SAUK RAPIDS -- The Sauk Rapids Fire Department stays busy covering a large geographical area. Fire Chief Jason Fleming says, besides the city of Sauk Rapids, they also cover all or parts of five townships including Watab, Minden, Mayhew Lake, Haven, and Sauk Rapids Township.

He says they surpassed 200 fire calls in a single year a few years back, and now they pretty much average about 210 calls a year.

Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
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Because they cover a lot of rural area there is a high number of grass fires, but they also have a variety of other calls as well.

Within the city, we respond to a lot of alarm calls because w have a lot of apartments and a lot of businesses here that are fully alarmed and fully sprinklers.  We do a lot of highway accidents too because we cover parts of Highway 10, Highway 23, Highway 15, and Highway 95.

Fleming says the Sauk Rapids Fire Department has 28 active members with two more in the process of getting sworn in, which would bring them up to full strength. They do have one woman in the department, and Fleming says he'd love to be able to find and recruit more women to sign up.

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Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
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Next month the Sauk Rapids Fire Department will be getting its brand new ladder truck. It is being built right now, along with a sister truck for Sartell, at a cost of $1.17 million.

Another vehicle in their fleet that Fire Chief Jason Fleming likes to highlight is the Air Boat, which they were able to get all through community donations.

Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
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This Saturday you can check out all of the Fire Department's vehicles during their annual open house.

Because let's be honest, these are the community's trucks.  Our townships and the city pay for this equipment and they pay for the station and it is there's.  And, it's also a good recruiting tool.

The event on Saturday runs from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Children can get free pumpkins, education materials, and spray water hoses.

Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
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The Sauk Rapids Fire Hall opened in 2006.

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