APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – One year ago today – the Appleton Fire Department lost one of their own in the line of duty. The City of Appleton is marking that solemn date by unveiling a park named in honor of Driver Engineer Mitch Lundgaard.
“Growing up you go to different parks and schools and they’re named after individuals that have done some heroic, memorable thing that has attributed to society as a whole,” says Fire Chief Jeremy Hansen, “Having Mitch’s name on a park is fitting for the community hero that he was. Mitch dedicated his life to helping people that he didn’t know. That legacy will continue for decades to come by naming this park after him.”
But to Hansen – the naming of the park is more than just remembering a fallen hero. It’s a reminder of the man under the helmet, and his attitude towards life.
“Mitch was an amazing athlete in multiple sports. He was an individual that thrives on competition and he was known to talk a little trash,” Hansen tells WTAQ News, “Naming this park after him knowing that kids are going to be at that park and they’re going to be running, playing, being active.That aligns with the spirit of how Mitch lived his life – having fun.”
Lundgaard was killed while responding to a medical call on May 15th, 2019.
“He lost his life doing what he loved to do. It’s an honor for the Lundgaard family, it’s an honor for the fire department and to know that the community looks to the fire department and first responders as community heroes.”
The past year hasn’t been easy for the department, as they continue to work on finding new ways to protect first responders while at the scene.
“It seems like a week ago, but a day doesn’t go by that we aren’t either talking about reviewing or processing what happened just a year ago today,” Hansen says, “Throughout the year we’ve been in the trenches learning from this, analyzing what happened in trying to figure out what we can do differently to prevent a tragedy like this ever happening again in Appleton and across the United States as well.”
The department has since taken a series of steps to improve their safety measures. This has come through internal investigations – looking at procedures, policies, and practices.
Hansen recalls working with the Green Bay Police Department during the initial investigation following the shooting, and now says they are in the closing phases of a line of duty death report with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). That report is expected to be released in the next two months.
