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City calls for volunteer fire department to disband

The city is applying for a federal grant to help with the transition costs and plans to spend $46,000 on a consultant to help work through issues

Wisconsin State Journal

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — The Sun Prairie Volunteer Fire Department, which has been putting out fires since 1891, is about to be extinguished.

The Sun Prairie City Council voted last week to move forward with the creation of a combined fire and EMS department that would be operated by the city. The plan calls for the volunteer fire department to disband on Jan. 1, 2014.

Mayor John Murray said it’s simply a case of public safety trumping tradition. “This is no disrespect to the Sun Prairie Volunteer Fire Department,” Murray said. “They are a lot of great men and women that have done a lot of good things for this community and I’m hugely respectful of that.

Full story: Sparks fly over planned changes in Sun Prairie Fire Department