Charles City Fire Department sees extraordinary turnout for breakfast fundraiser

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Pancakes, ham, juice and coffee were on the menu as members of the Charles City Fire Department invited the community to join them for breakfast in the fire station garage on Sunday, Oct. 15.

An October tradition, the department has its pancake breakfast fundraiser at the end of Fire Prevention Week for as long as anyone on the team could remember.

“It’s worked really well,” said Fire Chief Marty Parcher. “It helps us be able to fund the volunteers.”

Running through box after box of pancake mix, the firefighters flipped an estimated 2,000 pancakes across the morning. To sweeten the deal, maple syrup donated by the Tosanak Recreation Area was on hand to add locally produced flavor to the flapjacks.

“We have received record donations this year from the whole town,” said Lt. Justin Schlutter.

Having to make additional runs to the grocery store by late morning to re-supply on breakfast items, the firefighters think they hit a record year of attendance for the event.

“It turned out very, very well,” said Parcher. “It was an excellent turnout and excellent people.”

Accepting freewill donations for the meal, the pancake breakfast raises money the Fire Department uses to purchase new tools and gear for its volunteers without needing to draw from the city budget.

Recent purchases include a “torpedo nozzle” that allows firefighters to combat interior fires without having to go inside, battery powered chainsaws (one generously donated by Lessin Supply), and multipurpose tools, all of which help save the firefighters time and energy when in the field.

The gear was on display during the breakfast, giving visitors a chance to see exactly the kind of things their donations contribute to.

Nothing has been specifically earmarked for this year’s donations, but Parcher and Schlutter say that they have their eye on new equipment that would allow a single firefighter to clean and rollout their large diameter hoses.

“That’s one of several things we’ve been talking about,” said Parcher.

Energized by the outstanding turnout, the firefighters are already thinking about ways to make the breakfast even better next year, coming up with a list of suggestions to explore.