The effort to erect a tribute honoring and recognizing all fire fighters who have served the Green Bay Fire Department has taken a major step forward with the completion of a model tribute. Named the Green Bay Fire Fighter Tribute Foundation, the group has been meeting irregularily for about 6 months in an effort to bring the concept to reality.  Thus far, in addition to the completed model of the Tribute, the Foundation has been meeting with governmental,community, and business leaders seeking their support, filing the proper paperwork to seek tax-deductible status with the IRS, and working with landscapers and designers to determine what is needed to have the tribute properly installed. Although not involving a lot of real work, all of these steps have taken more time than originally anticipated.

The "Tribute" is to be located on the west shore of the Fox River, just south of the 9-11 Memorial adjacent to  the Neville Public Museum.  It is planned to have the name of every member who ever served the department  engraved in a paver brick along with park bench seating and a small monument/statue.

501 c. 3. status has been sought and received from the IRS making the Tribute Foundation a non-profitable, charitable organization.  Thus, all donations are tax deductible under IRS rules. Please make any contribution payable to "Green Bay Fire Fighter Tribute" and mail it to 1570 Elizabeth St., Green Bay, WI 54302

We are also seeking information about those fire fighters who worked for the department in years past, especially those from the 1920's and 30's.  If you have any information that may help us in our research, please send that to the same address or call Bill Margis at 920-468-0342.

Recently, additions have been made to the Green Bay Fire Fighters Tribute locate on the banks of the Fox River. These newly added engraved bricks contain the names of those fire fighters who either retired since the Tribute was dedicated in 2008 or those who have left the department for other opportunities.  In 2009, bricks recognizing Captains Jeff Jacobe, Nick Moore, Robert Krueger; Lieutenants James DeGroot and Wayne Huemphner; Engineer Scott Merline; and Fire Fighters Larry Erdmann, Melissa Jones, Steve Kramer, and Brad Racine were added.  In addition, research led to the discovery of information that resulted in bricks being placed  that recognized Assistant Chiefs William Gleason and Lawrence Fleming; Captains William Selissen, William Bomber, Henry DeGreef, James Lester, John Stroobants, Albert Netols, Peter Peckinpaugh, Henry Harris, Warren Spoffard, and James Lester; and Lieutenant William Cropsey.

40 other engraved bricks were also added recognizing numerous fire fighters from that period in history when Green Bay was served by such fire companies as the Washington Hose Company, the Guardian and Fort Howard Fire Company and the Germania Fire Company. These bricks were randomly placed around the base of the monument. It is expected that as research continues, additional names will be discovered. As this occurs, these too, will be added to the Tribute.

For more information about the Green Bay Fire Fighter Tribute or if you have information about a fire fighter from Green Bay's past please contact the Green Bay Fire Fighter Tribute Foundation at 1570 Elizabeth St. Green Bay, WI 54302 or phone 920-430-1448.