October 9-15, 2022
Wednesday, October 5, 2022 | Firemen’s Salute | Page 1
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Publications The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.
prevention fire wont wait, plan your escape
Community and comradery
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Long Prairie Firefighters Dan Laumeyer (from left) Otis Ostendorf, Josh Meyer, Noah Koltes and Mikey Terwey participate in Water Wars Browerville.
Fellowship found in firefighting BY SARAH COLBURN STAFF WRITER
For firefighters in the Long Prairie Fire Department, a sense of community and comradery are what keeps them going. “You’re meeting people on some of the worst days of their lives, and you’re trying to make it better,” said Otis Ostendorf. Ostendorf has been a member of the department for
seven years and said as he and his fellow firefighters respond to calls, they see things they never wanted to see. They’re there to help members of their community but at the same time, they help one another. “We’re not friends, we’re brothers,” he said. “On the fire scene or off the fire scene we’re there to back each other up. We laugh, we joke about stuff and we make fun of each other but as soon as that pager
goes off all the smiles go away and we do what we need to do for every call.” When they get to the scene the team focuses on the people in need. If it’s an accident, they take the time to talk with those involved calmly, they assess their pain and stay positive as they work to get them out of the situation as quickly as possible for care. “If it’s a fire and somebody is stuck in the fire you get them out,” he said. “If it’s a home or building you’re either saving other buildings (nearby) or a
house from starting on fire, you save as much as you can.” The comradery, he said, comes from what the firefighters go through. “The things mentally you see, you can’t unsee but you see it together,” he said. “We’re all going through that same pain… (I) know that guy is hurting just as much as I am and that brings you closer together.” Those emotions, he said, can come out in the fire hall as the firefighters visit and talk through tough calls. With tragedies, Ostendorf said, even though
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someone may not have responded to the call, each member of the team likely has experienced something similar in their time on the department and can understand the emotions and the what-ifs that go along with each situation.
Firefighting page 2