GRAND MEADOW – In another example of the adage "one size fits all," Grand Meadow now has all its public safety and emergency services buildings under one roof.

Thursday, September 14, 2000

GRAND MEADOW – In another example of the adage "one size fits all," Grand Meadow now has all its public safety and emergency services buildings under one roof.

The community’s new emergency services building was dedicated Sept. 10.

"This is really exciting," said Jim Baudoin, master of ceremonies. "It’s an honor to me to be a part of the ceremonies."

Baudoin said Grand Meadow’s new EMS building is but one example of the progressive building. He pointed to a new assisted living project, residential housing development and downtown street and lighting improvements as other examples as well as a new K-12 school to come.

The building cost an estimated $360,000 and received wide-spread public support from its inception.

More than 120 individuals, businesses and organizations contributed to the building fund. Another 37 donations of labor and materials were received also for the building.

Twenty-one separate donations were received for the landscaping fund, plus seven separate donations of labor and materials.

With all the fire trucks outside the building, citizens sat in bleachers to hear the guest speakers tell how the project succeeded.

Meghan Lamp, an 18-year veteran of the Grand Meadow Area Ambulance Service and for the last nine years, the service’s director, said the community was fortunate to have so many committed volunteers.

"Some communities this size are just lucky to have a first responder squad or ambulance service," Lamp said. "Here we take applications to serve."

Lamp, a Mayo One flight nurse, was instrumental in having an air ambulance visit Grand Meadow last Sunday for the ceremonies.

Doug Sween, the service’s first director in 1978, said he was "truly amazed" at the transformation made by the emergency services unit.

The service’s first vehicle was a 1965 red Cadillac, and it was replaced by a fully equipped 1979 Ford van.

Sween said other communities may struggle to get important projects completed, but not Grand Meadow.

"Here when somebody comes to you with an important project the answer is ‘Yes. We’ll do it, because it has to be done,’" Sween said.

Carolyn Sween singled out five people for special recognition: Diane Benson, Doug Edge, Mark Jacobson, Meghan Lamp and Scott Shorter.

The five were credited with overseeing the project, which resulted in a near $360,000 building and included more than $100,000 in donated materials and services.

Grand Meadow Fire Chief Dean Knutson, a 16-year veteran on the department and for the last five years its chief, gave a brief history of the department, beginning in 1894 when its only vehicle was a Model T Ford. The department’s 1949 white International was the first truck purchased by the city. Today, the department boasts five trucks, which have a total capacity of 6,000 gallons of water and 24 volunteers, who conducted a demonstration for the audience using their Jaws of Life extrication equipment.

Mark Schneider spent 10 years as an EMT and has been a volunteer firefighter for 26 years. He marveled at the changes in firefighting from "standing outside a burning building squirting water at it" to today’s state-of-the-art fire suppression measures.

Also Sunday, the Jason Meyer Peace Garden was dedicated in memory of the former Grand Meadow police officer, who was killed in the line of duty in a traffic accident last fall.

Rhonda Ptacek and Darcy Hankens were credited with originating the idea, which involved Mark Jacobson’s design and a sizable contribution from the local branch of the Aid Association for Lutherans.

Jacob and Jared Gehling did the landscaping.The officer’s widow, Sara Meyer, expressed the family’s appreciation for the gesture on behalf of her late-husband.

Lastly, Mayor Baudoin praised the citizens of Grand Meadow and the surrounding community. "If it wasn’t for you people, this wouldn’t have been possible," Baudoin said. "This is a great community."

The building houses first responder, ambulance, police and fire vehicles and equipment.