City of Fort Atkinson Fire Department

09/03/2026

🚒 Training Tuesday: Two-Vehicle Accident Simulation 🚒

For this week’s Training Tuesday, Fort Atkinson Fire Department crews participated in a two-vehicle accident simulation involving 5 simulated patients.

Crews worked through the entire scenario—from arriving on scene and assessing patients, to vehicle stabilization and completing extrication. The full simulation was completed in 28 minutes from crew arrival to completion of extrication and patient assessment. ⏱️

Training scenarios like this give our crews the opportunity to sharpen their skills, improve communication, and practice working together during complex incidents.

Train today. Be ready tomorrow. 🚒💪

09/02/2026

WHAT’S THAT SMELL? IS THERE A GAS LEAK? 🤢❓

If you’ve noticed an offensive, gas-like odor over the last couple of days, you aren’t alone! Calls poured into local authorities and local utility companies in Wisconsin and Illinois this week.

After crews scrambled to investigate, they confirmed there was no gas leak. So, what was causing the stink from Fort Atkinson to Edgerton to Janesville, Beloit, and down into Rockton?

The answer: Lake Koshkonong.

Here is what's happening:

🦠 The Cause: A recent stretch of warm, sunny weather and light winds triggered a massive blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria) bloom in the shallow waters of Lake Koshkonong.

💨 The Smell: When these massive algal blooms occur and decay, they release strong, unpleasant gases into the air that smell surprisingly similar to a natural gas leak or sewage.

🌊 Why is it affecting downstream towns? While the bloom originated in the lake, Lake Koshkonong flows directly into the Rock River. As that water moves south, the odor travels along with it—even if the moving river water makes the algae harder to see!

⚠️ HEALTH & SAFETY WARNING:
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services warns that exposure to these harmful algal blooms can cause:

Respiratory issues
Skin irritations and blisters
Gastrointestinal illness

Please keep yourself, your family, and your pets out of the water where blooms or odors are present.

Good news: Satellite imagery and recent monitoring show concentrations are beginning to thin out, so the worst should hopefully be behind us.

Share this post to help clear the air for your neighbors! 👇

08/30/2026

🎶🌊 Rhythm on the River is here! 🌊🎶

The Fort Atkinson Fire Department wishes everyone a fun and memorable night enjoying the music, the river, and our community!

Celebrate responsibly, look out for one another, and most importantly — stay safe! 🚒❤️

08/29/2026

Friday night lights! 🏈🚒

Our Fort Atkinson Fire Department crew is out supporting the Blackhawks and helping keep our community safe during tonight’s game.

Good luck, Blackhawks! 🖤💛

08/25/2026

🚧 Overnight Intersection Closure – S. Main St. & Talcott Ave./Talcott Ct.

Road crews will be closing the intersection of S. Main Street and Talcott Ave./Talcott Ct. overnight to complete necessary work.

A detour will be in place for anyone traveling southbound on S. Main St. who needs to access Talcott Court or the homes between Talcott Court & W. Hilltop:

➡️ West on Talcott Ave
➡️ South on Grant St
➡️ East on W Hilltop
➡️ Then north back onto S Main St

A map is provided below to help guide access during the shutdown.

The intersection is expected to reopen by the end of the day Wednesday.

Thank you for your patience as crews work safely and efficiently.

08/25/2026

Getting ready for this upcoming school year?

Don't forget to add safety to your back-to-school planning.🏫

📱 Create an emergency communications plan
🧐 Review safety information shared by your school,

08/22/2026

A few of the trucks and ambulances that help us answer the call. 🚒🚑

Different apparatus, different capabilities, one goal — serving the Fort Atkinson community.

08/20/2026

At 8:04 a.m. on Wednesday, August 19, the Fort Atkinson Fire Department was dispatched to the area of South Main Street and East Rockwell Avenue for a report of a large natural gas main that had been struck during road construction.

Upon arrival, fire crews found a significant natural gas leak and immediately began evacuating homes, apartment buildings and businesses in the immediate area. Some residents were temporarily relocated to nearby Luther Elementary School while crews worked to secure the area.

FORT ATKINSON, WI – At 8:04 a.m. on Wednesday, August 19, the Fort Atkinson Fire Department was dispatched to the area of South Main Street and East Rockwell Avenue for a report of a large natural gas main that had been struck during road construction.

08/19/2026

UPDATE: Emergency crews have determined the area is now safe, and residents may return to their homes.

An 8-inch gas main was struck during construction near S Main Street and Rockwell Avenue. WE Energies and City crews responded to the scene to secure the leak.

Thank you to area residents for your patience and cooperation while crews worked to make the area safe.

Send a message to learn more

08/19/2026

Yesterday’s training focused on large-area search operations in blackout conditions and victim rescue. Crews worked on navigating, searching, locating victims, and safely removing them in a low-visibility environment. 🚒