by Dennis Dalman
A very old, small, well-worn firetruck was the “star attraction” at Lions Park in St. Stephen Oct. 12 during that city’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of the city’s Fire & Rescue Department.
The afternoon event included speeches by Fire Chief Jeff Drais (28 years of service) and Jim Schumer (47 years of service). There were memorial tributes to the first 12 men who started the fledgling department way back when. There was also a tribute to recently deceased firefighter Jason Trobec and a presentation of mementos to his wife and four children (see related story).
At the event, there was a big bouncy castle and face-painting for kids, a cornhole game, refreshments, food, small-group conversations and live music by a Sartell duo dubbed “BLT” featuring singer-guitarist Troy Spooner and percussionist Gary Eikmeyer.
People stood or sat at tables in small groups socializing and often reminiscing about the many years of the fire department. St. Stephen firefighters mingled with the groups, talking about their years on the force, answering questions and enjoying bursts of neighborly small talk.
On a pleasantly sunny, warm day shiny-red fire and rescue trucks lined up on the park grounds for visitors to see and touch up close. Fire Chief Drais greeted and conversed with visitors, as did other firefighters. St. Stephen Mayor Lisa Marvin was on hand to direct parking and to help with other tasks, as were other city officials such as city council member Danita Traut.
Founding
The St. Stephen Fire Departments was founded in 1949 by a dozen volunteers. It now has 25 firefighters. At that time, the small fire station was in a brick building northwest across the main street from the church.
The first fire fought was one at the grain elevator in nearby Rice.
Seventy-five years ago, 1949, Bill Vouk went to Midway Iron in St. Cloud and bought from the scrap heap a 1929 AA Ford ton truck. It was rebuilt and gussied up as a fire truck by brother firefighters Bill and Jim Vouk and became the department’s first fire rig.
Nine years later, that truck was sold. It wasn’t until 1974 that it was located in Trommald, a small town in Crow Wing County. Jim Vouk bought the vehicle and brought it back as a historical memento for St. Stephen. It is now owned by his son and daughter-in-law, Frank J. and Lisa Vouk.
And that old fire truck, a bit rusty and worn around the edges, was a center of attention at the Oct. 12 event as visitors and firefighters stood by it and reminisced.
Vouks
Standing next to the old firetruck was retired firefighter Frank J. Vouk, the son of Jim Vouk, who with brother Bill, helped rebuild that truck 75 years ago.
Frank J. Vouk, who owns the antique firetruck, retired from the St. Stephen Fire Department in 2008 after 21 years of service, then retired from the St. Cloud Fire Department in 2019 with more than 30 years of service in total, 16 years overlapping between the two departments.
Oops!
Standing by the old firetruck, firefighter Barhorst, with 51 years of service and still going strong, said he loves his job.
“I look forward to it every day,” he said. “If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t do it.
Barhorst also works a maintenance job for the St. Stephen Catholic Parish and its church in the heart of St. Stephen.
Barhorst shared with the Newsleaders a memory of when he first started as a firefighter, 50 years ago. One day at home, he heard a wailing siren in the distance. Figuring it was some kind of five-alarm fire call, he got into his car and hurried to the fire station. There was nobody there.
“Where the heck are they?” he recalled saying.
He soon learned the loud shrieky wailing sound had been a test of the city’s emergency weather siren.
“Oops!” he remembered thinking. Barhorst’s colleagues razzed him for years about that false “five-alarm” fire.
Vouk again
Another Vouk – Ray Vouk – stood by the old firetruck and reminisced. He was on the department for 34 years and retired about 20 years ago.
On an easel by the truck were two framed very old photos: one of the early fire station, the other of men standing and holding a fire hose. Ray Vouk pointed to the photo and identified the men in it, including the first fire chief Joe Trobec, Bill and Jim Vouk, Pete Justin, Victor Omann and the mayor at that time.
Generations
In many respects, the St. Stephen Fire & Rescue Department is a generational phenomenon, with generations of firefighters having worked for it at one time or another.
The most familiar last names are Vouks, Trobecs and Schumers. One of its current firefighters, Al Vouk, has been on the department for 52 years.
There are on average about 130-135 emergency calls each year, said Chief Drais, but almost all of those, except for about 10, are for non-fire emergencies such as stand-by duty at accident scenes and extrications of people from crashed vehicles.
Ray Vouk, now retired, reminisces about the long history of the St. Stephen Fire Department at its 75th anniversary celebration Oct. 12 in the city’s Lions Park.
Frank J. Vouk stands by the side of St. Stephen’s first firetruck, a truck that after its long journey to many places is back in St. Stephen, owned by Frank and his wife, Lisa.
A very old St. Stephen fire helmet and old folded duster uniform is shown on the front of the 1949 St. Stephen firetruck.
Current St. Stephen Fire Chief Jeff Drais
Gary Eikmeyer (left) and Troy Spooner, members of “BLT,” performed classic country and pop songs at the 75th celebration of the St. Stephen Fire Department. In this photo, they were singing a stunning version of the song “People Are Crazy.”
This side photo of the old firetruck shows plenty of wear-and-tear it sustained throughout the years.
