TOWN OF BROOKFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT HISTORY Page 1
	In July 1956 a petition to organize a volunteer fire department was submitted to the Town Board. The Town Chairman at the time was Gerald Wray. Mr. Wray asked a town resident, Earl Knuth, if he was interested in the position of Fire Chief. Mr. Knuth had recently left the military with a background in fire safety. Mr. Knuth accepted the position. Mr. William Dwyer was to be the Assistant Fire Chief. A series of organizational meetings were held and nearly a year later, on July 17, 1957, the Town of Brookfield Fire Department was founded. There were approximately 55 volunteers at that time. A majority of the volunteers were veterans of WWII. The first fire engine was a 1957 International Harvester pumper, which cost $13,700. The new fire engine was numbered 951 by the members of the Department. The fire station radio ID was 950, which was picked by Earl Knuth because it was the same as his house address. When the department was first formed it had no place to call home. They had no fire department building or quarters. Mr. Chet Siem had a vehicle repair shop located at Goerke's Corners and said he would house the new engine at night when his shop was closed. During the day, however, it would have to remain outside. Emergency medical services were considerably different at that time. The Town was experiencing steady growth in both residential and commercial areas, and the need for well organized emergency medical services was recognized. In 1958, Dale Chevrolet donated the use of a station wagon to function as an ambulance. The vehicle was equipped by the volunteers with the bare essentials. Locating a source of water was always a matter of concern. Early on it was apparent a water truck was needed. The Town Board purchased an old GMC flatbed and installed a water tank on it. This same vehicle is used today by the DPW for hauling equipment, spraying weeds, etc. A new town hall was soon built, where the current DPW building now stands. There was no consideration made for the fire equipment at that time. Several years passed and an addition was put onto the original town hall to accommodate the fire department equipment and administration. The fire apparatus had to be removed from the building and parked outside in order to make room for the town board meetings. The Fire Department had 4 emergency vehicles but only 2 wide bays in which to park, making space rather tight. The vehicles had to be backed in at different angles in order to squeeze 2 vehicles per bay. Some equipment had to be stored outside as there simply was not enough room for everything. The Town was continuing to grow, and so was the need for a more sophisticated ambulance and rescue equipment. The Town had eight EMT (Emergency Medical Technicians) at that time and needed a new ambulance. The volunteers held fund raisers and brought in about $4000.00. The Town Board approved the additional $15,000.00 that was needed and in September of 1975 a new ambulance was placed in service. In 1987 the original fire chief, Earl Knuth, retired after serving the Town of Brookfield for 31 years. In 1989 the Town broke ground on a new Town Hall, with the Fire Department being housed on the lower level of the building. That same year the Fire Department ordered a new fire engine. The new fire engine - an E-One - arrived in early December, prior to the official completion of the new building. There was no space to park the new engine in the old fire department, so the new building was used to house the engine. The Fire Chief at the time was Frank Breitlow. He said he did not want people to have to go to one building to get their gear, and then go to another in order to get on a vehicle to respond to a call. So, he made a decision to move the Fire Department into the new building the next day. All personnel were called on to help, and the move was done in a day. The Department moved from a 2 bay fire department to a 7 bay department with more space than it ever had before. When they moved in they had 3 open bays and wondered if they would ever fill all the bays with apparatus. That day would come sooner than anyone thought. In 1989 the Department ran just over 300 calls. In March 1990 the new fire engine was officially broken in, or should I say 'broke down'. While responding to a call the new Engine was involved in an accident. The operator was observing all applicable traffic laws - and had a green light - but was struck very hard on the driver's side. The driver of the other vehicle had his car stereo turned way up, and claims he never heard or saw the fire engine approaching. The accident occurred at, of all places, Goerke's Corners! The other vehicle! A bright red Firebird - how appropriate. Department personnel were not injured, but the fire engine sustained substantial damage. The engine had to be sent back to the manufacturer for repair, and the Department would not get it back for at least another 2 months.
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