Pleasant Grove. 50 Years of making B-fast
Firefighters celebrate 50 years of flipping flap jacks
StoryDiscussionVern Moulton - Correspondent
PLEASANT GROVE -- Since 1960, the firefighters of the Pleasant Grove Fire Department have been serving a breakfast for thousands annually as a fundraiser. With the event's 50th anniversary just days away, the firefighters have found cause to celebrate with -- you guessed it -- breakfast.
They will begin serving at the Pleasant Grove Fire Station at 92 E. 100 South at 6 a.m. on May 29, and end around 11 a.m. The breakfast is open to everyone and is $5 a plate, young or old alike.
"The breakfast gives us a chance to get to know the good people of Pleasant Grove," Fire Chief Marc Sanderson said.
In earlier years, the breakfast was used as a fundraiser for the fire department and other worthy community causes. For example, some of the money went to a women's auxiliary organization.
Another year, the money went to a firefighter who was ill and had to be hospitalized for some time.
"At present, the fire department is fully funded by the city's budget, but we continue the traditional breakfast because it gives the community a chance to 'hang' with the fire fighters," said Sanderson.
The menu includes ham, scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes, pancakes and a choice of milk, chocolate milk, orange juice or coffee. Food is prepared and cooked by the fire department staff. Macey's in Pleasant Grove is providing the food and other supplies and has agreed to donate a significant portion of that to the department.
More than a few PG residents make the breakfast popular.
"We expect to feed just under 2,000 people," said Deputy Fire Chief Dave Thomas.
The Pleasant Grove Fire Department has six firefighters on duty every day, all day and night. Though once aided by volunteers, there are no volunteers on the staff at this time. Firefighters live and work at the station.
Firefighters in the department are paramedics as well, able to provide a wide range of emergency assistance to the residents of Pleasant Grove. Staff includes Sanderson, Thomas and Fire Marshall Steven Brande.
Thomas said while there are no immediate plans to expand the facility or staff of the fire department, future expected growth of the community will eventually require the building of a new fire station and hiring of additional firefighters.
