The Suamico Fire Department and Harrison Fire Rescue Department are among the nearly two dozen agencies which received money from thecharitable foundations of Wisconsin Public Service and We Energies to purchase lifesaving equipment, Aug. 28, 2025. (Photo courtesy: WPS/We Energies)
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Two Northeast Wisconsin fire departments and the communities they serve are among nearly two dozen agencies benefitting from $175,000 in grants.
At a ceremony Thursday, the charitable foundations of Wisconsin Public Service and We Energies awarded funds to the Suamico Fire Department and Harrison Fire Rescue Department to help purchase lifesaving equipment. It’s part of their annual Rewarding Responders Grant program that aims to boost public safety.
With the grant money, Suamico was able to obtain a water rescue basket, while Harrison got a new underwater communications system for their rescue divers.
“Not only can we use this on say, the bay of Green Bay, for water rescues, but we also can use it for ice water rescues. We had a call last year where this would’ve came in handy,” said Suamico Fire Department Chief Joe Bertler. “I would say we probably average between 15 and 20 calls, either on the Bay or on some type of water.”
It benefits us tremendously. Having this beautiful boat is awesome, but if we don’t have the tools to perform those rescues and to save lives, the boat doesn’t do us any good. So a grant like this benefits the community. The boat’s a great asset, but we need those tools on the boat to be able to perform those rescues.
Including this year’s grants, the WPS and We Energies foundations have donated nearly $1.2 million to help police, fire and emergency medical services agencies improve safety across Wisconsin. Eligible agencies can apply for up to $2,000 in funding through the grants.
“We are honored to continue our support of public safety agencies and the invaluable impact they make in our communities every day,” said Beth Straka, president of WPS and We Energies foundations. “The important tools we help provide our first responders – from vital medical devices to heavy-duty equipment — can be critical in keeping people and our communities safe.”
The 2025 grant recipients from Northeast Wisconsin include:
- Brown County Sheriff’s Office — Water rescue tools and equipment
- City of Brillion Police Department — Automated external defibrillator (AED)
- City of Two Rivers Fire Department — Water rescue wetsuits
- Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office — AED
- Fremont-Wolf River Fire Department — Gas detector
- Gibraltar Police Department — Aerial drone equipment
- Glenbeulah Fire Department and First Responders — Wildland firefighting clothing
- Harrison Fire Rescue Department — Underwater communications equipment
- Kewaunee Fire Department Auxiliary — Gas detectors
- Kiel Fire Department — Gas detector
- Little Suamico Fire Department — Helmet-mounted flashlights
- Oakfield Fire Department — Firefighting water nozzle
- Oconto Falls Volunteer Fire Department — Structural firefighting gloves and flashlights
- Potter Volunteer Fire Department — Wearable safety lights
- Reedsville Police Department — AED
- Suamico Fire Department — Water rescue basket
- Town of Sheboygan Falls Fire Department — Water rescue helmets
- Weyauwega Area Fire District — Gas detectors
- Wisconsin K9 Search Specialists Inc. — K-9 testing and certification program
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