QEM Fryer Department: QEM holds annual fish fry

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By Cory Davenport

The all-volunteer force of the Quarry, Elsah and Mississippi (QEM) Fire Department covers an area of 127 square miles with its services, and Saturday, Sept. 9, it covered a good portion of that with the smell of fresh-fried catfish.

“It’s a really good-sized fundraiser,” QEM Fire Chief Gerry New said, finishing his meal Saturday afternoon. “We do it every year, and it’s getting bigger and bigger.”

Funds raised through the annual fish fry go toward the department’s auxiliary unit, headed by New’s step-daughter, Heather Hanna. The QEM Fire Department’s Auxiliary Unit aids the department by ensuring they have additional funds to make even more life-saving purchases, as well as keeping responding departments hydrated and fed during especially hefty calls. New spoke of one such call with a profound sense of relief it was over.

“We were out there all day,” he said of the call to a large outdoor blaze. “And it was 110 degrees without the fire.”

During that call, the Auxiliary Unit arrived on the scene to ensure the department was fed and hydrated. They also recently assisted in the purchase of life-saving gear guaranteed to make the department’s all-too-common call for brush fires easier to handle, especially in the oppressive summer heat.

“I was on the internet looking at some equipment one night, and I saw a collection of flame-retardant jumpsuits,” New said. “They would be a lot easier for dealing with those brush fires than having to put on all that gear. Now, they are fire retardant – not fire-proof. Nothing is fire-proof, everything will burn, but these take much longer to burn.”

These lightweight jumpsuits were luckily on clearance, so they were $90 a piece.

“I gave Heather a call, showed her what I found, and she made the purchase for us,” he said. “We got 15 of them.”

Fifteen jumpsuits would be nearly enough to allow each volunteer firefighter in the department to have one. While this is inherently a good thing for New, he wishes there were more volunteers on the roster. Currently, the department has 17 firefighters. In recent weeks, they lost four and gained three.

“We’re always looking for help,” he said. “Things and times have changed. We don’t have a lot of people willing to give their time away.”

New said he would “love to” see his team grow to 20-30 firefighters. He said anyone willing to serve their community and save lives and property is welcomed to pick up an application from the QEM Fire Department, located at 14905 Elsah Rd in Grafton. New said people can also call him at the department’s line, (618) 786-3300.

Hanna said the department’s auxiliary unit also has contributed leaf blowers to the department, which New said were much more effective at road cleanup than their previous method of using push brooms. He also credited Hanna and her auxiliary unit team for the small boat the department has for river-based emergencies.

“We do a little bit of everything here,” New said, gesturing toward the boat in the station garage. “Our coverage area goes down to the river and covers from just west of Pere Marquette State Park, all the way down to the county line at Stanka Lane. And we’re the closest response team with a boat outside of all the way down in Alton.”

When asked how much money the fish fry generates for the auxiliary unit’s efforts, Hanna and New said it varies, but can gross as much as $5,000. New said these funds are now also aided by nearly $45,000 in revenue generated through a voter-backed tax increase specifically earmarked for the QEM Fire Department.

“It passed with a two-to-one ratio,” New said. “That was great. It surprised us a little bit, but we’re definitely putting it to good use.”

New said he and his assistant chief are each trained paramedics and taxpayers are funding a lot of life-saving efforts from the department. Their trucks are outfitted to provide the same level of services as an ambulance, save for transportation. Given the department averages around 400 yearly calls, those efforts are often put to good use for the people of Jersey County.