Madison – Wisconsin State Representative Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) has chosen Dells/Delton EMS Deputy Chief Brandon Frederick receive the First Responder of the Year Award for the 41st Assembly District.
“Deputy Chief Brandon Frederick’s dedication to serving our region is incredible. He has served the Dells/Delton community for 14 years, and serves as a volunteer firefighter for Oxford. He truly understands what it means to put his life on the line for the people he serves, and that’s why I’ve chosen him to be the 41st District’s First Responder of the Year,” said Rep. Kurtz.
On the night of November 20, 2024, Deputy Chief (DC) Frederick was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident on the interstate. While responding, DC Frederick recognized road conditions were deteriorating due to light drizzle and near freezing temperatures. After connecting with the paramedics on scene, DC Frederick ordered them to move the ambulance to the front of the accident scene while he stayed at the rear to provide early warning and light coverage. Moments later, a west-bound semi-truck lost control and struck the back of DC Frederick’s command vehicle. DC Frederick is lucky to be alive. His vehicle was struck only seconds after he got back into his truck and closed the driver door. The impact sent both vehicles crashing through the area where he and the two paramedics had been standing between the command vehicle and the ambulance. DC Frederick suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash. Thankfully, DC Frederick has recovered and returned to full duty in the summer of 2025. DC Frederick’s ability to remain calm under pressure and take immediate, life-preserving action is a testament to his skill as an incident commander, and dedication to the well-being of his crews.
Deputy Chief Frederick was nominated for this recognition by Lake Delton Director of Public Safety, Chief Eric Thunberg. “Brandon’s scene awareness and decisiveness absolutely saved at least the lives of two of his paramedics and maybe others that night. We are grateful he survived and is able to continue to serve our community. Thank you also to Rep. Kurtz for selecting Brandon to represent the 41st district,” said Chief Thunberg.
Responding to accidents on the side of the road is often one of the most dangerous for first responders. From 2017 to 2021, there were nearly 2,400 crashes involving emergency vehicles in Wisconsin. About 735 people were injured and five were killed in those incidents. In addition to Wisconsin’s “Move Over Law”, state law also prohibits the use of cell phones within 500 feet of an authorized emergency vehicle with activated lights, or a tow truck with flashing red lights.
“I’m so thankful Deputy Chief Frederick has returned to full duty following this accident. This is a somber reminder of why state law requires all drivers to shift lanes or slow down to provide a safe space for any squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck, utility truck or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the side of the road with its warning lights flashing,” said Rep. Kurtz. “Let’s all take the time to slow down, move over, and make sure we get all of our first responders home safely.”
October is First Responder Appreciation Month, and today the State Assembly honored First Responders from each of the 99 Assembly Districts during their session day on October 14th. EMS Deputy Chief Frederick and his family, along with Dells/Delton EMS Director Dillon Gavinski, Lake Delton Director of Public Safety Chief Eric Thunberg, and Lake Delton Village Administrator Tim McCumber attended the ceremony with Rep. Kurtz at the State Capitol for this well-deserved recognition.
