Calumet Fire awarded new equipment

Another area department won a Gary Sinise Foundation grant to replace their self contained breathing apparatus air tanks. This time it was Houghton County’s Village of Calumet. Several Baraga County departments were awarded a grant for tanks as well, also from the Sinise Foundation. The actor has been active in supporting the military and first responders since his 1994 role in Forrest Gump as Lieutenant Dan, a disabled Vietnam veteran.

Village Manager Caleb Katz says that Calumet was looking at $22,000 in expenses if it had to fund the new equipment itself. “An expenditure of this size would be a stress on our small Village and without it there would be significant risk to the lives of our volunteer firefighters”, said Katz. “We are so grateful for this funding, which requires no match, and will free up our budget to help address other pressing infrastructure issues”.

The Village of Calumet Fire Department has been around for over 100 years and is tasked with protecting one of the area’s most prominent historical districts. With such a concentration of older buildings to account for, it is imperative for the organization to maintain its equipment.

The full release is below.

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The Village of Calumet Fire Department was facing a $22,000 expense this summer when the Department’s supplied Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus air tanks are set to expire, now to be covered by a grant from the Gary Sinise Foundation. The tanks which are used anytime entry is needed in hazardous environments are soon to be expired and if not replaced would prevent firefighters from being able to adequately complete their duties.

“An expenditure of this size would be a stress on our small Village and without it there would be significant risk to the lives of our volunteer firefighters”, reported Village Manager, Caleb Katz. “We are so grateful for this funding, which requires no match, and will free up our budget to help address other pressing infrastructure issues”.

The idea to apply for the grant came from Manager Katz, who was looking for funding options for the replacement of Fire Department equipment. The Gary Sinise Foundation was established to serve the defenders, veterans, first responders, and their families, as well as those in need. The Foundation funds these types of requests to honor the sacrifice of our first responders, and ensure they are able to perform to the best of their abilities.

Jeff Kalcich serves as Fire Chief for the Village of Calumet, because of his desire to keep the community safe and to keep 100+ years of tradition alive. Chief Kalcich feels maintaining a Fire Department within the Village “is imperative to ensure a quick response time to protect the historical architecture of the Village”. Chief Kalcich could not be happier about the generosity of the Gary Sinise Foundation, noting that “these funds lift a huge burden off the Village of Calumet and the all-volunteer Fire Department.”