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Rothsay fire chief reports 97 calls in 2025; townships told of 2027 contract increases
Summary
Fire Chief Jordan Barry told township officials on Feb. 2 that the Rothsay Fire Department handled 97 calls in 2025 and announced a Gary Sinise Foundation grant-funded equipment purchase; officials were notified that 2027 township fire contract amounts will increase.
Fire Chief Jordan Barry told township and city officials at a Feb. 2 meeting that the Rothsay Fire Department responded to 97 calls in 2025, including 17 fires, 40 medical responses, 34 rescues and six mutual-aid incidents.
Barry said the department was awarded a Gary Sinise Foundation grant and used that funding to buy new auto-extrication equipment costing $65,834.00. The department also purchased a LUCAS mechanical CPR device for $21,000.00, with the money raised through the annual pancake feed and donations from local businesses and townships.
The chief gave a township-by-township breakdown of 2025 calls, reporting Rothsay accounted for 22 calls; Prairie View 17; Tanberg 15; Oscar 16; Trondhjem 8; Carlisle 6; Andrea 3; Akron 3; Meadows 1; and Manston 0. Several calls were noted as occurring on Interstate routes.
Barry said one new firefighter, Tate Elliot, joined the department this year, bringing the roster to 23 members, and he asked townships to help with response planning by providing lists of closed township roads and notifying the department of flooded or blocked driveways in spring. He also requested donated old plat books for Otter Tail and Wilkin County to support response planning.
Officials were told the fire department’s truck fund stands at $130,000.00. Barry said the department will apply again for a DNR 50/50 grant to help purchase needed equipment and asked for community support for the department’s March 29 pancake feed, an important fundraiser.
Township fire contracts will increase in 2027, the meeting heard. Full townships will see a $100 increase to a total contract amount of $3,250.00, plus $1,200.00 for the truck fund; half-township contracts will be $1,625.00 plus $1,200.00 for the truck fund. No further budget detail or formal vote on the contract amounts was recorded in the minutes.
The meeting was called to adjourn; a motion to adjourn was moved by Nathan Ziegler and seconded by Heather Weber, and the motion was carried. Chief Barry invited officials to tour the Rothsay Fire Hall after the meeting. Amanda Kuschel, City Clerk/Treasurer, signed and submitted the minutes. The meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m.
