(IRON RIDGE) Iron Ridge firefighters will continue receiving key state funding after a recent audit found the department is meeting Wisconsin’s requirements for the 2% Fire Dues program.
The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services audited the Iron Ridge Fire Department earlier this month, reviewing the department’s operations and records for calendar year 2025. State officials determined the department is in substantial compliance with the laws and administrative rules that govern how the funds are earned and spent.
The 2% Fire Dues are not a local tax or fee paid by residents. Instead, the money comes from a state assessment tied to fire insurance premiums written in Wisconsin. Those funds are then distributed to municipalities and passed along to the fire departments that serve their communities.
State law limits how the money can be used. The funds are meant strictly for direct fire service needs, including buying fire equipment, conducting fire inspections and public education, training firefighters, and supporting approved pension or benefit programs for firefighters.
To remain eligible, departments must meet a range of operational and record-keeping standards. Those include providing continuous fire protection, maintaining adequate staffing for emergency calls, documenting firefighter training, properly handling dispatch and response, and keeping detailed records showing that Fire Dues money is spent only on approved purposes.
The audit determination means Iron Ridge Fire Department can continue relying on the funding to support training, equipment, and other services that help protect the community.
