The Madison Fire Department received a $5,000 donation from East River Electric Cooperative in December. East River participated in CoBank’s Sharing Success Program which is a matching grant program. East River donated $2,500 and CoBank matched that amount. Jake Good, Vice President of CoBank, said, “CoBank recognizes that our customers know best where funding can most effectively be provided to benefit their communities and we are proud to be part of this contribution to the community of Madison.”
The Madison Fire Department has 28 volunteers and one full time employee. They provide fire protection for 10 of the 16 townships in Lake County totaling 350 square miles. They also provide mutual aid for structure fires for four towns surrounding Madison. Randy Minnaert, Madison’s Fire Chief, expressed appreciation for the generous donation. “Thank you for selecting Madison’s Fire Department for this donation. We are excited to utilize the funds for equipment for our new engine and personal protective equipment,” said Randy. “If it wasn’t for local businesses supporting us, we couldn’t be as active or provide as many services.”