VIDEO: After nearly two years since a tornado hit their community, the town of Silver Cliff in Marinette County has broken ground on a new fire station.
In June 2022, the town was devastated by a tornado that downed trees and destroyed buildings, including the fire station. Last week, Governor Tony Evers awarded a $1 million grant to the town, putting them at their $3.7 million goal for the project.
Town chairman Bruce Weber says, “We are so far from any hospitals that the fire department and rescue squad needed this building to be able to respond properly and to save lives.”
Since the tornado, emergency crews have been using a garage area close by, but Fire Chief Alan Walesh says it’s been a struggle to function in the space.
“Certain fires need certain trucks. You have to move other ones out of the way to get the other ones out,” Walesh explains.