Many years ago a great President asked “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country.” Although many of todays firefighters are too young to remember these famous words spoken more than a few years ago by President John F. Kennedy. The word still ring true, even in a small village like Eastlake where our great country begins there are a group of people who dedicate themselves to serving their fellow man. They do not do it for money, fame or personal gains, they do it because they be cause they love Eastlake, they love Manistee County, they love our Country.
You see unlike the vast majority of firefighters in America, the firefighters in Eastlake do not accept pay for their efforts, although by law they are required to be paid minimum wage, the money earned by the firefighters is donated back to the fire department, into the Eastlake Firefighters Fund. The money, from there, is used for community service such as Halloween and Christmas parties for the Village, for uniforms for the firefighters when they are in the public eye, such as the parade and festivities of fire prevention week and many other occasions though out the year.
Every one of Eastlake's firefighters gives selflessly to our community from the duties of firefighting, to picking up trash along the roads. Giving to the community is not something we are asked to do, it is something we just do.


If you happen by Eastlake on any Monday night and look in the parking lot of the Fire Department, you will see several vehicles with bumper stickers on the back stating their beliefs and who they are, “support our troops,” “firefighter,” “veteran,” We are factory workers, Warehouse workers, Nurses, Contractors, Social workers, translators, and Managers, we are your neighbors, and your friends. We are there for “our” community yours and mine, 24 hours a day 365 days a year, we are there to protect our fellow man, to ensure his safety, to protect his property, to help him in his greatest time of need, or even for the simplest service as to find a lost dog.
That is why we are firefighters.