This is an article from 1972

By J. MARSHALL BUEHLER

Communists are often called ‘Reds Russians are predominantly Communists or ‘Reds - Fire trucks are always ‘rushin - Therefore fire trucks are painted red!

That’s the answer to an old riddle among children as to why fire trucks are always painted red. But, now, let me explain to you how the Port Edwards Fire Department happened to come into being just fifty years ago.

Being an industry associated with a flammable product, the John Edwards Lumber Company, which was located where the Port Edwards mill is now situated, provided fire protection for the sawmill by means of a steam engine operated pump and a long hose. Prior to this, some protection was provided by barrels of water which were strategically placed on the roof of the sawmill. However, when the John Ed wards Manufacturing Company (parent company to Nekoosa Edwards Paper Company) converted the sawmill to a paper mill in 1896, a water tank was erected to provide water pressure for fire fighting. Hoses and buckets were manned by the mill employees. IN 1902, following incorporation of the village of Port Edwards, L. M. Alexander, who was president of the John Edwards Manufacturing Company, appeared before the village board of trustees and offered the use of the mill water tower for fire protection, provided that the village install the necessary water mains and hydrants. The Village fathers accepted the offer and this arrangement sufficed for many years. Hose carts and one ladder wagon were placed at strategic spots around the village and the mill, one of the locations being in the “town hall garage”. However, in 1921, the inadequacy of the system was demonstrated when Port Edwards suffered its worst fire, even to this day. On September 1, 1921, about 1:30 in the afternoon, a fire of undetermined origin broke out in the log yard of the paper mill and very rapidly spread from pile to pile of dry spruce and hemlock logs; flames leaped fifty feet into the air. The mill was shut down and the entire work force was organized into fire fighting brigades. Despite the size of the crew, little effect was had on the fire, since the heat of the burning spruce piles was so great that the fire fighters were unable to get close enough to do any good. Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield and Nekoosa came to the rescue; the Marshfield truck set a speed record by covering the thirty-eight miles between Marshfield and Port Edwards in one hour and four minutes! Stevens Point also sent a truck to help, but it was called back to fight a fire in that city. AS A RESULT of the combined efforts of these neighboring communities, the fire which threatened the entire village of Port Edwards was brought under control, but not until 8,000 cords of pulpwood had burned and a financial loss of $150,000 had been incurred. Six homes in the village and the town hall suffered roof damage when they were set ablaze by flying embers. Many of the town folks sat on the roofs of their homes holding buckets of water which was quickly sprinkled on any embers or sparks that may have landed on the dry wooden shingles. Fire fighters were able to quell the blaze only after putting on “wet suits”, pieces of mill felt soaked in water and wrapped around the body, or held in front of them. In order to better protect the village from a repeat conflagration, and to keep abreast of the neighboring village of Nekoosa, a volunteer fire department was organized in 1923. Known as the NEPCO FIRE DEPARTMENT, the name was later changed to the NEPCO-PORT EDWARDS FIRE DEPARTMENT and is now known as the PORT EDWARDS FIRE DEPARTMENT. A NEKOOSA Edwards truck, known as the Reo Speed Wagon, was presented to the newly organized group in 1923, and the mill maintenance department made the necessary changes to convert the truck into a fire truck. A year later, in 1924, the department acquired its most romantic piece of equipment. This was an old 1912 model 66 Pierce Arrow. Originally bought in 1912 by L. M. Alexander as a touring car, it was used for that purpose until 1919, when it was sold to a Wisconsin Rapids car dealer. The car was later purchased by Nekoosa Edwards Paper Company, nicknamed the “Green Dragon” and, as the official company car, it had a very picturesque life, especially during the labor problems of 1919. In 1924, the auto was donated to the Port Edwards fire department. Rebuilt and outfitted as a fire truck, it was used successfully as a fire truck until 1949, when it was replaced by a modern, new Mack fire truck. The Pierce Arrow was, again, sold to a used auto dealer who, in turn, sold it to an antique auto collector. The Reo Speed Wagon required replacement in 1925 and this was accomplished by the purchase of a new Dodge chassis which was purchased by Nekoosa Edwards Paper Company, for the local fire department. Paper Mill maintenance crews assisted by the firemen, again, added the fire fighting body which distinguished the vehicle as an official fire truck, including the red paint. THIS TRUCK was replaced in 1937 with the purchase of the new Diamond T truck. The Dodge truck now took on a new role, that of fighting mosquitos rather than fighting fires. The truck was turned over to the village mosquito abatement program. The 1937 model Diamond T truck was sold to the Port Edwards Lions Club which, in turn, painted it a brilliant purple (what?, no red?) and is the highlight of many a parade around the state. The 1949 Mack truck was sold to a northern Wisconsin community where it still provides faithful service to that community.

Today’s complement of equipment includes a Thousand-gallon tank truck, a four-wheel drive pickup truck and a Ford pumper unit purchased new in 1972, and serves as the flagship of the fleet. A volunteer crew of 27 men man this equipment, their call to battle being three sirens placed at various spots around the community. The sirens augment the mill whistle which still sounds the alarm for fires, but no longer is the whistle coded with long and short blasts to let everyone in the village know the location of the fire. Until 1955, the fire department was housed in the rear of the Port Edwards mill time-office. Then the company built and donated to the village a modern, brick, three stall garage and fire station located on Wisconsin River Drive. Also, in that year, they donated to the village their share in the fire department, thereby, making it a village operated department. This was done for insurance liability reasons.

THE LOCAL department serves a portion of the town of Port Edwards and a portion of the town of Seneca, as well as having working agreements with neighboring communities for assistance when called upon by one of these other communities. Perhaps one of the best tributes to this fifty-year-old organization is the fact that in 1972, the village of Port Edwards had its insurance rating category lowered, thereby resulting in lower fire insurance premium rates for village property owners. This action on the part of the Fire Insurance Rating Bureau, is a pat on the back to the Port Edwards Fire Department. Dewey Lockwood is the only living charter member of the Port Edwards Volunteer Fire Department. At upcoming festivities celebrating the department’s fiftieth year, Dewey will serve as parade marshal. Dewey, as well as being a retired fireman, is a retired maintenance foreman from Nekoosa Edwards’ Port Edwards mill maintenance department.

.