On the evening of Friday, Jan. 12, as citizens began their weekend, the City of Sheboygan Fire Department began a different activity. For the second time in the department’s history, a MABAS alarm was activated. MABAS is an acronym for Mutual Aid Box Alarm System and it started in northern Illinois in the late 1960’s. MABAS is a proven method for municipalities to share resources. MABAS now includes 61 counties in Wisconsin. Sheboygan County is designated as MABAS 113. This situation started when a call came in for a fire on Sheboygan’s North Avenue. Upon arrival, the crew of Ladder 4 encountered heavy flames in one building, fire extending to a second building, and a burn victim in front of the burning buildings.