Wisconsin firefighter funding; training shows impact of short-staffing

MADISON, Wis. - Beyond extinguishing fires, firefighters say they have another big fight on their hands: securing necessary resources to keep saving lives.

"We’re all hazards, all risks, all the time," said Mahlon Mitchell, president of the statewide union, Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin (PFFW).

Everything a firefighter does starts with the courage to put on the boots in the first place.

"I would dare you to try to find a firefighter who doesn’t like their job," said Pete Friedericks, PFFW executive board member. "We get to help people. We get to perform our craft at a high level. It takes a lot of work and a lot of effort. It’s something we take great pride in."

Non-firefighters from across the state got the opportunity to trade in their shoes to walk a mile in theirs.

"We know our firefighters work hard, but you don’t think about all the different pieces that go into saving lives, literal lives," said Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson.

FOX6 News was given the opportunity to participate as well, documenting Fire Ops 101 while reporter Madalyn O’Neill went through the training.

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"You can show somebody something you could tell somebody something but actually having them do something hands on? Ten times better," Mitchell said.

"It’s going to be challenging, but it’ll be a lot of fun," Friedericks said. 

Before the day of training, Fox6 sat down at Coopers Tavern with Friedericks at a pre-event meeting.

"I think it’s eye-opening in a way to let people feel, experience the challenges of our job," he said. "You’ll have brownouts of stations because they don’t have people to come in for the day. They’ll shut a rig down. There’s been budget issues, funding cuts."

With a drain on resources and volunteerism down across the board, Friedericks said there just aren’t enough people to fill the shoes.

"Staffing is a major issue across the state," Friedericks said.

In late May, Fire Ops invited leaders from across the state, including Kaukauna Mayor Tony Penterman, to experience some very different job duties for the day.

"I’m excited," Penterman said. "When budget time comes, and they say, ‘Hey mayor, we need this piece of equipment’ or ‘we need another firefighter because of safety reasons,’ I will have a better sense of what they’re asking for."

Wisconsin Fire Ops 101

The day led participants through four different simulated scenarios at Madison College, showing the range of what a firefighter might encounter day to day.

That included a search and rescue scenario.

Politicians like State Representative Melissa Ratcliff told Fox 6 this gave them a new perspective.

"In Cottage Grove, we have an all-volunteer fire department," Ratcliff said. "Understanding what they go through and how important it is for the safety of our community."

It was an eye-opening experience, even when it was tough to see.

"It’s really disorienting especially wearing the gear, you don’t realize how much all of your senses are gone especially when you’re already somewhere you can’t see well," O’Neill said.

Another scenario took participants through a hose exercise, working together to bring it up the stairs and extinguish simulated flames.

"They want to have four people for that, but Sheboygan fire department was saying they only have two people to get those hose upstairs," O’Neill said. "We had three people, and it was really difficult."

Fighting for funds

Beyond fires, Mitchell said men and women in the industry are also fighting for funds.

"When we’re at the State Capitol, we’re always hearing we need to do more with less which quite frankly is impossible."

"You just have fewer people to do the same job, and it makes their job a lot more difficult and thereby threatens public safety," Friedericks said.

Friedericks brought up a potential solution when we talked to him at Cooper’s Tavern on the Square; one politicians are talking about right across the street.

"It’s at the forefront of the conversation right now," he said.

Passed in mid-June following Fire Ops 101, a shared revenue bill increases funding to counties, cities, towns and villages by more than $200 million to be spent specifically on services including police, emergency medical services (EMS), and fire.

Mitchell said it, along with consolidating fire departments, would help with the staffing shortage, especially as the industry shifts from a volunteer model.

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Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in early May that without action, it would force massive cuts to the city’s firefighters.

Part of the state revenue bill would allow Milwaukee’s Common Council and the Milwaukee County Board to vote to approve an increase in sales tax.

"We need more shared revenue," Nicholson said, adding she's lobbying for a sales tax increase. "That will give us more funds where we can invest in a fire department and other services."

After the long day, Nicholson said she’ll carry what she learned with her.

"I’m feeling exhausted. I’m tired, I’m hot, I’m sweaty. I got wet from the fire hose, but I feel optimistic. I think this is an opportunity to really be able to lean in and be an advocate for the fire departments around the state so that’s what I want to do when I get home," Nicholson said. "It was compelling, and I just I am so thankful for what our firefighters do every day."