City of Onalaska to provide fire coverage for town

The growth of areas just north of La Crosse has led to a change in emergency service for that part of the county. 

The Town of Onalaska has decided to have all its fire protection provided by the City of Onalaska.  Town chair Stan Hauser says after years of partnering with the Holmen Area Fire Association, an upgrade was necessary, because of “the growth in the area, the changes that have taken place over the years.”

“We’re no longer little farming communities,” Hauser tells reporters. “Now we’re urban areas.”

Hauser was joined by Onalaska Mayor Kim Smith during a news conference Friday at the Onalaska Town Hall.

Smith says they’ve changed boundaries of fire protection areas “simply because so much of our land mass is intermingled.”

“So, when it comes to providing quick emergency response, we want to have more clear definition as to who’s responding where when emergencies occur,” Smith says.