As the final notes to Auld Lang Syne were sung to usher out the year 2012 and bring 2013 into existence, the Grant Fire Department/Perkins County Ambulance closed the books on the second busiest year for total responses in the department’s 123 year history, said Grant Fire Chief Don Softley.
Department personnel responded to 256 ambulance/fire/rescue and emergency management situations.
The fire trucks responded to 75 requests for help in 2012, shattering the previous record of 46 responses in 1999.
The ambulance responded to 167 situations, which is second  only to the 190 ambulance responses in 1997.
June and May were the busiest months for the department as those months witnessed 27 and 26 responses respectively.
The ambulance was busiest in May with 19 responses while September and October had 16 calls each month.
The fire department was the busiest in June and July with 10 responses each month followed by May and August with nine calls for assistance.
For 2013 the membership elected Donald Softley, chief; Fred Reichert, assistant chief; Rick Dreiling, senior captain; Jason Noyes, ambulance captain; Bryan Kroeker, president; Dwight Wiebe, vice president; Wayne Pick, secretary; and Ron Krause, treasurer.
Elected to serve with Harlan Rahn and Becca Lagler on the board was Chasity Knoles.
Appointed fire captains for 2013 were Bryan Kroeker, Harlan Rahn, with Dwight Wiebe appointed to fire lieutenant position.
Appointed ambulance lieutenants were Robert Tatum, Becca Lagler, and Shane Mastre.
Members of the fire department are: Cassandra Cockerill, Rick Dreiling, Roger Friesen, Bob Hochstein, Gerald Hostetler, Chasity Knoles, Bryan Kroeker, Ron Krause, Becca Lagler, Shane Mastre, Trent Mastre, Ward Mastre, Jason Noyes, Rick Ochsner, Wayne Pick, Harlan Rahn, Fred Reichert, Jesse Shireman, Don Softley, Robert Tatum, Dwight Wiebe, Shawn Wiebe and Dalton Zimmerman.

Year        Fires
2012        75
1999        46
1990        45
2007        43
2008        43
2009        42
1989        39
1985        37
1988        37
2011        37
1966        36
1974        36
Year        Ambulance
1997        190
2012        167
2001        163
2000        160
2006        157
1998        154
1999        154
2004        154
1995        152
1992        150
Year        Total
2007        276
2012        256
1997        233
2009        213
1999        209
2001        208
2006        206
2008        206
1995        202
1998        198
1992        195