By Carol Spaeth-Bauer
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
EAGLE, Wis. — The night a tornado hit Eagle, the North Prairie Fire Department Auxiliary did what it does for many big emergencies in the area: headed to the command area with the canteen, an old ambulance, stocked with water and food. A few hours later, the canteen sat empty.
“The canteen was totally cleaned out by about midnight,” said auxiliary member Kathy Baker, who responded to the scene with her husband, Bob, who is the Eagle Fire Department assistant chief.
Auxiliary member Joan Smart said they went straight to the Eagle Fire Station after receiving the call. They set up tables and started making chili, sandwiches and coffee. Auxiliary members Anne Churchill and Christine Lundwall also responded to help. The evening became a blur of feeding all the firefighters, police officers, Department of Natural Resources workers and service crews who were called out that night, according to Smart.
“We had quite a crowd,” said Smart. “I wish we could have kept track of all the water and the number of people.”
When they ran out of food, Baker headed to Walmart to restock. She was told they would be feeding 150 people for three to four days.
“I work for a caterer, and I couldn’t even estimate how much food that would be,” Baker said.
Baker bought enough to get through the night, feeding people in shifts as crews came and went. Tuesday morning, they scrambled 20 dozen eggs and filled two large roasters with a breakfast casserole of scrambled eggs, hash browns and sausage. By the end of breakfast, there were a couple of tablespoons of food left.
“We just kept plopping food on plates,” said Smart. “As fast as we were putting things on the tables, people were taking it off.”
By morning, donations started rolling in. A gas station brought doughnuts, pizzas and water were donated, and people who lost power cleaned out their refrigerators and freezers and brought it to the auxiliary rather than let it spoil.
“I don’t even know where some of the food came from,” Baker said.
By Wednesday afternoon, the auxiliary pulled out but went back a couple of times in the following days and drove through the area handing out water.
Auxiliary history
The auxiliary started in 1945. In the past, the group has held bake sales, rummage sales, dances and card parties to raise money for the department. Now all the auxiliary’s funds come through Harvest Fest, its only fundraiser.
In 2003, the auxiliary added its own truck. It is on call for North Prairie and mutual aid departments as well as a number of departments, from Oconomowoc to Sullivan. In 2009, the auxiliary took the canteen to 18 emergency calls, two apparatus displays, three parades and a triathlon. The auxiliary served meals at training sessions, emergency medical technician (EMT) refresher courses and monthly meetings. Members also help at the annual bike rodeo and Fire Department open house.
Through its fundraising efforts, the auxiliary has purchased EMT supplies, air tanks, radios, tents, Jaws of Life, defibrillators, dive rescue equipment and two refrigerators, as well as giving donations to the burn camp, American Cancer Society and food pantry.
While many fire departments have auxiliaries, North Prairie is the only one in the area with a canteen that can respond to scenes and provide support during emergencies.
“That’s what we’re there for, to be helping,” said Smart. “We certainly had our fill.”
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