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 (Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) [Click to enlarge] |
Kim Wiltman, of Le Mars, who started with the department in August 1990, is closing in on 19 years of service.
His grandfather, Jack Wiltman, and father, Wendell Wayne "Butch" Wiltman also served with the volunteer fire department.
The Le Mars native served in the U.S. Navy, where fire fighting skills are part of the training.
He first explored getting a job as a professional fire fighter in Sioux Falls, but decided that wasn't what he wanted to do.
He moved to Alton with his work with the utility company, MidAmerican Energy, and soon found himself serving as a volunteer firefighter in Alton.
"I served on the department there a few years, and then moved to Le Mars and got on here," Wiltman said. He started with the Le Mars department as a reserve member and was moved to the regular department Aug. 1, 1990.
His experience with the utility company is a plus for the fire department.
"The more people you have with varied skills, the better off you are," Wiltman said. "When the guys have worked in different areas, you get a nice variety of knowledge."
For instance, at Alton, he replaced not only the utility worker in the community but that same individual's position on the fire department.
"Small towns always hit those guys up," he said.
It's the same with the Le Mars fire department.
"Kim is my go-to person time of emergencies for help in the electrical distribution field," Fire Chief Wayne Schipper stated in the Wiltman's firefighter of the year announcement.
While there are no special assignments for the firefighters, Wiltman says he is often called on for electrical issues once he arrives on the fire scene. He's also done gas work for the utility company and can assess that area as well.
"I hardly ever make the first truck, so when I get there, it gives me a chance to see if electricity will be a hazard," Wiltman said.
With his connection to the utility company, he can oftentimes make a direct call to get power shut off rather than route through the system.
"That's part of making use of everyone's outside talents," Wiltman explained.
Being a volunteer firefighter is a time commitment, both in training and being on call.
"Yeah, it takes a lot of time. That's the hard part of being a volunteer, finding the time," Wiltman said.
Family members must understand that time commitment as well.
"I told my wife Paula 10 years and I'd be done, and now it's going on 19 years," he said with a smile.
"She still supports me. I think 20 years I'll probably be done."
He also admits the middle of the night calls are getting a littler harder.
Wiltman said that being a firefighter is somewhat like being in the military.
"While you don't spend as much time with them (the firefighters) there's still a lot of the same kind of bonding that you have in the military," Wiltman said. "And you look out for each other."
Some of the hardest fire calls for Wiltman are the accident fatalities.
"Those accidents stick with you. Now it's pretty much if there's a personal injury accident, we automatically go," Wiltman said.
In his years of firefighting, he said the fire he most remembers is the one in downtown Le Mars that gutted Rieken's Rental Center and damaged several other businesses with smoke.
Wiltman has a bit of advice for individuals thinking of joining the fire department.
"Be prepared to spend a lot of time on training," he said. "It's best to observe and try to get something from everyone who is here. If someone tells you something, it's usually from experience, so learn from it."
"Firefighting isn't for everyone," he added.
Wiltman is a certified Firefighter I and EMS First Responder. He is the senior member of the fire department's Finance Committee.
There are currently 27 members on the Le Mars Fire Department.