La Pointe
Fire Protection
Water Storage
- Location: La Pointe, Wisconsin
- Contractor: Berghammer Builders
- Engineer: Wendel Companies
- Size: 18,000-gallon tank and 12,000-gallon tank
- Purpose: To provide fire protection water storage for the Town of La Pointe emergency services building.
About this Project
Following a fire in early 2019 that burned the fire hall and all emergency equipment to the ground, the La Pointe Volunteer Fire Department was in need of a new emergency services building. La Pointe is located on Madeline Island in Lake Superior, which caused more problems to arise in the wake of the fire. The Wisconsin DNR has stepped in to help the island, providing emergency equipment to offer protection until the fire department rebuilds. The new 13,542 sq. ft. emergency services building will serve as a fire station and EMS facility with living quarters for personnel.
Fire protection water storage tanks were included in the project to ensure an adequate water supply would be immediately available at all times. To meet that need, Wieser Concrete was contracted by Berghammer Builders to produce one 18,000-gallon tank and one 12,000-gallon tank for the storage system. Four semi loads of tanks meant that two pieces weighing 42,000 lbs and two pieces weighing 24,000 lbs had to be ferried across the lake. Also ferried over for installation was a crane weighing 140,000 lbs, along with its counterweights. The entire installation process took only two days to complete. While the emergency departments have remained fully operational during this transition, the new emergency services building and fire protection system are eagerly awaited. “We are all anticipating the final move into our new hall,” La Pointe Fire Chief Rich Reichkitzer mentioned.
