WASECA — If a major disaster is going to happen, you’ll want Team Waseca on your side.
When a wildfire erupted Sunday near the city, firefighters were quick to respond of course. But so were lay people, those who support those firefighters and other emergency workers.
“We’ve been helped in so many ways,” said Waseca Fire Chief Jason Forshee, days after a fire swept through the rural community and injured two first responders and a resident. The two firefighters were treated and released and the injured resident is now in stable condition, the fire chief said.
“We’re obviously very, very grateful for all of that. In southern Minnesota we seem to have a very good presence for first responders being supported by citizens and businesses.”
Forshee said the help was immediate during Sunday’s fire but also continued into the week.
Kwik Trip North in Waseca provided food and drinks to the firefighters. The convenience store donated Gatorade, bread for sandwiches and coffee, said manager Tammi Brooks.
Domino’s Pizza in Waseca donated lunchtime pizzas for people “working on hotspots” on Tuesday, said manager Janet Radke. “They’re putting their lives at risk,” she said. “And you know, they did a tremendous job with how large that fire was.”
Radke said she’s donated to other worthy causes but has never seen a fire like this before.
“I don’t think there’s ever been one this big in southern Minnesota,” she said.
Barney’s Drive-In is a seasonal Waseca business but still provided food even though they’re listed as closed on social media.
The Waseca Fire Department Auxiliary is a group of spouses, significant others and moms of local firefighters, said Jill Forshee, the fire chief’s wife. They fundraise in order to offer support when there’s a major fire or accident in the Waseca area, she said.
The auxiliary members provided for 250 people — who included not only Waseca firefighters but all of those who arrived to fight the fire — on Sunday, and met at the fire station to assemble sandwiches for them. They also offered iced beverages, she said, because of the warm weather.
“We got it done with four people,” she said. “We have an assembly line and we know it’s going to benefit the guys. We give everyone a job and away we go. It’s a team effort.”
Rodney Born of Born Well Drilling in Waseca was eating at a local restaurant with his wife when they both saw smoke. “It wasn’t very big,” he said. “But in five minutes, it grew huge.
“We both said, that’s not good with the wind,” Born said. “I said I might drive to check it out, see what’s going on and see if they need water. So we went out there.”
He ended up donating 1,800 gallons of water for firefighters to use to fight the spreading fire, which ended up burning just shy of 2,000 acres.
“I’ve never seen so many fire trucks in my life,” Born said. “There were about 12 departments and each department had 20 firemen there. It was amazing how everything was coordinated. Everything worked out. Everybody worked together.
“They protected residents and buildings and did a fantastic job,” he said.
When asked if they’ve given before to other fire-related causes, Brooks of Kwik Trip is quick to answer. “Absolutely,” she said. “We are 100 percent behind our first responders.”