FST INFO

 Washington County Sheriff's Sergeant Bill Harrell's  actions while responding to a house fire in St. Paul Park on February 19 saved the lives of two beloved family pets, and possibly kept the home from becoming a total loss. 

 St. Paul Park Fire Chief Mike Kramer said deployment of the FST bought enough time to get engines set up and start an offensive attack of the fire. His firefighters soon located the dogs in the basement of the home and led them out under the dogs' own power.  

 "Because of that device, I think those dogs are here today," shared homeowner Lin Gisselquist. "If it wouldn't have been for that, I don't know." 

A garage fire in Cedarburg last week was all but extinguished before any fire trucks and hoses arrived. 

According to Fire Chief Jeff Vahsholtz, a man on Willowbrooke Drive left his home around 7:45 a.m. Thursday, but forgot something at home and turned around to go back. That is when he noticed his neighbor’s garage service door open and flames inside the garage. He quickly alerted the couple inside to get out.

The man, who is a former CFD firefighter and is now a passive member of the department, used two fire extinguishers on the fire before help arrived. Police officers, as well as Deputy Chief Joey Hintz were first on the scene, Vahsholtz said. Hintz grabbed a portable fire suppression tool, simply known as an FST, pulled a couple pins, threw it into the garage and closed the door, Vahsholtz said.

 In the case of the Willowbrooke Drive fire, Vahsholtz said the FST helped a lot, allowing them to essentially "use a dribble of water" to put out the fire. 

 Flames and smoke took over the basement of a house in Addison, WI on April 24, but from the outside, you’d never know.  The Washington County Sheriff's Office responded and saw fire coming from the dryer vent area outside the home.

“I got visible flames in the basement,” a first responder said. “Looks like it’s filled with smoke.” That’s when they grabbed their fire suppression tool, knocked down the door and then tossed in the FST. 

 Sheriff’s officials said the home suffered heat, smoke and water damage, but it was still intact after the fire. First responders believe the FST played a role in saving it. 

Shawano County Sheriffs deployed a donated FST under a vehicle that was on fire. The aerosol filled the engine compartment and suppressed the fire. There were no fatalities to the victim or first responders and no additional damage to personal properties beyond the initial vehicle involved in the accident.  

Town of Grand Rapids Fire Chief Bob Piatt was initially a bit skeptical as the FST wasn’t thrown into the room on fire, but an adjacent room. His skepticism disappeared as he observed the smoke transition from grey to white and the FST prevented the fire from spreading. The fire did not spread to any other rooms, the roof, or the walls. No one was injured in this fire. Chief Piatt is now a strong supporter of the Fire Suppression Tool and stated the Fire and Police departments will continue to use the tool in the future.  

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department deployed a donated FST under a logging trailer that had started on fire due to an overheating brake pad. Eight seconds after deployment, the FST started to suppress the flames and extinguished the small grass fire that had started as a result of the initial fire. The FST provided valuable time needed for the local fire department to arrive and extinguish the fire completely.  

The Merrill Police Department deployed a donated FST at the scene of a garage fire. The fire was determined to be started by a faulty extension cord that was running a portable heater. The FST helped slow the progression of this fire, giving more time for the Merrill Fire Department to respond with their equipment. After the fire was extinguished, it was discovered that the garage contained several vehicles and canisters of gas. The FST helped prevent this fire from becoming much worse.