It's a common problem in the area, and the Mayville Fire Department is the latest to see struggles. Volunteer fire departments are having difficulties keeping staff up and their equipment in line with standards.
Mayville Fire Chief, Lee Brenna, says, "It's a pass. Like anything else. It's just a passion."
There's nothing better to Lee Brenna and Aaron Lande than the feeling they get for being volunteer firefighters in Mayville. But being a small town hero comes with a big responsibility.
"It's hard. You still have a full time life and a full time job," says Brenna.
Besides the struggle of finding volunteers, the task of keeping equipment working is more difficult. Recently, their trucks went through an inspection and only 1 out of 5 passed.
Mayville Assistant Fire Chief, Aaron Lande, "There's just little things. Leaks and parts of the truck, sometimes, because they are mechanical and older, do tend to break down."
"With older equipment, that sometimes happens," says Brenna.
Their oldest truck, a 1962 Chevy, has certainly put in her work. In her half of a century, she's gone to about 250 fires and is still fighting fires.
Brenna says, "We've worked with what we got, but it is time to upgrade. We still have to be able to protect everybody and make sure everything works."
To fix the trucks, it will only cost about $4-5,000, but that fix is just a band aid, because, with their age, they will inevitably break again. The department is fundraising and asking city council to increase a levy so they can get a new truck, and keep their fire department, which is vital to the area, running.
Lande says, "As a home owner, which truck comes to your fire? A 1962 or 2013? I mean, that's what it kind of breaks down to. We want to have the best."
The cheapest new truck the Mayville Fire Department can find is about $220,000. Right now, the department has about $60,000 to it's name.
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