Bridgewater Ia Fire dept

05/08/2026

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The Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated is beginning fundraising efforts to pay for a side by side, UTV (Utility Terrain Unit) grass/brush firefighting unit. In 2025, 21 of our 36 calls (nearly 60%) were grass/brush/field fires.

The 2025 Honda Rancher 1000 UTV has necessary options of half doors, front and rear windshields, winch and is equipped with a UTV65 WaterMule fire skid unit. The department hopes to raise approximately $28,000 for this project. The Honda UTV and the firefighting skid unit along with a trailer will be funded by this campaign. While not being over-the-top, we feel that this is a practical option for the department.

Donations may be given to any Bridgewater Firefighter. They include:
Daryl Christensen, chief
Carl Ford, first assistant chief
Chad Herr, second assistant chief
Dean Stormer, secretary
Douglas Miller, Treasurer/Communications
Connor Blazek
Corey Christensen
Warren Evans
Roger Frese
Stan Frese
Luke Meisenheimer
Jesse Smith
Michael Stender
Jeff Thompson
Kyle Thompson
Chuck William
Derek Williams
Devin Williams
Robert J. Willie
Jade Zimmerline.

The department is asking for donations at this time.

The Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated is a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

Donations are appreciated and may be mailed to:
Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated
P.O. Box 130
Bridgewater, Iowa 50837

Donations may also be dropped off at any of the following locations:
Bridgewater Tires and More
Bridgewater Café
KC's Tavern
Union State Bank locations in, Bridgewater , Greenfield, Corning, or Adair
FNB Bank locations in Fontanelle, Greenfield, Massena, or Anita

Every contribution, big or small, helps contribute to our fundraising efforts.

Thank you for any support you may provide.

Bridgewater Firefighters

(For additional information you can call Doug at 641-745-5108.)

05/08/2026

https://www.kjan.com/podcast/?fbclid=IwVERDUARrSO9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR6lQB5s44FC5rqhQJ3oyBPGMQOy6sspPKrHxEvJxYCG6E-a7xGtiMOzh_-P7Q_aem_YN-Dj-QT--HO513mp9tjlQ

05/08/2026

Thank you to KJAN for the interview time and posting this as a podcast. UTV Fundraising Time is here!

"Recorded on May 8, 2026

Jim Field visits with Douglas Miller of the Bridgewater Fire Department about a fund raising effort to purchase a UTV grass/brush firefighting unit."

Podcasts – KJAN

Heartbeat Today 5-8-2026 Jim Field May 8, 2026 KJAN Podcasts Heartbeat Today 5-8-2026 Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 00:11:50 RSS Feed Share Link Embed Play in new window | Duration: 00:11:50 | Recorded on May 8, 2026Jim Field visits....

05/07/2026

The Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated is beginning fundraising efforts to pay for a side by side, UTV (Utility Terrain Unit) grass/brush firefighting unit. In 2025, 21 of our 36 calls (nearly 60%) were grass/brush/field fires.

The 2025 Honda Rancher 1000 UTV has necessary options of half doors, front and rear windshields, winch and is equipped with a UTV65 WaterMule fire skid unit. The department hopes to raise approximately $28,000 for this project. The Honda UTV and the firefighting skid unit along with a trailer will be funded by this campaign. While not being over-the-top, we feel that this is a practical option for the department.

It has been 19 years, (2007) since the Bridgewater Firefighters have fundraised for the department.

Donations may be given to any Bridgewater Firefighter. They include:
Daryl Christensen, chief
Carl Ford, first assistant chief
Chad Herr, second assistant chief
Dean Stormer, secretary
Douglas Miller, Treasurer/Communications
Connor Blazek
Corey Christensen
Warren Evans
Roger Frese
Stan Frese
Luke Meisenheimer
Jesse Smith
Michael Stender
Jeff Thompson
Kyle Thompson
Chuck Williams
Derek Williams
Devin Williams
Robert J. Willie
Jade Zimmerline.

The department is asking for donations at this time.

The Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated is a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

Donations are appreciated and may be mailed to:

Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated
P.O. Box 130
Bridgewater, Iowa 50837

Donations may also be dropped off at any of the following locations:
Bridgewater Tires and More
Bridgewater Café
KC's Tavern
Union State Bank locations in, Bridgewater , Greenfield, Corning, or Adair
FNB Bank locations in Fontanelle, Greenfield, Massena, or Anita

Every contribution, big or small, helps contribute to our fundraising efforts.

