An emotional day in Cornell on Friday, as Firefighter Justin Fredrickson was released from an Eau Claire hospital.
“It is a brotherhood, fire departments are a brotherhood, I can’t explain it unless you’ve been here,” says Cornell Area Fire Department Chief Dennis Klass.
Klass says the community support is overwhelming.
“This was fantastic support we had for Justin today, so many area volunteer and paid fire departments showed up at the hospital, picking him up on the way to Cornell, riding with him for a while and it’s just fantastic.” Fredrickson was hurt last month while responding to a fire in the Town of Willard in Rusk County.
A round of ammunition went off due to heat from the fire and hit Fredrickson in the stomach.
“This is one of the dangers you don’t really think of when you go out to a fire is somebody getting shot.”
Chief Klass says the incident sent shockwaves through the community.