. That drives you.” Amongst a staff of 25 volunteers, Kaproth leads by example, remaining on-call and ready to help in any emergency situation. Foley’s fire district is wide-stretching compared to others in the state of Minnesota, reaching as far as north as Lakin Township in Morrison County and as far south as Duelm. With travel times of PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON
Tom Kaproth’s fire helmet sits atop his gear locker Sept. 18 at the Foley Fire Department. This state-ofthe-art equipment piece is far different than Kaproth’s original helmet, an old, strapless helmet that almost fell off his head.
PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON
Tom Kaproth smiles as he sits inside a rescue truck Sept. 18 at the Foley Fire Department in Foley. Kaproth has volunteered for the fire department for 46 years.
up to 30 minutes, Kaproth flips a switch when the call comes in, a mindset developed through years of training and quick thinking. “Last night, I was watching the news and when my pager went off, I was out the door,” Kaproth said. “You’re not thinking of shutting the TV off. You turn instantly into a firefighter. It’s automatic.” The scenes Kaproth arrives to have changed over the years. His first few years often saw him responding to haybale and chimney fires, a common reverberation of the cold weathers Minnesota experiences. However, as technology has evolved, the fire department has taken on a new identity, one capable of handling the dangerous fires and car accidents but also timely and adept at responding to sudden medical emergencies. “At the time, it was no medicals, it was fires and car accidents,” Kaproth said. “What’s happening now is ongoing training. I just got done with my medical (training). 2020 Theme
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