Our History

The Beginning

At a meeting of citizens of Iron Ridge on June 1st 1888, Peter Berents was chosen as chairman and Christian Stuesser, Secretary, to organize a fire company and to purchase a hand fire engine along with the necessary apparatus. 22 men signed for membership at that time.

Jacob Koeckner was appointed as Chief (foreman) and Ferdinand Voelker was First Assistant Chief. Gustav Gaedecke as Second Foreman. Peter Berents as Hose Captain, Christian Stuesser as Secretary, M.D. Roberts Treasurer, and Albert Lange as Steward.

Their equipment at that time consisted of a hand pump, some hose and a bucket brigade. In a few years additions of a new fire fighting apparatus were made to their equipment such as a power hand extinguisher and some hand extinguishers.

The First Adopted Constitution

The duties of the officers shall be:

The foreman shall be chairman of all meetings and have the command of company by fire and parades, and he can call a meeting by himself, or the wish of fire members of the company and shall see to all the property and keep it in order.

The first assistant shall assist the foreman in all duties, and if the foreman is absent, he shall take command of the company.

The second assistant shall take the place of the first assistant in his absence.

The hose captain stand under the command of the foreman, after a fire or parade he shall see that the hose and pump will be brought to firehouse and delivered to the care of the steward.

The secretary shall keep a strict list of all members of the company, and shall read them off after a fire or parade, and keep a strict protocol of all meetings, and do all correspondence for the company and go strict by the constitution. He shall take in all the money and hand it to the treasurer and take a receipt and shall log his books before the committee every six months. If his books are not in order he shall be fined 25 cents.

The treasurer shall keep all the company money, pay orders after they are accepted by the company. Shall keep a correct account of all monies and lay his books before the committee every six months.

The steward shall see under the command of the foreman that the pump and all material is kept in good order.

For neglect of duty of officers, they shall be fined 25 cents for each offense, a member of the company not being by fire or parade shall be fined 50 cents, except in sickness or absent from home. If a member leaves the meeting without asking the foreman, he shall be fined 10 cents. If a member doesn’t mind the foreman or gets drunk in uniform he shall be fined , the first time $1.00, the second time fined $5.00, and the third time he will be turned out of the company.

The company shall be declared broken up, if there are less than five members. The members shall be owners of the treasures and all the company property.

If a member of the company dies, all the members of the company, in uniform shall attend his funeral, or a fine of 50 cents, except in sickness.