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
Kaproth page 5F
Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen
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FIRE PREVENTION
Page 2F | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 | SAUK RAPIDS HERALD & BENTON COUNTY NEWS
FIRE DEPARTMENT
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The 2020 Foley Fire Department includes Jay Howard (front, from left), Logan Lunde, Jay Studanski, Greg Poganski, Dakota McIver, Travis Sweno, Tyler Palm and Jerad Fleck; (back, from left) Gary Bautch, Kraig Rudolph, Jerry Linn, Todd Foreman, Mike McMillin, Lieutenant Chris Harren, Assistant Chief Larry Nadeau, Fire Chief Mark Pappenfus, Captain Rick Herbrand, Bryan Moshier, Tom Kaproth, Travis Janson and Adam Foss. Not pictured are Captain Josh Beutz, Andy Shaw and Jerrik Manthie.
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FIRE PREVENTION
SAUK RAPIDS HERALD & BENTON COUNTY NEWS | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 | Page 3F
FOLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE CALLS
257
T Foley Fire Department responded to The 284 calls for service in 2019, providing fire and rescue services to a 276-squaremile radius, including the cities of Foley and Gilman, Benton County townships St. George, Glendorado, Mayhew Lake, Gilmanton, Maywood, Alberta and Granite Ledge, and Morrison County townships Morrill and Lakin.
The U.S. Fire Administration says 905 people die in winter home fires each year. Cooking is the leading cause of all home fires and contributes to around $2 billion in property loss each year. Home heating fires peak between the hours of 6-8 p.m., when many people are home preparing dinner.
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FIRE PREVENTION
SAUK RAPIDS HERALD & BENTON COUNTY NEWS | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 | Page 5F
“People need to be safe and aware of their surroundings. If something doesn’t look safe, stop and give it a thought. Be safe with what you’re doing.” - Tom Kaproth
Kaproth from 1F
You have to have a certain number of hours of training and drills to maintain your Firefighter 1 and 2 (certifications), and we just had Hazmat class.” This evolution has affected not just the firefighters but also the fire department. When the young Kaproth was initiated, he rushed to the scene of a fire wearing a not-so-sturdy helmet that did not have a strap. Now, the longtime responder arrives at the building to state-of-the-art equipment, including the Lucas
tool, a battery-operated device that automatically conducts CPR during a heart emergency. “The sophistication and quality of our equipment is incredible,” Kaproth said. “I shake my head sometimes that the community of Foley has some of the best ever equipment. It’s all updated and it’s all new.” However, a constant throughout Kaproth’s career has been his strong, communicative relationship with his fellow firefighters. Pictures of the current volunteers risking their lives for others, along with former volunteers, line one of the walls at the Foley fire station.
PHOTOS BY EVAN MICHEALSON
Tom Kaproth stands next to a fire truck Sept. 18 at the Foley Fire Department in Foley. Kaproth is the longest-serving volunteer for the department, having spent 46 years responding to emergencies.
portant educational piece. With the fire department hosting fire prevention classes, the importance of safety looms larger than ever. “People need to be safe and aware of their surroundings,” Kaproth said. “If something doesn’t look safe, stop and give it a thought. Be safe with what you’re doing.” Kaproth has re-certified himself for another two years, a sign of his ever-present ability to keep going. Just as it was 46 years ago, there is always the need for firefighters, and the sudden call to action continue to provide a thrill. “I don’t feel like it’s been 46 years,” Kaproth said. “I stay healthy, and I still enjoy it. It makes me get up and still have great enthusiasm. When I lose this enthusiasm, that will be the day I will walk out the door, hang up my hat and be done.” Tom Kaproth presses a button adjacent to his equipment Sept. 18 at the Foley Fire Tom Kaproth looks through old photos Sept. 18 at Engrained in the Foley Fire Department is a system built on trust. “All of those guys on that wall you would trust with your life, because you are,” Kaproth said. “When you go to a fire, it’s two in, two out. Those
are the guys covering your back. That’s the bond you get.” Kaproth also holds a positive relationship with the Foley community. The fire department participates in the Foley Fun Days Parade and the Water Ball Fight every summer, and they also hand
out pumpkins to local children. “It’s a lot of fun,” Kaproth said. “Children are always excited to see a firefighter. It’s a great morale booster.” It is not all fun and games, however; through Kaproth’s expansive knowledge comes an im-
Department in Foley. The light serves as an indicator of who is inside the station to help the Foley Fire Department in Foley. Kaproth’s 46 years other firefighters. as a volunteer firefighter has given him a plethora of memories, both good and bad.
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Page 8F | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 | SAUK RAPIDS HERALD & BENTON COUNTY NEWS
Firetruck from page 7F
After 32 years of use, Sauk Rapids sold the truck to the city of Beltrami where the vehicle was used for another 20 years. The truck made its way to Mel Servi Fire Truck Museum in Wisconsin and was later transferred to Michigan. In the early 2000s, Harold Jesh initiated the idea to form the Sauk Rapids Engine Company No. 2 Retired Firefighters Association with one of its goals being to find, purchase and restore the city’s first firetruck. That goal was achieved and the truck came home in June 2007. This year, Engine Company No. 2 is celebrating the truck’s 100th birthday, and they are proud to say the 100 years started and ended in Sauk Rapids. The truck held a great deal of sentimental value for two of the retired firefighters in the association as Earl Bukowski and Emil Kelm served on the fire department when the truck was in use. “It was real important to us to get the truck back,” said Dennis Schlichting, an Engine Company No. 2 member. “We
are really proud of it.” When the firetruck was located in 2000, the peeling letters of the Sauk Rapids Fire Department were still visible, though faded and covered up with Beltrami lettering. The vehicle started and ran well for its age. Restoring the truck to its original state was important to the retired firefighters to preserve the history and show what firetrucks looked like in 1920. Donations flooded in from the community to help fund the $40,000 restoration. The association began the truck’s revival, which included shining the truck up with a new coat of paint, new lettering and getting the engine into the condition it is in today. The restoration was performed by Hand in Hand Restoration of Jackson, Michigan, where the truck was located. When the truck returned to Sauk Rapids in June 2007, it made its debut at the Rapids River Days parade, turning heads and garnering applause on the entire route. “It is an antique firetruck, and there is a lot of excitement when people see it,” Dennis said. “Having a truck like this is rare.” In addition to the Rapids River Days parade, the truck
PHOTO BY ANNA HINKEMEYER
The retired Sauk Rapids Fire Department Engine No. 2 sits in front of the Sauk Rapids VFW Post 6992 Sept. 9 in Sauk Rapids. The city’s first firetruck is 100 years old this year.
regularly participates in parades throughout central Minnesota including Rice, Sartell and Waite Park. It also makes appearances at car shows and nursing homes. Despite not being able to celebrate the truck’s 100th birthday in parades and commu-
nity events due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Sauk Rapids Engine Company No. 2 Retired Firefighters Association remains proud of the restoration and return of the truck to its home community and hopes to return to parades and other events in 2021.
“We value the truck very much,” said Ron Schlichting, vice president of the association. “The community should be proud to have something like this, just as we are in the association.”
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