DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – As the Decatur Fire Department mourns the loss of a firefighter, members of the Springfield and Bloomington fire departments helped work Decatur fire stations Thursday.
Tom Brauer, 59, died in his home over the weekend. Firefighters from Springfield and Bloomington were lending a hand so Decatur firefighters could attend a memorial service.
“We couldn’t be more appreciative that they came over to assist us with this and we would do the same for them,” said Decatur Fire Department Lt. Toby Jackson. “It’s a hard time right now but we’ll make it through with their help, it’s tremendous.”
Captain Mark Vanderwerf of the Springfield Fire Department helped-out at the Brettwood Village Station 5 where Brauer served.
“This is the second time in a year we’ve helped out Decatur and we also helped out Peoria in the past year,” Vanderwerf told WAND’s Doug Wolfe.
Brauer served on the Decatur Fire Department for 27 years. Before that he worked for the Bloomington Fire Department.
(Photo Credit: Decatur Fire Department)
