STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK)–Sturgeon Bay’s Fire Department is being recognized for their efforts during an early morning ship fire Feb. 1.
The fire lasted several hours, but the ship only suffered minor damage and no one was injured
Praise is coming from U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin)
“I want to make sure we’re not taking it for granted.,” said Gallagher, “that we’re shining a light on the very professional and heroic work that they do.”
Gallagher presented the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department with a copy of the speech he gave on the House floor Feb. 11.
Reciting part of the speech to the fire department, Gallagher said, “Madame Speaker I rise today in recognition of the heroic efforts of the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department.”
With little damage to the 858-foot long Roger Blough ship, Chief Tim Dietman is proud of the work from his crews that day. He’s also honored by the congressman’s recognition.
“Firefighters, law enforcement and public safety, when you ask them they say they’re just doing the job they’re hired to do,” said Dietman. “When things like this come along it means people are watching you day to day and it just reiterates what we do.”
Chief Dietman said vessel fires like this are unlike house fires they see on a more regular basis.
“Imagine turning on your oven at home to broil and crawling inside it. Ultimately that’s what it gets down to,” said Dietman. “I mean the temperatures the firefighters they’re going into these conditions are twice what they would see in a regular structural fire.”
After a similar vessel fire in 2015 that’s when Sturgeon Bay Fire Department started looking into more training for fires like this one.
“We reached out to fire departments all over the Great Lakes to find out what they’re doing, where they’re finding training things like that,” said Dietmann.
Chief Dietman says firefighters have taken additional training for these vessel fires.
The ship that caught fire has been docked at Fincantieri Bay Shipyard for the winter. It has been there since the Summer receiving minor repairs
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