By Chris Spangler
The names of three Fort Atkinson firefighters who died in a truck crash en route to a Rockdale blaze nearly 101 years ago have been engraved on the Wisconsin Fire and EMS Memorial Wall.
On Saturday, Sept. 28, the late William Gross, Herman Smith and Frank Hoffman were among eight fallen firefighters added to the WFEM memorial in Wisconsin Rapids.
Also listed were the names of the late Lake Mills Fire Chief Todd Yandre, who died at age 61 of an apparent heart attack at the end of his shift on Feb. 13, 2023, and firefighters from Stevens Point, Brookfield, Milwaukee and North Shore. Yandre had been active in the fire department for 41 years.
Located in Ben Hansen Park along the Wisconsin River, the memorial consists of six black marble plates engraved with the names of approximately 350 Wisconsin firefighters who have died in the line of duty. In front is a life-sized bronze statue depicting two firefighters coming to the the aid of a fallen crew member.
Fort Atkinson was well-represented at the final alarm and roll call ceremony, with 12 firefighters and five of Hoffman’s descendants in attendance. Ten members of Yandre’s family, as well as five Lake Mills firefighters, also were on site.
Program speakers
Welcoming guests was Wisconsin Rapids Fire Chief Todd Eckes.
“Today we stand together on this hallowed ground remembering our brothers and sisters that have fallen this year and years past,” he said. “It doesn’t get any easier from year to year, and to compound the problem, firefighters are losing their lives to other external influences rather than direct trauma.”
He cited death from cancer due to continual exposure to carcinogens on the job, as well as the growing number of suicides.
“September is Suicide Prevention Month and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reports that firefighters and our law enforcement brothers and sisters are more likely to die from suicide than in the line of duty. EMS workers are 1.39 times more likely to die of suicide than the public,” Eckes said.
“The stress of our industry has always been accepted to be part of the job and members simply suppressed what they were feeling without seeking help because that was what we have always done,” the chief said. “But the mental health of our members deserves to be a top priority. Our members see the worst of all calls, and many times have problems processing the why of what they see.”
Eckes noted that critical incident stress (CIS) debriefings and CIS management teams need to become the rule, not the
exception. In addition, peer support groups and annual mental health checkups should be available, if not mandatory.
“When our fallen firefighter numbers were on the rise many years back, we focused on what was killing our members on the fireground and it started making a difference in those numbers.
Now we need to focus on what is killing our members off the fireground and try and make an impact in that arena also,” Eckes said.
In closing, he encouraged attendees to reflect on the first responders whose names were added to the memorial wall today and in the past, as well as their families.
Offering the keynote speech was Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin President Mahlon Mitchell of Madison.
“As first responders, we respond to our communities, often on the worst day of their lives. When they are at their worst, we have to be at our best. There are givers and takers in this world, and first responders are truly givers,” he said. “We give of ourselves on and off the job. We give our lives to protect the property of others. It is unfortunate, but in our profession, the prospect of death is something we all must face.”
Mitchell said all understand the risks in choosing a firefighting or emergency medical services career.
“In an era when heroes are hard to find, few would dispute that first responders are America’s heroes. At a time when bravery is in short supply, firefighters still (emanate) the essence of bravery,” he said.
Mitchell said that first responders epitomize what duty truly means, adding, “In a society where sacrifice is seldom practiced, first responders are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.”
He noted that first responders talk about the potential for being injured and even dying during a call, but they must talk about their behavioral and mental health, as well.
“We don’t often talk about the suffering we see and the pain we feel in the course of our normal work day,” Mitchell said. “But I do know one thing: This is who we are and this is what we do. Every first responder across the state understands what I am saying.”
He continued: “It is a bond that knows no geographic boundaries and is that very bond and strong kinship that guarantees, without question, that first responders will do whatever’s necessary when that bell goes off.”
However, that knowledge still can not erase the pain that first responders feel when the people they are trying to help or colleagues with whom they work are injured or die.
“Nothing can release that grief and sorrow that we’re all feeling right now. Sisters and brothers, we should take comfort in knowing that there was abundant meaning in their lives. It wasn’t about the why; it was about that what, and what can we do to help and what is needed at that time,” Mitchell said.
“We can all take heart in knowing that they were engaged in an endeavor that is a matter of human greatness, that they will be remembered for their courage, their honor and their selfless dedication,” he added.
Mitchell acknowledged that it takes a special person to become a first responder: a person with values and who treasures every life above him or herself. And it takes a special person to be his or her family member.
“Time after time, the stories behind the names of those killed in the line of duty are defined by first responders’ quests to save lives and help others. Some of their heroic stories make headlines; some don’t. But that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things because they all made the ultimate sacrifice for the citizens and the communities that we serve,” Mitchell said.
“So we shall always remember that they made a difference in this world because they died doing something that mattered. They chose to do that; they wanted to do that because they wanted to help, to put life for others over self,” he concluded.
Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Matt Zacher also took to the podium, offering brief remarks before reading a proclamation by Gov. Tony Evers designating Oct. 12 as Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day.