Thank you for any support you may provide.

Bridgewater Firefighters

(For additional information you can call Doug at 641-745-5108.)

05/06/2026

Fundraising Time! The Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated is beginning fundraising efforts to pay for a side by side, UTV (Utility Terrain Unit) grass/brush firefighting unit. In recent years, the number of grass, brush, and field fires that the Bridgewater Fire Department has responded to, has significantly increased. In 2025, 21 of our 36 calls (nearly 60%) were grass/brush/field fires.

UTV firefighting units offer superior accessibility to remote, narrow, steep and soft terrain that conventional fire trucks cannot reach, and they significantly enhance the initial attack capabilities, and fire suppression speed. They provide a cost-effective, maneuverable, and highly customizable solution in fighting wildland, grass, brush, and field fires.

Grass/field/brush fires can be difficult to access, control, and suppress due to their remote locations in inaccessible areas for our 4x4 pickup units and larger fire trucks. Firefighters are sometimes tasked with carrying backpack sprayers or leaf blowers to remote fire lines. The UTV firefighting unit would provide increased water capacity while providing greater accessibility to timber ground, remote and rough field areas.

Members have done extensive research and comparisons on available UTV's and UTV firefighting skid units. A government bid, turnkey option that we first researched, was more than 40% higher in cost than the unit the Bridgewater Firefighters have decided upon. The 2025 Honda Rancher 1000 UTV has necessary options of half doors, front and rear windshields, winch and is equipped with a UTV65 WaterMule fire skid unit. The department hopes to raise approximately $28,000 for this project. The Honda UTV and the firefighting skid unit along with a trailer will be funded by this campaign. While not being over-the-top, we feel that this is a practical option for the department.

It has been 19 years, (2007) since the Bridgewater Firefighters have fundraised for the department. We have been blessed with ongoing, regular contributions and funding to maintain the department with our five fire responding units.

The department is dedicated to purchasing the best unit available within the financial means of the department, always keeping members safety foremost in mind. Training on this new unit will be necessary before the unit is put into service.

The Bridgewater Fire Department currently has 20 active volunteer members. They include:
Daryl Christensen, chief
Carl Ford, first assistant chief
Chad Herr, second assistant chief
Dean Stormer, secretary
Douglas Miller, Treasurer/Communications
Connor Blazek
Corey Christensen
Warren Evans
Roger Frese
Stan Frese
Luke Meisenheimer
Jesse Smith
Michael Stender
Jeff Thompson
Kyle Thompson
Chuck Williams
Derek Williams
Devin Williams
Robert J. Willie
Jade Zimmerline.

These volunteer members are unpaid and uncompensated. We are grateful for their dedication and service.

The department is asking for donations at this time.

The Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated is a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

Donations are appreciated and may be mailed to:
Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated
P.O. Box 130
Bridgewater, Iowa 50837

Or donations may be given to any Bridgewater Firefighter.

Or donations be dropped off at any of the following locations:
Bridgewater Tires and More
Bridgewater Café
KC's Tavern
Union State Bank locations in, Bridgewater , Greenfield, Corning, or Adair
FNB Bank locations in Fontanelle, Greenfield, Massena, or Anita

The department has historically received tremendous past support and we are grateful for this. Every contribution, big or small, helps contribute to our fundraising efforts.

Thank you for any support you may provide.

Sincerely, Bridgewater Firefighters

05/06/2026

From our past...

05/05/2026

The Bridgewater Firefighters are beginning fundraising efforts to pay for a UTV grass brush firefighting unit. Fundraising letters will be mailed out to our fire district residents and landowners this week.

The picture is a sketch drawing of the Honda UTV and WaterMule skid unit.

The department is asking for donations at this time.

The Bridgewater Firefighters Association, Incorporated is a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

Donations are appreciated and may be mailed to: Bridgewater
Firefighters Association, Incorporated P.O. Box 130
Bridgewater, Iowa 50837

Or donations may be given to any Bridgewater Firefighter.

Donations may be dropped off at any of the following locations Bridgewater Tires and More, Bridgewater Café, KC's Tavern, Union State Bank locations in Bridgewater , Greenfield, Corning, or Adair and FNB Bank locations in Fontanelle, Greenfield, Massena, or Anita.

The department has historically received tremendous past support and we are grateful for this. Every contribution, big or small, helps contribute to our fundraising efforts.

05/04/2026