GRAFTON, Wis — Firefighters at the newly combined Ozaukee Central Fire Department say they are decreasing response times for the communities they serve.
The Ozaukee Central Fire Department went live at the beginning of the year, combining fire resources from the now former Grafton and Saukville fire departments.
Watch: Firefighters say Ozaukee Central merger helps decrease response times:
"We usually like to keep four [firefighters] here at all times so we can respond to a fire call," firefighter Jacob Barger said.
Barger is one of the newest full-time staff members at OCFD. In the past, both Grafton and Saukville were fully volunteer departments. Before the merger, they had already transitioned into a hybrid model, where a majority of firefighters were paid on-call.
As part of the merger, the combined department will nearly double its full-time firefighting personnel. This allows OCFD to staff a fire engine around the clock, meaning first responders can be out the door within 30 to 60 seconds of receiving an emergency call.
Voters approved the additional staff through property tax referendums last year.
It's a change brought on by necessity. According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum, a Milwaukee-based think tank, it has become harder for similar fire departments in growing areas to both find firefighters and keep costs steady.
Rob Henken with the Wisconsin Policy Forum helped author "First Response," a 2021 report commissioned by several communities in Ozaukee County. He contends the changes were long overdue.
"The communities in Ozaukee County had great community pride and still do with regard to their largely volunteer fire and emergency medical services," Henken said. "They had been hanging on longer than most have been able to... It was a combination of population growth, new development, and the fact that maintaining large rosters of firefighters and paramedics had become increasingly difficult."
Ozaukee Central is still finishing up the merger between both of its fire stations, including purchasing new gear for staff and rebranding its fleet of fire apparatus. The Grafton station is being updated as well. They are also adding sleeping cots around the station.
Firefighter Chris Keuker has worked two stints at the Grafton fire station, totaling 15 years. He has seen firsthand the transition from volunteer to full-time.
"I like it," Keuker said. "(It) kind of separates the work life and the personal life, versus when I was a volunteer and you were kind of blending the two together."
OCFD was not the only department to consolidate. Several communities held talks about combining back in 2021. Through those discussions, Mequon and Thiensville combined their fire departments into the Southern Ozaukee Fire Department in 2023.
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