History
Town of Turtle Fire Department
The Beginning
The first meeting of the proposed Volunteer Fire Department took place on December 16, 1955. This meeting was called to order by
Ray Veihman, town board member. Prospective members of the department were introduces and Dick McCaul explained the
operation of the Beloit Rescue Squad. Chief Alwes of the Clinton Fire Department read the rules and regulations of that department.
A motion was made by Chief Alwes, that any person wanting to become a member of the Turtle Fire Department should make an
application in writing and have a doctor’s certificate of good health. Chief Walter Alwes was engaged by the townshipboard to serve
as chief of the Turtle Department for the first year.
The original members of the department:
Carl Edison
Ervin Fonda
Donald Bolen
Wayne Allen
Torrence Hill
Gilbert Gjestvang
Buel Gunderson
Warren Hart
Peter Halverson
Phil Holmes
Dave Collins
David Lang
Don Lang
Ray Lang
Charles Lindquist
Ed Messerole
Melvin McCabe
Edward McCabe
Dick McCaul
Frank Marsden
Bob McKillips
Leon Noss
Dave Roland
Robert Spence
Bruce Spence
Fred Scudder
Lester Wallace
Richard Peterson
John Gustafson
Jim Walsh
Willis Watson
Byron Meech
Chief Alwes
Leroy Veihman served as town board’s representative in organizing the department.
In February 1956, Bruce Spence was appointed pump instructor. Officers of the department unanimously elected were: Mechanic -
Ervin Fonda, Treasurer - Buel Gunderson, and Secretary - Frank Marsden
First Fire Truck and First Station
For many years Turtle Township relied on the Beloit and Clinton Fire Departments. Within a matter of weeks they were on thier own.
The Turtle Fire Department headquarters would be the Dougan farm dairy garage on Colley road. Their brand new truck would be
based in the garage and meeting would also be held there.
The new fire truck was purchased for $13,000. Tank capacity was 1,000 gallons. Performance testing prescibed by and supervised
by the Insurance Rating Bureau of the Wisconsin Association of Fire Underwriters. This testing was conducted at the Turtle Creek
dam in Shopiere. The new red truck’s 500 gallon per minute pump operated at full capacity for three hours under pressure of 150
punds and up. After testing, the truck was described as one of the finest pieces of rural fire fighting equipment in Southern
Wisconsin.
Within the first year Richard McCaul was elected and took over as Department head from Walter Alwes, who served as acting chief
during the formative months of the department.