Bio: Wolf, Pat – First Responder of the Year (2021)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Wolf, Rozar, Eichten

Source: Tribune/Record/Gleaner (Abbotsford, WI) 03 Nov 2021

During the month of October, members of First Responder Units across the State of Wisconsin were recognized for their work throughout the year as part of National First Responder Month. As part of the celebration this month, each Assembly District has chosen a local First Responder to receive the First Responder of the Year award, and this year, Granton First Responder Pat Wolf was chosen for the award for the 69th District.

Wolf was given the award by Rep. Donna Rozar on Nov. 1 at the Granton Fire Station, where more than 50 community members, family, and local first responders and fire department members came together to celebrate.

“Pat has spent 30 years in the service of Granton and the surrounding communities,” stated a press release about the award. “Throughout his career, he has shown leadership and taken initiative especially while fundraising for the new equipment for the EMS. Additionally, Pat takes the time to inform the communities of the investment by allowing the public to view the new equipment at local board meetings. Pat is still involved in responding to calls and is almost always the first one on the scene. An exemplary citizen and EMT, Pat most assuredly deserves this award.”

During the presentation of the award to Wolf, Rep. Rozar, fellow EMT Janell Walter and Granton Village Clerk Joye Eichten all spoke about Wolf’s dedication and commitment to the community as an EMT since the organization’s founding.

“I was so excited,” said Eichten. “They had asked me for some names to throw out in the hat for our first responders and I had submitted Pat and Janell as our first responders. They do all of the work, show up at the board meetings to show our equipment to the board and community. They are always out there and when I had to pick somebody, they both came to mind and I could only choose one. I know he was the leader of the group.”

“You are such an inspiration and role model,” added Walter during her speech. “You didn’t do it for money, or for glory, but for the life that you save. No matter the time of day you are always willing to go out of your way to help.” “Everyone is to be commended, but we can only make one of these plaques,” said Rozar. “It was really an honor to come to Granton to present this to Pat. I know people appreciate your service and your dedication to the community.”

Upon receiving the award, Wolf expressed his gratitude for the honor and what it meant for the local EMTs to be recognized in this way.

“This (award) wouldn’t be possible without all the people we have, Neillsville, Loyal and Pittsville ambulance,” he said. “It makes getting this award a lot easier. Granton Fire and Rescue as well, this is a team award as far as I am concerned.”

In total, Wolf said he has spent 30 years as a member of the Granton Fire and Rescue and 28 years as a First Responder, joining the EMT crew as the organization was first founded in 1993. Since then, he said the group has continued to grow in the way it is able to help people and is always working towards getting better equipment to make sure they can help a person no matter what their emergency may be.

“When I started all we had was a bag and some gauze and you hoped Neillsville was fast,” he said. “When we first started we were one of the First Responders in Clark County. Now we have a fully stocked rig; we don’t transport, so we are able to carry a lot more equipment than a normal ambulance.”

The process to turn the Granton First Responders into the organization it is today, Wolf said, was a long effort by the group to raise funds and awareness throughout the communities they serve. Through fundraisers and numerous showings of their equipment to the people it would affect the most, he said it has become a lot easier to get the things they need as the years have gone by.

“Through the years we had fundraisers, pancake suppers, Packer parties, spaghetti meals and duck races at the Fall Fest, and raffles to raise money to buy our first defibrillator,” he said. “The Association then decided to chip in each year and made it a lot easier to run.”

On average, Wolf said the Granton EMTs receive between 150-170 calls each year, with the calls as various as the numerous pieces of equipment they have in their EMT rig. Through each one, he said the members of the group look out for not only the patients, but also for each other.

“There are a lot of calls,” he said. “We maybe get 150-170 calls a year and for 28 years there have been some good and bad. Kids are the hardest calls and we all make sure that everyone is OK afterwards.”

This support for others, whether they were a patient or an EMT, served as an inspiration to Wolf’s four children who have all also dedicated their time as First Responders and paramedics in their own communities. It’s a special privilege, he said, to have that sort of dedication continue in the generations to come.

“My son Matt became a paramedic at Marshfield,” he said. “My daughter Amanda is a first responder and EMT right here in Granton and I get to work with her. Aaron is a first responder here, Ann is also one and my wife was a first responder, too. The whole family was involved at one point.”