Friday ice rescue could cost thousands

DE PERE - Three days after eight fishermen were rescued off an ice floe in the Fox River in De Pere, the De Pere Fire Department is getting an idea of how much the operation cost.

"I expect it will be more than $2,000," said De Pere Fire Chief Robert Kiser.

Eight fishermen were rescued when a piece of ice they were fishing on, broke away Friday. All eight will be billed a fee - not a fine - for the rescue.

• Story: 8 fishermen rescued from the Fox River

And at least one fishermen isn't happy about that.

"(The fire department) said that we didn't have to (pay), we weren't going to get a fine," said Nathan Schoenick, one of the eight fishermen rescued from the ice Friday in De Pere, in a phone interview Monday.

The payment Nathan Schoenick is talking about is from De Pere Fire-Rescue. It is billing Schoenick $500 for rescuing him off the ice Friday.

Schoenick, 23, of Shawano, says he was told none of the stranded fishermen would have to pay for being rescued.

He says it's the fire department's job to help those in need. He doesn't believe he should have to pay for services already covered by taxes.

“I ain't going to pay it!” said Schoenick. ” No way!"

De Pere Fire-Rescue Chief Robert Kiser says, between all of the equipment deployed, overtime for off-duty responders and a rip in a rubber boat, the cost for the ice rescue operation could be up to $2,000. However, a final cost is not yet known.

"All of that comes into play for something of that nature," said Kiser.

Billing for fire and rescue services in De Pere isn't new. Kiser says it comes from a fee structure put in place in 2009 to limit the burden on taxpayers. Costs for services - like ambulance transport or rescue and extrication - are passed on to the user.

Kiser says the fishermen shouldn't be surprised.

"You launch your boat, you pay a fee,” said Kiser. "You come and get rescued on the ice, you get trapped in a car, you pay a fee."

All eight fishermen will be billed $500, totaling $4,000.

"It's to cover or offset operating costs for providing those services," said Larry Delo, City Administrator for the City of De Pere.

Delo says the money collected from the ice rescue fees will go into the city's general fund to help cover the cost of the operation.

Kiser says there won't be a bill from Brown County for its response with its air boat and other equipment. That’s because Brown County and De Pere have an agreement for a mutual aid response.