“First responders provide a vital service to communities. Their professionalism, skill and deep compassion provide aid and comfort to people in devastating situations. Their faithful services save lives, while sometimes risking their own lives,” he said.
“When a first responder falls in the line of duty, their loved ones carry the burden of their loss into the honor of their sacrifice. I hope that today’s ceremony brings some peace and consolation to those who have experienced the loss of a loved one,” the mayor added.
The name of each firefighter was read as the bell tolled and a flag and flower were presented to the respective family members or fire department representatives.
Following the ceremony, Fort Atkinson Fire Chief Bruce Peterson said he has attended final alarm ceremonies in other states, but nothing of this magnitude.
“This was a whole nother level and it is fitting for the sacrifice that they gave,” he said of the memorial wall honorees.
“As chief, I am just so incredibly proud of our guys. It’s a proud moment for our department, and to pay homage … to those who came before us is fitting tribute. And it’s a humbling day for us. We’re thrilled to be here and see them finally recognized by the state,” Peterson added.
He offered a shout-out to Philip Jones of Jones Dairy Farm, whose contribution enabled the department to purchase 42 new Class A uniforms for members. They arrived just in time for Saturday’s event.
The ceremony also included the posting of the colors and laying of wreaths by the honor guard, an invocation by the WFEM Deacon Tom Anderson, the playing of “Amazing Grace” and “Taps” by the pipes and drums, the presentation of folded flags to the honorees’ families and fire department representatives, a ceremonial flag folding, the reading of names added to the wall during the past decade and a bell ceremony.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung by Melissa Defebaugh of Fort Atkinson. A former member of the Cambridge EMS, she is a member of the Dane County EMS Honor Guard.
A display about the three Fort Atkinson firefighters who lost their lives, which features photos and newspaper articles, is available for viewing in the Visitors’ Center the coming year.
Crash a century ago
The Fort Atkinson firefighters were responding to a house fire at the A.C. Tellefson home in Rockdale near Cambridge the afternoon of Dec. 17, 1923, when their truck struck a culvert wall and careened into a cornfield, killing the tree men and injuring three others.
This marked the first call to which the new $12,500 truck was being driven.
The Jefferson County Union reported Dec. 21 that the truck left the station with five men — Gross, Smith, Adolph Uherr, Anthony Statz and Louis Reich — and then stopped briefly around the corner at the nearby Hoffman Lumber Co. (located at today’s site of Ace Hardware) to pick up Hoffman.
The truck had traveled 3-1/3 miles when, at 3:43 p.m., it struck a culvert end wall at the bottom of a slightly curved hill just past what today is Radloff Lane — the turnoff to Dorothy Carnes County Park — and catapulted end over end into a southside cornfield that today is owned by Marsha Herr.
According to the Dec. 21 Union, Smith, 59, died at 8:15 p.m. Monday from a crushed pelvis and internal injuries. Hoffman, 42, sustained a crushed head and chest and died at 9:15 p.m. Monday. Gross, who suffered a crushed chest, punctured lungs and internal injuries, died Thursday, Dec. 20.
As for the injured firefighters, Uherr sustained a fractured skull and lacerations, Statz suffered a skull fracture and Reich had a broken left leg and several bruises.
Ceremony attendees
Representing the Fort Atkinson Fire Department at Saturday’s gathering were Peterson; Mike Reel, chief engineer; Jeff Armstrong, engineer; Jim Chase, captain; Tom Emrick, retired fire chief; Rob Stine, driver; Frank Weiss, driver; Kurt Braman, lieutenant; Josh Hertzfeldt, firefighter; Jim Slocum, engineer; Micala Banker, firefighter; and Danielle Graham, firefighter/paramedic.
Hoffman descendants in attendance were Mary Beyerle, Fort Atkinson, granddaughter; Steve Moore, Marion, Mont., great-grandson; Betsy Gasper, Fort Atkinson, great-granddaughter, and her husband, Greg, Fort Atkinson; and Alex Moore, great-great-granddaughter, Houston, Texas.
Lake Mills Fire Department representatives included Mark Yandre, retired but now acting fire chief; Christian Stuebs, firefighter; Joel Theder, captain; Tirri Goodrich, firefighter/EMT; and Clayton Schulz, firefighter/EMT.
Yandre family members attending the ceremony were Monica Yandre, Lake Mills, widow; Rachel Eckert, Lake Mills, sister-in-law; Macy Burger, Waterloo, great-niece; Mark Yandre, Lake Mills, brother; Helen Eckert, Lake Mills, mother-in-law; Tammie Garman, Lake Mills, sister; Eric Garman, Lake Mills, brother-in-law; Morgan Garman, Lake Mills, niece; Nicole Garman, Waterloo, niece; and Braden Burger, Waterloo, nephew-in-law.
The Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial Wall is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization. For more information or to contribute to its operation, visit https://www.wfem.org/ or https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/1939826.
