FORT MCCOY, Wis. —
Fort McCoy firefighters sprang into action to help local emergency response agencies deal with the aftermath of an Aug. 27 storm that dumped up to 12 inches of rain and caused extensive flooding and damage.
As soon as the storm passed, the Sparta Fire Department requested aid from the post's fire department, said Station Chief Forrest Lefler.
“We sent firefighters and equipment over to Sparta to help clear debris and clean up,” Lefler said.
After two hours of helping clear up areas of Sparta, the Fort McCoy firefighters returned to pos,t but they weren't there for long. Early Aug. 28, they received a request from the Cashton Volunteer Fire Department to help rescue stranded residents near Melvina, Wisconsin.
“We went to Melvina because the flash flooding was getting bad,” said Fort McCoy firefighter Todd Swansby. “We went there with four firefighters, our skimmer boat and a truck to pull the boat.”
The skimmer boat is 20 feet long with a water jet-propelled engine. The boat can operate in 6 inches of water, Lefler said. The firefighter team arrived to Melvina quickly, and were able to launch the boat swiftly to rescue four people from an apartment building.
“The biggest challenge in this environment is the fast-moving water,” Swansby said. “These kinds of floods are the most dangerous. ……
