Brother Mark Steckel, Master of Mystic Tie Freemasons Lodge in Ladysmith, meets with Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper Jake Fricke. Trooper Fricke was one of the first to arrive at a structure fire at 419 Roesler Avenue in Ladysmith on April 2nd. Fire was coming out of one the bedroom windows in the bottom apartment of the complex. Trooper Fricke deployed a portable Fire Suppression Tool (FST) donated by the Wisconsin Masonic Foundation.
Both Trooper Fricke and Ladysmith Fire Chief Kyle Gibbs stated that the FST did what it was supposed to do. It knocked down the fire until the Ladysmith Fire Department arrived and put out the fire. Fire Chief Gibbs also said that by using the FST it helped keep the fire from spreading further into the building.
The Wisconsin Masonic Foundation has donated over 100 “Jump Bags” to the Wisconsin State Patrol. These Bags contain both an AED and a Fire Suppression Tool. The Mystic Tie Lodge has donated a total of six FSTs to area first responders: one to each of the four of the area fire departments and two to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department.
Submitted by Brother Bill Howard, Mystic Tie Lodge Secretary