Two photos above: At top, the descendants of one of three Fort Atkinson firefighters — William Gross, Frank Hoffman, and Herman Smith, whose likenesses are shown above — including Hoffman’s great-granddaughter Betsy Gasper, Fort Atkinson, and great-grandson Steve Moore of Marion, Mont., read about their relative’s heroism. The three fallen firefighters were among eight statewide added last Saturday to the Wisconsin Fire and EMS Memorial in Wisconsin Rapids.
Two photos above, at top: The names of the late William Gross, Frank Hoffman and Herman Smith, Fort Atkinson firefighters who were fatally injured in a truck crash in December 1923, as well as the name of the late Lake Mills Fire Chief Todd Yandre, above, who died at age 61 of an apparent heart attack at the end of his shift on Feb. 13, 2023, appear on the Memorial Wall.
Wisconsin Fire and EMS Memorial Deacon Tom Anderson, at left, leads of tour of the park grounds. In the center beneath the flag is Mary Beyerle, the granddaughter of Frank Hoffman, one of three Fort Atkinson firefighters who lost their lives in a truck crash in 1923.
A Fort Atkinson fire truck, one of two brought by the department to the Grand Rapids ceremony, is parked near a banner that was displayed locally at the crash site on Dec. 17, 2023, marking the 100th anniversary of the triple firefighter fatality. The Lake Mills Fire Department also drove one of its trucks to the ceremony, which honored the department’s late fire chief, Todd Yandre.
Mary Eckert, Lake Mills, from left, who is the sister-in-law of the late Lake Mills Fire Chief Todd Yandre; Jim Slocum, Fort Atkinson Fire Department engineer; and Tom Emrick, retired Fort Atkinson fire chief, enjoy lunch. The meal was provided to the families and fire department members representing firefighters whose names were newly listed on the Wisconsin Fire and EMS Memorial Wall.
Lake Mills Fire Department members firefighter Christian Stuebs, from left; Capt. Joel Theder; Monica Yandre, whose husband, Fire Chief Todd Yandre, died of a heart attack following a shift last year; returning from retirement to duty while serving as acting Fire Chief Mark Yandre, and firefighters and EMTs Tirri Goodrich and Clayton Schulz gather during the ceremony.
Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin President Mahlon Mitchell of Madison offers the keynote speech at the the Memorial Wall “final alarm ceremony.”
Members of the Honor Guard salute fallen firefighters following placement of a wreath at the Memorial Wall.
Honor Guard members assemble in advance of presenting American flags and flowers to family and fire department members representing three Fort Atkinson firefighters who lost their lives in a truck crash on Dec. 17, 1923.
Mary Beyerle, at left, and her daughter, Betsy Gasper, both of Fort Atkinson, are presented a rose and American flag in memory of their grandfather and great-grandfather, respectively, Frank Hoffman. Hoffman was one of three Fort Atkinson firefighters who lost their lives in a truck crash on Dec. 17, 1923.
An American flag is presented to former Fort Atkinson Fire Chief Mike Reel in honor of Herman Smith, one of three firefighters killed in the fire truck crash nearly 101 years ago.
Fort Atkinson Fire Department engineer Jim Slocum, at center, is presented with a flag honoring William Gross, one of three Fort Atkinson firefighters killed in a truck crash a century ago. He is accompanied by retired Fire Chief Tom Emrick, at left.
Members of the Yandre family are presented with an American flag and rose in remembrance of the late Todd Yandre. The Lake Mills fire chief died last year after suffering a heart attack following his shift.
Family members of and fire department representatives associated with the eight men who were honored last Saturday by having their names engraved on the Wisconsin Fire and EMS Memorial Wall are seated for the “final alarm ceremony.”
Assembled near a statue depicting two firefighters coming to the aid of a fellow firefighter, members of the WFEM bagpipers play “Amazing Grace.” The musical rendition was part of the “final alarm ceremony.”
Members of the WFEM Honor Guard toll the bell once for every Wisconsin first responder who lost his or her life in the line of duty and whose name was added to the Memorial Wall during the past decade. Fort Atkinson resident Melissa Defebaugh, second from left, who is a former member of the Cambridge EMS, and a member of the Dane County EMS Honor Guard is among the group. She also sang the national anthem at the start of the program.
The sounding of “Taps” marks the conclusion of the “final alarm ceremony.”
Fort Atkinson Fire Department members, along with descendants of Frank Hoffman, one of three firefighters who lost their lives while on duty a century ago, gather near the Wisconsin Fire and EMS Memorial Wall. They are: Bruce Peterson, fire chief, from left; Mike Reel, chief engineer; Jeff Armstrong, engineer; Jim Chase, captain; Tom Emrick, retired fire chief; Greg Gasper; Betsy Gasper, who is Hoffman’s great-granddaughter; Rob Stine, driver; Mary Beyerle, Hoffman’s granddaughter; Frank Weiss, driver; Steve Moore, Hoffman’s great-grandson; Kurt Braman, lieutenant; Alex Moore Hoffman’s great-great-granddaughter; Josh Hertzfeldt, firefighter; Jim Slocum, engineer; Micala Banker, firefighter, and Danielle Graham, firefighter/paramedic.
Chris Spangler photos.
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