A North Prairie firefighter has died in the line of duty after contracting COVID-19. Colleagues are remembering Gary Berg for his decades of dedication to the job.
Berg joined the North Prairie Fire Department as soon as he could, his 18th birthday, and he never looked back. His fellow firefighters say they'll miss the man known for his humility and hard work. Even before he joined the department, Berg helped them fight fires, providing an initial response with his dad until full crews arrived. Donald Gray, former chief, says he knew he needed Berg on the department.
"So I handed his dad an application, and then a year later, we got Gary," said Gray. "He graduated high school, and we got Gary to join up. That was 36 years ago."
Ever since, Berg was a dedicated volunteer member of the department, always willing to put his personal life on hold for a call – until late September.
"We're gonna miss him," said Gray.